Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies

Dive into the holidays with deliciously festive Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies. These tasty treats combine two delicious holiday flavors and create the ultimate dessert! Made with cocoa powder, crushed peppermint candy, and white chocolate.

Tasty, holiday-approved, mint chocolate treats

Are you a decorate-for-the-holidays-as-soon-as-possible person, or do you prefer to wait until all of the Thanksgiving and fall festivities have passed? I understand the argument on both sides. On one hand, why rush the fall? On the other, why not extend the holly jolly season as long as possible? No matter which way you feel, there is something that we can all agree on:

It’s never too early for chocolate peppermint treats!

Kick off the best part of the season (dessert, of course) with these delicious chocolate peppermint crunch cookies. They’re made with normal cookie baking ingredients (flour, butter, sugar, eggs, etc.), and then dipped in creamy white chocolate and topped with delicious peppermint pieces.

What’s not to love?!

Ingredients in chocolate peppermint crunch cookies

To kick off this recipe, let’s cover all of the ingredients. Below is a full list. Don’t skimp out on the white chocolate or peppermint — those are the most important parts!

• Flour: First up for the ingredients is 2 cups of flour. Getting the flour measurement right is crucial, so make sure you’re using the scoop and level method — don’t pack it in.
• Cocoa powder: Next up is 3/4 cup of cocoa powder. This is going to add the chocolate element to the cookies!
• Baking soda: To ensure that the cookies bake properly, add 1 tsp of baking soda.
• Salt: Next up is salt. Use 1/2 tsp for the perfect touch.
• Butter: Butter is a magic ingredient when it comes to cookie recipes. Use 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks), softened. Let it sit at room temperature for a bit before baking — don’t melt it!
• Brown sugar: Add some sweet flavor with 1/2 cup of brown sugar. You can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar.
• White sugar: Then, follow the brown sugar with 1/2 cup of white granulated sugar. The combination of the two sugar types helps us achieve crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside cookies.
• Eggs: 2 eggs will help all of the ingredients bind together properly. They can be regular or large eggs.
• Peppermint extract: Next, add the peppermint flavor with 1 tsp of peppermint extract. Because we’re using this, we won’t need vanilla extract!
• White chocolate: Next, we’ll be using 12oz of white chocolate.
• Topping: Last but not least, set aside some crushed peppermint candy for sprinkling on top of the cookies!

Kitchen tools used to make chocolate and peppermint crunch cookies

Before baking, gather the following kitchen tools. I like to make sure everything is ready to go for an easy and smooth cooking process! You will need:

• Medium mixing bowl
• Stirring utensil
• Large mixing bowl
• Hand mixer
• Plastic wrap
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Microwave-safe bowl

To measure out ingredients, you will need the following sized measuring cups: 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1/2 cup, 3/4 cup, 1 cup

How to make mint chocolate cookies

Ready to dive into these holiday cookies? This recipe comes together in around 25 minutes of prep and baking time. It yields 36 cookies, making this a great recipe for a crowd!

Begin making this recipe by combining the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

Then, grab a large bowl and a hand mixer, and beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Once combined, add the eggs and beat again. Add the vanilla.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until they are well combined and form a dough.

Place the cookie dough in plastic wrap and form the shape of a log, then wrap it up tightly.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Once chilled, unwrap the dough and slice into 1/4″ thick rounds. Place the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on parchment paper or a wire rack.

Then, melt the white chocolate in short increments in the microwave. Once melted, dip half of the cooled cookie into the chocolate and then sprinkle with the crushed peppermint candy or crushed candy canes. Repeat with all of the cookies.

Careful with the peppermint

Be sure to let the cookies fully cool before dipping in the white chocolate. Then, let the chocolate cool for a minute before adding the crushed peppermint candy. You don’t want the peppermint to melt, so it’s important to let things cool down a bit before adding it.

Get extra festive

Want to take things up another notch? Make your cookies extra festive by sprinkling red or red and green sprinkles on top! Alternatively, you can place a peppermint Hershey’s kiss on top of each cookie for an extra special touch!

What makes a cookie crunchy?

White sugar creates crunchier cookies, and brown sugar creates softer cookies. The ratio of white to brown sugar will determine how crunchy or soft the cookies turn out!

How to make perfectly shaped cookies?

I’ll let you in on a little secret involving a glass cup. After removing cookies from the oven, you can use a glass to make them perfectly round! To do so, place the cup upside down over each fresh-out-of-the-oven cookie, being sure not to crush any of the edges. Then, twist or spin the cup to get the cookie to sort of run into the sides of the glass. This will make it perfectly round!

Can I substitute white chocolate?

Of course! While white chocolate tastes delicious alongside the peppermint, you can use regular semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate chips if preferred.

If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!

I totally understand — peppermint is the flavor of the season! For some more minty recipes, try these ideas. The espresso martini is a must.

• Peppermint Espresso Martini
• Healthy White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
• Peppermint Walnut Brownie Bites
• Peppermint Cocoa Tahini Freezer Fudge

Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa