Okay, so if you’ve never tried chocolate peppermint cookies, now’s the time! These cookies are the ultimate holiday treat, with the perfect combo of cool, minty peppermint and rich, melty chocolate. Whether you’re baking for a holiday party, a cookie exchange, or just because you’re craving something sweet, these chocolate peppermint cookies will hit the spot every time. They’re chewy, festive, and packed with the perfect balance of flavors! If you’re looking for even more holiday-inspired treats, check out this guide to holiday baking for some extra inspiration.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Super Easy & Quick: No fancy skills required! Just mix, bake, and enjoy your chocolate peppermint cookies.
- Perfect for the Holidays: With that minty freshness and chocolatey goodness, these cookies scream “Christmas.”
- Guaranteed to Impress: Whether it’s for a cookie exchange or just your family, these chocolate peppermint cookies will definitely stand out.
- Crazy Delicious: They’re chewy, minty, and chocolatey everything you want in a cookie.
What makes these chocolate peppermint cookies special? The crushed candy canes add the perfect holiday crunch and that zing of peppermint that makes every bite even better. If you love easy yet flavorful desserts, you might also like this fudgy chewy brookies recipe.
Ingredients Needed:
For the Cookie Base:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Mix-Ins:
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup crushed candy canes (for that classic chocolate peppermint cookie flavor)
Pro tip: If you want to get really fancy, you can swap in white chocolate chips or mix in some crushed Oreos (just saying!).
How to Make Chocolate Peppermint Cookies:
- Preheat & Prep: First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper this makes everything easier to clean up later. If you’re looking for more baking tips, check out this helpful baking guide.
- Cream Butter & Sugars: In a big bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until it’s light and fluffy. This step is key to getting that perfect texture for your chocolate peppermint cookies chewy, but not too dense.
- Add the Eggs & Peppermint: Crack in the eggs one at a time, mixing after each one. Then, add the peppermint extract. This is where the magic happens it’s what gives your chocolate peppermint cookies that holiday zing!
- Whisk the Dry Stuff: In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. This helps make sure your cookies are perfectly fluffy and not too flat.
- Combine Wet & Dry: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined—don’t overdo it, you don’t want tough cookies.
- Chocolate & Candy Cane Time: Now, fold in the chocolate chips and crushed candy canes. This is where it gets really fun! You’ll have chocolatey, minty goodness in every bite of your chocolate peppermint cookies.
- Scoop & Bake: Scoop out tablespoon-sized balls of dough and place them on your baking sheets. Leave about 2 inches of space between them. Pop them in the oven and bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are golden but the center is still soft.
- Cool & Enjoy: Let your chocolate peppermint cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely (if you can resist). For more tips on cooling and storing your cookies, check out this cookie storage guide.

Serving and Storage Tips:
- Serving: If you want to really make your chocolate peppermint cookies pop, sprinkle some extra crushed candy cane on top before serving. Or, drizzle with melted chocolate for that extra “wow” factor. These also make a super cute gift—just pop them in some festive tins or treat bags. You might also love these cookie gift ideas for the holidays.
- Storage: Keep your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep them soft and chewy, put a slice of bread in with them (yes, seriously—it works!). You can also freeze the dough in balls for up to 3 months. Just bake from frozen and add an extra minute or two to the baking time.
Helpful Notes:
- Add More Mint: If you’re really into peppermint, feel free to increase the peppermint extract to 2 teaspoons for a bolder mint flavor.
- Gluten-Free Version: Swap the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to make these chocolate peppermint cookies gluten-free. You won’t even miss the regular flour!
- Vegan Version: Use plant-based butter and flax eggs (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water = 1 egg) for a vegan version of these chocolate peppermint cookies.
- Get Creative: Feel free to swap in white chocolate chips, chopped pecans, or dried cranberries to give your chocolate peppermint cookies a fun twist. For other fun variations, check out this strawberry rhubarb crumble recipe.
FAQ
Can I use a different type of chocolate for this recipe?
Oh, totally! You can swap the semi-sweet chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips or white chocolate chips. Or go wild with a mix of both. You do you!
How do I make these cookies gluten-free?
Easy! Just swap the regular flour for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. You’ll still get that same chewy, delicious texture in your chocolate peppermint cookies.
Is this recipe freezer-friendly?
Yep, you can freeze the dough in balls for up to 3 months. Just bake from frozen and add an extra minute or two to the baking time. Boom—fresh cookies anytime!
Why did my cookies spread too much?
If the dough is too soft, they’ll spread too much. To avoid that, chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking. It’ll help them hold their shape better.
How thick should the dough be?
The dough should be thick but scoopable. If it’s too soft, just chill it for 10-15 minutes to firm it up before baking.


Related Recipes
If you love these chocolate peppermint cookies, you’re going to adore these other tasty treats:
- Fudgy Chewy Brookies Recipe
- Perfect Peanut Butter Blossoms Recipe
- Cookies and Cream Cookies Recipe
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Churro Cheesecake Recipe
- Birria Tacos Recipe
These chocolate peppermint cookies are honestly everything. They’re soft, chewy, minty, and full of chocolatey goodness everything you want in a holiday cookie. Plus, they’re super easy to make, so they’re perfect for when you need a quick, impressive treat for any occasion. You can even make them in advance and freeze the dough for later, making holiday baking a breeze!
If you make these chocolate peppermint cookies, drop a comment and let me know how they turned out! And don’t forget to share your cookies on social media tag me on Pinterest or Facebook. I’d love to see your holiday baking!
What fun variations did you try? Did you throw in white chocolate or add extra candy canes? Let me know below!
Print
The Best Chocolate Peppermint Cookies Recipe
- Total Time: 26 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These chewy and festive chocolate peppermint cookies are the ultimate holiday treat, combining cool minty peppermint with rich, melty chocolate.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition, then mix in peppermint extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Fold in chocolate chips and crushed candy canes.
- Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto baking sheets, leaving 2 inches of space.
- Bake for 9–11 minutes, until edges are golden and centers are soft.
- Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
For extra peppermint flavor, increase peppermint extract to 2 teaspoons. Chill dough for 30 minutes if too soft. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze dough balls up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
