Chewy Chocolate Peppermint Treats

This double chocolate peppermint cookie recipe delivers the perfect holiday treat with a rich chocolate base and refreshing peppermint flavor. The cookies bake up with irresistibly chewy centers and melty chocolate chips in every bite, making them a standout addition to your Christmas cookie collection.

I first made these cookies during a snowy December evening when my family was craving something special but I had limited ingredients. They've since become our most requested holiday cookie, with my children insisting we leave them for Santa every Christmas Eve.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour properly measured to ensure the perfect texture in your final cookies
• Dutch process cocoa powder for a deeper and richer chocolate flavor than regular cocoa
• Baking powder and baking soda working together to create the ideal rise and texture
• Salt to enhance all the flavors and balance the sweetness
• Unsalted butter softened to room temperature for proper creaming with the sugars
• Light brown sugar providing moisture and a subtle caramel undertone
• Granulated white sugar for the perfect cookie structure and sweetness balance
• Egg yolks rather than whole eggs for a fudgier final texture
• Peppermint extract delivering that essential cooling mint flavor
• Vanilla bean paste or extract to complement and deepen the chocolate notes
• Peppermint chips adding bursts of mint throughout each cookie
• Semi sweet chocolate chips creating pockets of melty chocolate in every bite
• Crushed candy canes for a festive topping and extra peppermint punch

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This temperature is perfect for developing crisp edges while maintaining soft centers in chocolate cookies.

Cream Butter and Sugars

Add your softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer for a full two minutes. Do not rush this step. Proper creaming incorporates air into the mixture, creating the foundation for perfect cookie texture. The mixture should become notably lighter in both color and texture.

Add Wet Ingredients

Incorporate the egg yolks, peppermint extract and vanilla into your butter mixture. Beat for another full two minutes until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy. This extended mixing creates a satiny batter that will yield cookies with the perfect chew.

Mix Dry Ingredients

Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt to your wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix which can develop too much gluten and result in tough cookies. The dough should be thick but not dry.

Add Mix Ins

Gently fold in your peppermint chips and chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough. This creates pockets of flavor and texture throughout each cookie.

Form and Bake

Portion the dough into 18 equally sized balls and arrange them two inches apart on your prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes for chewier centers or 12 minutes for slightly crisper edges. The cookies will still look slightly underdone in the center when you remove them from the oven.

Cool and Finish

Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for two minutes to firm up slightly, then transfer to a cooling rack for 10 minutes. While still slightly warm, sprinkle with optional crushed candy canes for a festive touch and extra peppermint flavor.

Bookmark

The secret star of this recipe is the Dutch process cocoa powder. I discovered its importance after years of making mediocre chocolate cookies. The Dutch processing creates a smoother, richer chocolate flavor that pairs perfectly with the bright peppermint notes. When I switched to this type of cocoa, my family immediately noticed the difference.

Proper Flour Measurement

The number one reason these cookies might fail is improper flour measurement. When you scoop flour directly with a measuring cup, you can pack in up to 30% more flour than the recipe needs, resulting in dry, cakey cookies instead of rich, chewy ones. Always spoon flour lightly into your measuring cups and level with a knife, or better yet, use a kitchen scale. The 156 grams called for in this recipe is precisely calibrated for the perfect cookie texture.

Make Ahead Options

The cookie dough can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature before scooping and baking. You can also form the dough balls and freeze them on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag for storage up to 3 months. When ready to bake, add 1-2 minutes to the baking time, no need to thaw first. This makes them perfect for unexpected holiday guests or midnight cookie cravings.

Flavor Variations

While the peppermint version is perfect for the holidays, this versatile chocolate cookie base works beautifully with other mix-ins throughout the year. Try orange extract with dark chocolate chips for a chocolate-orange version, or substitute coffee extract and espresso chips for a mocha variation. During summer months, I like to replace the peppermint with mint extract and add chopped Andes mints for a chocolate mint chip cookie that pairs wonderfully with ice cream.

Gift Packaging Tips

These cookies make wonderful holiday gifts due to their festive flavor profile and sturdy texture. For maximum freshness when giving as gifts, cool completely before packaging in airtight containers with parchment paper between layers. Add a candy cane tied to the package with ribbon for an extra festive touch. The cookies will stay fresh for up to five days, though they rarely last that long in my experience.

Recipe Q&A

→ How do I get the chewiest texture for these cookies?

For the chewiest centers, bake the cookies for exactly 10 minutes at 350°F. Be sure to properly measure your flour (156g or spooned and leveled) to avoid dry cookies, and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

→ Can I make these cookies without peppermint chips?

Yes! If you can't find Andes peppermint chips, you can substitute with white chocolate chips and increase the peppermint extract slightly (to 1¼ teaspoon). Alternatively, chop regular Andes mints into small pieces.

→ How far in advance can I make these cookies?

These cookies stay fresh in an airtight container for up to three days. You can also prepare the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 48 hours, or freeze the dough balls for up to 3 months. If baking from frozen, add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.

→ Why do my cookies turn out dry or cakey?

The most common reason is using too much flour. Always measure flour by spooning it into measuring cups and leveling off, or ideally, weigh it (156g for this recipe). Overbaking can also cause dry cookies, so watch them carefully and remove from the oven when the edges are set but centers still look slightly underdone.

→ What's the best way to store these cookies?

Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. If you add the crushed candy cane topping, be aware it may soften and bleed color over time. For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months.

→ Can I use regular cocoa powder instead of Dutch process?

Yes, you can substitute natural cocoa powder, but the cookies will have a slightly different flavor profile and may rise differently due to the pH difference. Dutch process cocoa creates a deeper chocolate flavor and darker color in the finished cookies.