Chocolate cookies with chocolate chips and a hint of peppermint extract, topped with chocolate ganache and finished with crushed candy canes. A delicious holiday treat!
Moving = Further MIA
Last post I mentioned that to finish 2019 with a bang, we’re moving to a fabulous new house. With the stress of everything going on, I have been destressing by making Christmas goodies. So, I have a ton of delicious recipes to share. The problem is coming up with the time, and energy, to edit the photos and type up the recipes. They are coming though. It will just be slow over the next month.
You may be seeing some Christmas goodie recipes at the end of January or February, but I’m okay with that. Candy canes for Valentine’s Day are totally acceptable.
I’ve been working on a post about Chocolate Peppermint Cookies for the last two weeks. But, after the recent long days, when the kids are down and I start typing, I can’t seem to come up with much.
Would you continue to use recipes from my blog if I wrote a post that only said, “you should make these cookies because they have chocolate and peppermint and taste good”? Let me know, because that might be the path I’m on this month.
Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Every year I make lots of Christmas cookies and treats to give out as gifts. This year I sent a survey to a group of friends to gauge interest in different ideas. What I discovered was this: chocolate is popular, peppermint is semi-popular, and eggnog is not.
I for one love peppermint, and feel no Christmas goodie box is complete without some. Since I apparently have some friends that are not peppermint fans, I decided to make just one peppermint treat this year. And that treat was these Chocolate Peppermint Cookies.
Mint
The trick to these cookies is using just the right amount of peppermint extract. I used just a small amount in the cookies, and none in the ganache. Then, I topped the ganache with crushed candy canes. This strategy ensures that there is enough of a peppermint taste without making you feel like you’re eating toothpaste.
Ganache
Chocolate ganache is the perfect topping for these cookies – and it tastes delicious with the mint! If ganache is too rich for you, you could leave it off and mix some crushed candy canes into the cookie dough. However, you probably want to leave out the peppermint extract if you go this route.
Storing and Giving
If you’re going to be giving these cookies as a gift in a box, or storing them, make sure that they’re wrapped up. For example, if you’re putting them in a treat box, wrap the peppermint cookies well in plastic wrap. If you don’t, all of the other treats nearby will taste like peppermint. No one is excited about peppermint gingerbread.
Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 large eggs
- 4 ounce Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Frosting and Topping
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 candy canes crushed
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Use an electric mixer to beat together butter, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Beat in vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and eggs, scraping down sides as needed.
- Place Baker’s chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on 50% power in 30 second increments, stirring well after each increment, until chocolate is fully melted and smooth.
- With mixer on low speed, slowly stream in melted chocolate.
- In a small bowl, stir together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Using about 1/2 cup mixture at a time, mix into butter/chocolate mixture, scraping down sides as needed.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Scoop dough into about 1 tablespoon sized balls. Place on prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12-13 minutes. Let cook on sheet for 3-4 minutes before removing. Let cookies finish cooling on baking rack.
Frosting
- Wait until cookies are completely cool before frosting.
- In a heat safe bowl, place chocolate chips.
- Heat whipping cream in microwave or on stove top until boiling. Pour over chocolate chips. Cover bowl in plastic wrap and let sit for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, remove plastic and whisk until very smooth. Spread over cookies and sprinkle candy canes while chocolate is still warm.
Notes
Disclaimer: All nutritional information provided on this website is an estimate only and is not guaranteed.
If you enjoyed these Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, you might also enjoy these other SugarSpicesLife recipes:
Oreo Peppermint Bark
Mint Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Gingerbread Men Cookies
Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies
Chocolate Coconut Lime Bars
Links to items used to make this recipe:
Air Bake Cookie Sheets
Silicone Baking Mats
KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer
