Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies
These Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies combine rich semi-sweet chocolate chips with refreshing peppermint and crunchy crushed candy canes for a festive treat that tastes like pure Christmas magic. Soft and chewy in the center with slightly crisp edges, they require no chilling and come together in under 30 minutes using simple pantry staples. Perfect for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, or cozy evenings by the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer Fitted with paddle attachment if using stand mixer
- Large mixing bowls
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Cookie sheets At least 2
- Cookie scoop 2-tablespoon size
- Wire cooling rack
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rolling pin or food processor For crushing candy canes
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour 270g; spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 5g
- ½ teaspoon salt 3g
- 1 cup unsalted butter 227g; softened to room temperature, 65-68°F
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150g
- ¾ cup light brown sugar 160g; packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5ml
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract 2.5ml; add more to taste, up to ¾ teaspoon for extra minty
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 340g; quality brand recommended such as Ghirardelli
- ½ cup crushed candy canes about 4-5 standard candy canes, crushed to chocolate-chip size; reserve a few for topping if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Crush candy canes in a sealed plastic bag with a rolling pin into small chocolate-chip-sized pieces.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined with no clumps. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer with paddle attachment or large bowl with hand mixer, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar on medium-high for 3-4 minutes until light, fluffy, and pale. Scrape down sides halfway through.
- Reduce speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add vanilla extract and peppermint extract, beating until just combined. Do not overmix.
- With mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture in three additions, mixing after each until just barely combined. Stop as soon as no dry flour streaks remain.
- Remove bowl from mixer and use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and crushed candy canes until evenly distributed. Reserve a few crushed candy canes for topping if desired.
- Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion dough balls onto prepared cookie sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart (8-10 per sheet). Gently press extra candy cane pieces on top if desired.
- Bake one sheet at a time on center rack for 10-12 minutes, until edges are set and lightly golden but centers still look slightly underdone. Rotate pan halfway through if your oven has hot spots.
- Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack using a spatula. Cool completely before storing. Repeat with remaining dough, letting cookie sheets cool between batches.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter (65-68°F): properly softened butter creams better with sugar for a lighter texture. Cold butter won't incorporate; melted butter makes flat, greasy cookies.
- Measure flour correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling with a knife rather than scooping directly from the bag, which can pack in too much flour.
- If your kitchen is warm and dough feels too soft, refrigerate for 15-20 minutes before scooping to prevent excessive spreading.
- Cookies are done when edges are set but centers still look slightly underdone; they firm up as they cool on the hot pan. Overbaking results in dry, crispy cookies.
- Cool cookie sheets completely between batches; placing dough on hot sheets causes cookies to spread too much before baking.
- Adjust peppermint to taste: start with ½ teaspoon extract and add more for a stronger mint flavor, but be careful not to overdo it. If using peppermint oil, use only 3-4 drops as it is much more concentrated.
- Make ahead: dough can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Portioned dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months; bake frozen dough directly, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time.
- Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, placing parchment paper between layers. Add a piece of bread to maintain softness.
- Freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Reheat in a 300°F oven for 3-5 minutes to restore fresh-baked texture.
- Variations: swap semi-sweet for white chocolate chips; add ¼ cup cocoa powder and reduce flour to 2 cups for double chocolate; add 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder for peppermint mocha; wrap dough around a peppermint patty for a stuffed cookie; use 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for gluten-free version.
Nutrition
Serving: 1CookieCalories: 215kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 105mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19g
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