Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1½ tablespoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes





Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your baking trays with parchment paper or baking mats.

In a large bowl, beat the butter with both sugars until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This should take about 2–3 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one. Then add the vanilla extract and peppermint extract and mix until everything is combined.

In another bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix just until combined. Don’t overmix.

Using a spatula, gently mix in the chocolate chips and crushed peppermint candies. The dough will be thick.

Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie.

Bake for 8–10 minutes. The edges should look set, but the center should still be soft.

Let the cookies sit on the baking tray for about 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Optional

You can dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate and sprinkle extra crushed peppermint on top, or drizzle white or dark chocolate over them.

Advice

Don’t let the butter melt. It should be soft enough to press with your finger, not greasy.

Take your time mixing the butter and sugars. If this step is rushed, the cookies won’t turn out as good.

Be careful with the peppermint extract. Even a little extra can make the cookies taste too strong.

Once you add the flour, mix only until everything comes together. Overmixing makes the cookies tough.

The dough is supposed to be thick, so don’t worry. If it feels hard to scoop, just chill it for a bit.

Crush the peppermint candies well. Big pieces melt fast and can spread on the baking tray.

Don’t wait for the cookies to look fully baked. Take them out when the edges are set and the center still looks soft.

Let them sit on the tray for a few minutes before moving them—they’re very soft at first.

If you’re adding chocolate on top, wait until the cookies cool completely or the chocolate will slide off.

These cookies actually taste better the next day once the flavors settle in.

Avoid this mistakes friends

Okay so first thing, don’t melt the butter. I know it’s tempting to microwave it, but if it turns liquid, the cookies will just spread everywhere and go flat. Soft butter is enough.

Also, be careful with the peppermint extract. It’s really strong. Even a tiny extra drop can make the cookies taste like toothpaste, and there’s no fixing that after.

Once you add the flour, don’t keep mixing. Just mix till everything comes together and stop. Overmixing makes the cookies hard instead of soft.

When they’re baking, don’t wait for them to look fully done. If you do that, they’ll come out dry. Take them out when the edges look set but the middle still looks soft — they finish cooking on the tray.

And please don’t crowd the baking sheet. They spread more than you expect, so give them some space.

Also, don’t touch them immediately after baking. They’re super soft and will break. Just give them a few minutes.

Storage tips!

For storage, just let them cool completely first. If you put them away warm, they’ll turn soggy.

Once they’re cool, throw them into an airtight container and keep them at room temperature — they’ll stay good for a few days.

If you want to freeze them, you can. They freeze really well. You can even freeze the dough, scoop it first, and bake whenever you’re craving cookies.