Why cold butter instead of room-temp butter?

Cold butter helps cookies hold shape. It creates tiny pockets that melt during baking for thicker cookies. I always cube butter and return it to the fridge until I’m ready.

Do I need to chill dough?

Yes. Chilling for 2 hours or overnight gives better texture and prevents flat cookies. Trust me — don’t skip this step.

Should I crush Oreos by hand or use a food processor?

Hand-crush them. A rolling pin yields chunky pieces; a food processor can turn them into powder. We want texture.

How do I keep peppermint from falling off?

Press a few extra pieces into the cookies right after they come out of the oven so they set into the warm cookie surface.

Best Christmas Cookies: Peppermint Oreo Cookies Everyone Will Love

Description

These genuinely feel like the Best Christmas Cookies — chewy, minty, and studded with Oreo bits — and they come together without drama.

Ingredients

Scale

1 cup packed light brown sugar
¾ teaspoon salt (I use coarse kosher)
10 oz Andes peppermint crunch bits (or chopped mint chocolates)
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 large eggs (room temperature)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups crushed Oreo cookies (chunky pieces are best)
1 cup cold salted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup granulated white sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Instructions

Quick overview

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone. This high heat helps set the edges quickly so the centers stay soft.

Make the dough

In your mixer bowl, beat the cold cubed butter with the brown and white sugars on medium-high speed for about 3–4 minutes, until the mixture lightens and looks creamy.
Add the eggs and vanilla, beating until everything comes together and the mixture looks smooth. Scrape the bowl so nothing hides on the sides.
On low speed, sprinkle in the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until the dough forms — don’t overwork it or the cookies will get tough.
Fold in the peppermint bits, crushed Oreos, and chocolate chips by hand so the chunks stay chunky and the distribution stays even.

Bold tip: Keep the butter cold and mix gently after adding flour for thick, chewy cookies.

Portion, chill, and bake

Use a ¼-cup scoop to form large dough balls and space them a couple inches apart on the prepared sheets.
Chill the scooped dough in the fridge for at least 2 hours — this helps the cookies puff up instead of spreading flat. Yes, the chill time matters.
Bake at 400°F for 10–12 minutes. Pull them when the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look a bit soft; they’ll finish setting on the hot baking sheet.

Bold tip: Remove cookies slightly underbaked—this is how you lock in that chewy center.

Cool and store

Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days, or freeze for longer.

Notes

Pro tips & troubleshooting
- If your dough spreads too much, chill it longer or use a slightly smaller scoop.
- Want extra-chewy cookies? Add the cornstarch (don’t skip it) — it helps create a tender center.
- Prefer more mint? Toss in a scant ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract, but a little goes a long way.
- No Andes? Substitute crushed candy canes + white chocolate chips. Works great.
- If dough feels sticky, pop it in the fridge for 20–30 minutes before scooping.
Final notes
- Want to make life even easier? Scoop and freeze the dough balls on a tray; once solid, bag them. Bake from frozen — add 1–2 minutes to the bake time. Easy peasy, right?