Description
Soft, fudgy cookies studded with minty chips and melty chocolate — festive, fast, and seriously addictive.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry blend
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process if you have it)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
Wet mix
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract (start with less if you’re unsure)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Add-ins & finishing
- 1 cup peppermint chips (or chopped Andes mints)
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)
- 1/2 cup crushed candy canes or crushed peppermint for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the brown and granulated sugars until light and slightly fluffy, about 2 minutes on medium speed.
- Add the egg yolks, peppermint extract, and vanilla. Beat until the mixture lightens in color and becomes creamy.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture just until no streaks of flour remain. Don’t overmix — a few small lumps are okay.
- Gently stir in the peppermint chips and chocolate chips so they’re evenly distributed through the dough.
- Portion the dough into 18 equal balls (a medium cookie scoop works well). Place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
- Bake 10–12 minutes. For soft, chewy centers remove at ~10 minutes; for firmer, crisper edges bake closer to 12. The cookies will continue to set as they cool.
- If using, sprinkle crushed candy cane on the warm cookies immediately so it sticks. Let cookies rest on the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.
Notes
- Tips & Storage
- Tip: Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling — too much flour makes dry cookies.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.
- Freeze baked cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 weeks. Thaw at room temp or warm briefly in the oven.
- Make the dough ahead: scoop and freeze portions; bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.