Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies

Peppermint hot chocolate cookies that are easy to make, require no chill time, feel so cozy and comforting for Christmas, and look adorable on any dessert table.

I am having a hard time walking past these cookies on the counter without taking bite after bite. They are so good. Fudgy, perfectly minty, and I keep coming back for more.

Hot Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

One of my favorite Christmas flavors, next to gingerbread, is anything chocolate peppermint. Even as a kid, Santa would fill my stocking with peppermint patties, candy canes, Junior Mints, or peppermint bark. I have always been a peppermint gal, so it makes sense that these cookies are definitely one of my favorites. I used to make a similar version with frosting for the markets when I was baking a ton (I have included it in this post too), and all the peppermint chocolate lovers showed up for them!

Perfect Festive Christmas Cookies for Any Occasion!

A few nights ago, our church held a fun little Christmas gathering called Jingle Jam, and they asked everyone to bring cookies to share. You know I never skip an opportunity to bake! I originally planned to make my chewy orange ginger cookies, which I did, but when we had a few hours to spare, I thought, why not try out a new chocolate peppermint cookie recipe? Since I do not love having sweets sitting around the house, it gave me the perfect place to take them. Usually my husband brings the extra treats into work, but he was working from home the next day, so chocolate peppermint cookies and orange ginger cookies it was!

These cookies do not require any chill time for the dough, which makes them perfect for last minute baking. The edges are crispy and crunchy, like the top of a brownie, with chewy centers. The key is to never overbake a chocolate cookie. They will continue to cook after coming out of the oven, and these are best when they are slightly underdone, giving them that perfect cookie brownie texture.

Hot Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Ingredients:

Unsalted butter
Granulated sugar
Brown sugar
Eggs
Vanilla extract
Peppermint Extract
Whole milk or heavy cream
All purpose flour
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Baking powder
Sea salt
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Peppermint chips – (you can use candy canes, but the Andes are a game changer). I buy so many bags of these to keep on hand throughout the year since they are usually seasonal.

How to Make Hot Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, vanilla, and peppermint, mixing until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, adding milk or cream as needed.

Fold in the semi sweet chocolate chips and peppermint chips. (if you like white chocolate, sub the semi-sweet chocolate chips for white chocolate chips!)

Scoop about 65 grams of dough and roll into a ball. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, keeping the dough balls about 2 inches apart. For extra peppermint decoration, gently press a few additional peppermint pieces on top of each dough ball before baking.

Bake at 350 degrees for 17 to 19 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft. The cookies will continue to set as they cool.

Frosted Hot Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

I mentioned at the beginning of this post that I made a similar version of these for the markets. They are still one of my favorite cookies, and if you have a little extra time, adding a peppermint buttercream on top is another delicious way to enjoy a sweet, gorgeous, and perfect version of this hot chocolate peppermint Christmas cookie. I only made a few changes.

For the base, I left out the chocolate chips and the peppermint chips. I kept the chocolate cookie base with the peppermint flavoring, but did not want it to be too overpowering with peppermint once the buttercream was added.

The buttercream is made with powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla, peppermint extract, and milk, adding more milk as needed to reach the perfect consistency. I always say if it is too runny, add more powdered sugar. If it is too thick, gradually add more milk.

Once the cookies were completely cooled, I added a layer of peppermint buttercream using a piping bag and then finished them with all the delicious peppermint toppings. These are always a huge hit with chocolate peppermint lovers, and I think they are so pretty too.

Can I make these cookies gluten-free?

Yes. Use a 1 to 1 all purpose gluten free flour substitute. Keep in mind that gluten free cookies tend to bake faster, so watch the baking time closely and consider removing them from the oven a bit earlier.

Today is the big baking and gift wrapping day over here. My son is heading to his grandparents’ house so we can get all the Christmas magic going. That is why I have been up since 3:30 am, getting a few recipes on the blog before diving into a full day of Christmas activities.

I am making a large Christmas dessert tray filled with my favorite treats for friends and family. On the list are peanut butter Oreo fudge, maple walnut fudge, orange ginger cookies, raspberry lemon linzer cookies, gingerbread bars, gumdrop cookies, pralines, peanut brittle, and chocolate chip cookies. We also already have the cut out sugar cookies we made a few nights ago with my toddler, all ready for Santa.