Peppermint Brownie Cookies
These Peppermint Brownie Cookies are the perfect holiday treat, featuring fudgy chocolate centers, crisp edges, and a refreshing hint of mint. Easy to make with simple ingredients, they offer bakery-quality flavor and festive charm—ideal for gifting, parties, or enjoying with a cozy winter drink.
Ingredients
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips divided
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract use ½ teaspoon for milder mint flavor
- ½ cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies plus extra for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare your workspace and ingredients. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. This prevents sticking and makes cleanup easier.
- Melt the chocolate and butter base. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 cup of chocolate chips and butter. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until completely melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined and no cocoa lumps remain.
- Create the wet mixture. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until pale and fluffy – this creates that signature crackly top!
- Blend in the flavorings. Add vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture. Beat on low speed until just combined.
- Incorporate the dry ingredients. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Don’t overmix or your cookies will be tough.
- Fold in the add-ins. Gently fold in the remaining cup of chocolate chips and crushed peppermint candies (if using) with a spatula until evenly distributed.
- Shape the cookies. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart as they will spread while baking.
- Bake to perfection. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are set but the centers still appear slightly soft. The cookies will continue to set as they cool.
- Add the finishing touch. If desired, immediately sprinkle additional crushed candy canes on top while cookies are hot from the oven for a festive appearance.
- Allow proper cooling. Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
- The cookie dough will be quite thick and fudgy – more like brownie batter than traditional cookie dough. This is exactly what you want!
- For best results, make sure your eggs are at room temperature before starting.
- These cookies freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Layer them between parchment paper in an airtight container.
- The flavor actually improves after 24 hours as the mint and chocolate meld together.
- For a more striking appearance, use white chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet in the dough, creating a nice contrast.