Peppermint Cookies Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published November 26, 2023

Festive Peppermint Cookies! These soft and chewy cookies are studded with flecks of sweet peppermint candy cane and dotted with a generous amount of creamy white chocolate chips. The flavor pairing is an absolute dream, they are exceptionally delicious holiday cookie!

Peppermint Christmas Cookies

We all love that chocolate peppermint combo, but have you tried the white chocolate peppermint combo? These cookies are just that, more of a vanilla meets peppermint cookie and they are completely irresistible in every way!

They are easy to make, similar to a chocolate chip cookie but with the addition of crushing candy canes. And those crushed candy bits add a pretty speckles of red color to these bright and cheery cookies.

You’ll find they stay soft for days, thanks to those melted candy cane bits and a fair amount of butter.

They pair beautifully with a cup of chocolatey hot cocoa or deeply flavored coffee. I think they will be a standout addition on a holiday cookie tray and may even become a new tradition on repeat each year.

Put these fun cookies at the top of the baking list this holiday season, they are a must try treat especially if you love peppermint!

Peppermint Cookie Recipe Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: I like to use unbleached all-purpose flour.
• Baking soda and baking powder: These help the cookies rise.
• Salt: Salt is critical so the cookies don’t taste flat. I don’t recommend salted butter in the recipe but if that’s all you have omit the salt or the cookies will taste way too salty.
• Unsalted butter: Be sure to let it rest at room temperature before using in the cookie dough, this takes about 2 hours of resting.
• Granulated sugar and brown sugar: Together these add just the right amount of sweetness and a soft texture.
• Egg and egg yolk: These bind the ingredients in the cookies.
• Peppermint extract and vanilla extract: Use real peppermint extract not imitation flavor.
• White chocolate chips: These are added to the cookie dough but you can also finish with extra on top after baking for a pretty finish.
• Crushed peppermint candy canes: Crush these into very small bits so you don’t end up with big chunks in the cookies that haven’t melted through.

How to Make Peppermint Cookies

• 1. Whisk dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• 2. Cream butter and sugars: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until well blended. Scrape down bowl.
• 3. Blend in eggs and extracts: Mix in egg, then blend in egg yolk, peppermint extract and vanilla extract. Scrape down bowl.
• 4. Mix in dry ingredients: Add in flour mixture and mix just until combined.
• 5. Add mix-ins: Pour in white chocolate chips and crushed candy canes and mix to combined.

Shaping and Baking

• 6. Shape into balls: Scoop dough out using a slightly heaped #40 cookie scoop (about 1.5 heaped Tbsp or 37g). Shape into balls and transfer to a parchment lined tray.
• 7. Chill dough: Chill cookie dough balls 20 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• 8. Bake: Transfer 12 cookie dough balls to lined cookie sheet, spacing 2-inches apart. Bake in preheated until until nearly baked through (they should appear puffed and slightly under-baked in center), about 12 to 14 minutes.
• 9. Cool: Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes before transfering to a wire rack to cool. If you’d like you can press a few white chocolate chips into each cookie while cookies are still warm.
• 10. Repeat baking with remaining cookie dough.

How to Store these Cookies

• Peppermint cookies should be stored in an airtight container.
• They will keep at room temperature for about 3 days.
• They can also be frozen for 3 months.
• I don’t recommend making cookie dough in advance and refrigerating for more than a day as the candy cane will break down into the cookie dough and alter the way it bakes.
• No freezing dough either.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much peppermint extract to add?

I found I like a cookie that’s not overly pepperminty so I like to use 1/2 tsp peppermint extract, but if you want a bolder peppermint flavor I would recommend doubling this amount.

How do you get a pink cookie?

• The thing that makes the biggest difference in the coloring of the oco*kie you end up with is how red the candy canes are that you use.
• This varies widely by brand some have a lot of red and a very deep prominent red, while others have a very bright red and not much of it.
• The more red the candy cane the more pink the cookies will end up. Something you can do if you want a pinker cookie is just add a little red food coloring into the cookie dough when you mix in the peppermint extract.

Can I use shortening?

I do not recommend using shortening in this cookie dough in place of butter. The flavor will be quite different and the cookies won’t spread the same.

Can I use a hand mixer?

An electirc hand mixer will also work in place of a stand mixer. If the dough starts to get heavy as you add the flour and mix-ins then just fold the remainder in by hand using a wooden spoon.

Possible Variations

• Candy candy: Use peppermint starlight mints in place of candy canes. These are the small rounds disks. Just crush finely as well.
• Chocolate chips: You can use semi-sweet chocolate chips in place of white chocolate chips if preferred.
• Chocolate finish: Instead of adding chocolate chips to the cookie dough you could dip the finished cookies in melted white chocolate or dark chocolate. Just keep in mind you won’t get quite as many cookies.
• Cookie sandwiches: You could make these into cookie sandwiches instead of single cookies. Omit white chocolate chips and fill with a peppermint buttercream filling instead.

More Tempting Holiday Cookies to Try

• Butter Cookies
• Cut Out Sugar Cookies
• Gingerbread Cookies
• Mexican Wedding Cookies
• Linzer Cookies