Description
These Peppermint Brownie Cookies combine the rich, fudgy texture of a brownie with the seasonal freshness of peppermint. With a perfect balance of chocolate and mint, studded with semi-sweet chocolate chips and crushed candy canes, these cookies are ideal for holiday baking or anytime you crave a festive treat. They have soft, gooey centers and slightly crisp edges, delivering a chewy, indulgent cookie experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
Mix-ins & Toppings
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
Instructions
- Prep — heat the oven and get set: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and position the oven rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking. If you plan to chill the dough, prepare a small plate or tray to set the dough balls on during chilling.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined and free of visible streaks. For a smoother batter, sift the cocoa powder if it’s lumpy before mixing.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, add the melted unsalted butter and let it cool for 1–2 minutes to avoid scrambling the eggs later. Then stir in the granulated and brown sugars; beat or stir for about 60 seconds until the mixture is glossy and most sugar has dissolved. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract and peppermint extract, tasting a tiny bit of the batter to ensure the peppermint flavor is to your liking.
- Combine wet and dry to make the dough: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions. Gently fold together with a spatula until just combined—stop as soon as no streaks of flour remain to avoid overmixing. Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly throughout the dough.
- Optional chill for tighter, fudgier cookies: Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes if you want thicker, fudgier cookies. Chilling firms the butter and prevents spreading during baking but can be skipped if short on time; cookies will spread slightly more but remain delicious.
- Portion and decorate: Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon to portion dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Gently press a few extra chocolate chips on top of each mound and sprinkle crushed candy canes on top to help them stick while baking.
- Bake — timing for texture: Bake on the center rack for 10 to 12 minutes. Baking for 10 minutes will yield soft, fudgy centers—the personal favorite texture. Baking for 12 minutes results in slightly more set, cakier cookies. Look for slightly cracked tops and set edges, with centers that still appear a bit underbaked. Remove when the centers are still soft; they will continue to firm up on the hot baking sheet and remain gooey.
- Cool and store: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to help them firm before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, layering with parchment paper to prevent sticking. For longer storage, flash-freeze baked cookies on a tray and transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Alternatively, freeze scooped raw dough to bake from frozen—just add 1–2 extra minutes to baking time.
Notes
- For best texture, do not overmix dough to keep cookies fudgy rather than cakey.
- Chilling dough is optional but recommended for thicker, chewier cookies.
- Peppermint extract is potent; start with ½ teaspoon and adjust to taste.
- Use a cookie scoop for uniform-sized cookies and even baking.
- Cookies will look slightly underbaked in the center when removed but will continue to set as they cool.
- Store cookies properly layered with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Both baked cookies and raw dough can be frozen for convenient preparation later.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: peppermint brownie cookies, chocolate peppermint cookies, holiday cookies, fudgy cookies, peppermint extract desserts, chocolate chip cookies with candy canes
