Peppermint Bark Cookies
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These peppermint bark cookies are soft, chewy chocolate cookie flavored with peppermint are dipped in melted white chocolate and decorated with crushed peppermint candies. They are the perfect cookies for a holiday cookie tray! Made with melted butter so the cookie dough mixes up in minutes!
When it comes to the holidays nothing beats mixing up a bunch of Christmas cookie recipes – like my Russian Tea cakes (a favorite recipe I grew up with from my Grandmother), or soft and chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, or my raspberry thumbprint cookies.
But this time I wanted a chocolate cookie on the cookie tray – and I just love baking with peppermint around the holidays (so much so I rounded up 30 of my favorite candy cane desserts you have to try). And one of my favorite holiday treats is making homemade peppermint bark. So I figured why not combine the two?
I used my favorite chocolate cookie dough recipe that I’ve used countless times – like for these chocolate M&M cookies, Andes mint cookies and (my fave) these chocolate turtle cookies.
This time for these chocolate peppermint bark cookies I added peppermint extract into the cookie dough, and after baking dipped them in melted chocolate. Of course, I couldn’t forget sprinkling on some candy cane pieces on top of the cookies.
These might just be my new favorite Christmas cookie!
Table of contents
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Why This Recipe Works
- Tastes just like peppermint bark in a cookie!
- Perfect for the holiday season
- Quick and easy cookie dough that mixes up in minutes
- Great cookie to freeze baked or unbaked
Ingredients Needed
- All-purpose flour
- Natural cocoa powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Unsalted butter – If using salted butter omit the added salt. Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature.
- Light brown sugar – If you’ve run out try making your own homemade brown sugar.
- Granulated sugar
- Large Egg– Make sure your eggs are at room temperature so they don’t seize up the butter. Read my full tutorial on how to bring eggs to room temperature fast.
- Vanilla extract
- Peppermint extract
- Semisweet chocolate chips – You can always swap and use chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips for more white chocolate flavor!
- White chocolate – I recommend white chocolate bar that you chop and melt. White chocolate chips have stabilizers and do not always melt smoothly.
- Crushed candy canes
How To Make Peppermint Bark Cookies
Combine the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
Combine the butter and sugars. In a large bowl whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar until combined.
Add egg and extracts. Add egg and whisk to combine. Add vanilla extract and peppermint extract. Mix to combine.
Add the dry ingredients. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring togther just until just combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips. For best results, cover and refrigerate dough for at least two hours, up to overnight.
Preheat and prepare cookie sheets. Preheat oven to 350oF (177oC). Prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper or grease lightly.
Shape cookies. Using a 1-inch cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop the cookies into 1 ½ inch balls. Roll into a smooth ball in your hands. Place onto the prepared baking sheets spaced two inches apart.
Bake and cool the cookies. Bake cookie sheet on the middle rack for 10-12 minutes, Remove from the oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. I like to top with a few additional chocolate chips when they come out of the oven for appearance.
Decorate cookies. Melt white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl until melted or in a double boiler. Dip each cookie halfway into white chocolate and place onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle on crushed candy canes onto the white chocolate. Cool until chocolate is set.
Recipe Tips
- Chill the dough. I recommend chilling the cookie dough for one hour to help firm up the chocolate and butter. This keeps the cookies from spreading too much. If you chill the dough longer, then you will want to let the dough soften a bit before scooping.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour. This will make the cookies tough.
- Let the cookies cool completely before storing topping. This will help to prevent the peanut butter layer from melting.
Storage Instructions
You can store these cookies at room temperature for up to 3 days. However, they will be best if eaten within the first day or two. Place the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. This will help to keep them fresh and prevent them from drying out.
Yes, you can freeze these cookies for up to 3 months. To freeze them, place them in an airtight freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for at least 3 hours. When you’re ready to eat the cookies, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and then let them come to room temperature before serving.
Recipe FAQs
This may be because your butter was too soft. Be sure to chill the cookies for 20 minutes before baking.
Yes you can. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. But melting chocolate is the microwave is easy! Read my full tutorial on How To Melt Chocolate In The Microwave.
I prefer unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt. And salted butter contains more water so your cookies may spread a bit more. But yes you can swap and use it.
More Recipes To Try
If you’re craving more cookies try my most popular recipe on the blog, these easy glazed lemon cookies! They’re wonderfully soft and chewy.
Or you can’t go wrong with my naturally gluten free coconut macaroons dipped in chocolate!
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Grab a copy of The Christmas Cookbook to guide you with the best and most delicious cookie recipes to serve these holidays!
Peppermint Bark Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups + 2 Tablespoons (165 g) all purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ⅓ cup (28 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ½ cup (107 g) packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- ¾ cup (128 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 4-6 ounces white chocolate roughly chopped
- Crushed candy canes for decorating
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside. 1 ¼ cups + 2 Tablespoons (165 g) all purpose flour ⅓ cup (28 g) unsweetened cocoa powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt
- Combine the butter and sugars. In a second bowl whisk together butter and sugars until combined. 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (107 g) packed light brown sugar ½ cup (100 g) granulated white sugar
- Add egg and extracts. Add egg and beat until combined. Add vanilla extract and peppermint extract. Mix to combine. 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- Add the dry ingredients. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating on low speed until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. For best results, Cover and refrigerate dough for at least two hours, up to overnight. ¾ cup (128 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Preheat and prepare cookie sheets. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper or grease lightly.
- Shape cookies. Using a 1-inch cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop the cookies into 1 ½ inch balls. Roll into a smooth ball in your hands. Place onto baking sheets spaced two inches apart.
- Bake and cool the cookies. Bake cookie sheet on the middle rack for 10-12 minutes, Remove from the oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. I like to top with a few additional chocolate chips when they come out of the oven for appearance.
- Decorate cookies. Melt white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl until melted. Dip each cookie halfway into white chocolate and place onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle on crushed candy canes onto the white chocolate. Cool until chocolate is set. 4-6 ounces white chocolate Crushed candy canes
Notes
- Make ahead: Yes, you can make cookies ahead of time. The cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Just cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let soften slightly before baking so you can scoop the cookies. Or you can keep cookie dough frozen for up to 3 months. Scoop then freeze the unbaked cookie dough balls. Freeze in a plastic bag. To bake from frozen, simply thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator and then bake according to the recipe instructions.
- Storage: Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you need to store them for longer, you can freeze them for up to 3 months.
- Gluten free: Use a 1:1 gluten free flour. I haven’t tried but most blends should work just fine. Be sure to also use gluten free vanilla extract.