Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies
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If you could wrap the holidays into one perfect cookie, these Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies would be it. Easy chocolate chip cookies made with white chocolate chips and crushed candy canes.
Whether I’m baking for a cookie exchange, filling up tins for neighbors, or sneaking a few while wrapping presents after the kids go to bed, these Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies always make their way into my December lineup. They’re everything I love in a holiday bake — chewy, cozy, full of melty chocolate, and dotted with just the right amount of peppermint crunch. Festive, but not toothpaste-minty (the bar is high!).
I used the same cookie base that I’ve used to make these M&M chocolate chip cookies. But this time I stirred in crushed candy canes, white chocolate chips, and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
And the best part? They’re wonderfully easy. You whisk the dry ingredients, mix the melted butter with the sugars, stir everything together with plenty of chocolate chips and crushed candy canes, scoop, chill, and bake. No complicated steps! Just one easy delicious Christmas cookie.
What You’ll Need
Nothing complicated — just everyday pantry staples with a holiday twist:
- Flour – Use a scale and weigh it for best accuracy. If you use measuring cups, then spoon into the cup and level it off.
- Baking soda
- Cornstarch – Creates cookies that stay soft for days. Don’t skip it!
- Salt
- Butter – I used unsalted butter, but if you use salted butter reduce the added salt.
- Brown sugar– Use my homemade brown sugar recipe if you run out!
- Granulated sugar
- Egg + egg yolk – Make sure the eggs are at room temperature so they blend easily with the cookie dough. Place in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.
- Vanilla extract
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- White chocolate chips
- Crushed candy canes
That little mix of white chocolate + peppermint? A match made in North Pole cookie heaven.
How to Make Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies
1. Mix your dry ingredients
Whisk together flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Cornstarch is your secret weapon for thick, tender cookies that stay soft long after baking. Don’t skip it!
2. Combine melted butter + sugars
Because the butter is melted (not creamed), these cookies get a chewy, dense bakery texture. Make sure the butter has slightly cooled off before whisking in the sugars.
Whisk until smooth and glossy, then mix in the egg, extra yolk, and vanilla.
3. Stir in all the good stuff
Add the dry ingredients, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and crushed peppermint. Mix just until everything comes together — overmixing can make cookies tough.
4. Scoop + chill
Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon portions, and place on a parchment lined baking sheet and chill for at least 2 hours. Don’t skip this step — chilling keeps the cookies thick and keeps the cookies from spreading.
You can chill for up to 3 days – but overnight is best for the thickest, chewiest texture. Any longer and I would freeze!
5. Bake to perfection
Before baking I like to top each cookie with a few more chips and pieces of candy canes.
Bake at 350°F for 12–14 minutes, just until edges are lightly golden. The centers will look soft — that’s exactly what you want. They’ll set as they cool so it’s best to take them out when they look still not quite done.
Allow them to cool on the pan for about 10 minutes before moving to a rack.
How to Store
These cookies stay fresh at room temperature for up to a week when covered — though let’s be honest, you’ll never see them last that long.
They also freeze well, either as baked cookies or as pre-scooped dough balls ready to bake straight from the freezer. I like to scoop and flash freeze then transfer to a freezer bag to freeze for 3 months. When ready to bake, don’t thaw just bake frozen. I like to bake at 325oF to allow the cookies a bit more time to spread since they are frozen.
More Recipes To Try
If you are craving more Christmas cookies to try then be sure to try my Russian Tea Cakes – a classic favorite my grandmother made every year! It wasn’t Christmas until I had a bite of one.
I also making my coconut macaroons, apple cider cookies, and for something fun and different these vibrant strawberry cheesecake cookies!
Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- ¾ cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (128 g) semi sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup (85 g) white chocolate chips
- 5 candy canes crushed
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt together. Set aside. 2 ¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons cornstarch ½ teaspoon salt
- In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until smooth and combined. ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter ¾ cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- Whisk in the egg and egg yolk until evenly mixed in. Whisk in the vanilla extract until evenly incorporated. 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- With a spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the flour mixture, semisweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and crushed candy canes. ¾ cup (128 g) semi sweet chocolate chips ½ cup (85 g) white chocolate chips 5 candy canes
- Using a small cookie scoop, scoop dough into 2 tablespoons portions (about 50 g). Place on a parchment lined sheet and cover the cookie dough balls tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours up to overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place cookie dough balls spaced a few inches apart.
- Before baking I like to top each cookie dough ball with a few chocolate chips, and candy cane pieces. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned. The centers will look soft but will continue to set up. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes of cooling on the baking sheets, transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Storage: These cookies stay fresh at room temperature for up to a week when covered.
- Freezing: They also freeze well, either as baked cookies or as pre-scooped dough balls ready to bake straight from the freezer. I like to scoop and flash freeze then transfer to a freezer bag to freeze for 3 months. When ready to bake, don’t thaw just bake frozen. I like to bake at 325oF to allow the cookies a bit more time to spread since they are frozen.
