If you are looking for an amazing Christmas Chocolate Chip cookie, then you are going to love these Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies, or as my kids like to call them, crushed candy cane cookies. These soft peppermint chocolate chip cookies are always a hit in our house! These cookies have a balance of peppermint and chocolate flavors combined with chewy centers and crispy edges that make this a cookie that everyone will love.
Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
I get so excited when it is time to make holiday cookies; actually, my whole house gets super excited when it comes time to get started on our holiday baking. Holiday baking is perfect for the kids and me to have some fun and spend time together doing something we love. Baking fresh cookies!
We love our bakery-style chocolate chip cookies and the perfect chocolate chip cookies. But come the holiday season, we need to change them up and give them a holiday flare. Bring on making the best Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe! A classic chocolate chip cookie recipe with a holiday twist.
My kids refer to these cookies as our candy cane chocolate chip cookies because to make them; you need to use candy canes. They do tend to all want to be the ones to take the rolling pin to the bag of candy canes to make these candy cane chocolate chip cookies.
One of our favorite things to do is turn traditional cookies and treats into festive cookies and treats. We turn Oreos into Christmas Tree Oreos and Santa Oreos; we turn our homemade brownies into Christmas Tree brownies, our traditional M&M Cookies into Christmas M&M cookies, and our sugar cookies into Christmas Sugar Cookies along with many other Christmas treats.
For these Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies. I combined two of my favorite holiday flavors, chocolate, and peppermint, and came up with this chocolate peppermint cookie recipe.
If you can make a chocolate chip cookie, you can make these candy cane chocolate chip cookies. I promise you they are not at all hard to make. They are perfect if you are getting the kid’s feet wet while baking Christmas cookies, and they taste amazing!
Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies
- No Spread Sugar Cookies
- Soft Gingerbread cookies
- Snowman Poop Christmas Cookies
- Christmas Tree Meringue Cookies
- Soft Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Peppermint Candy Cane Meringue Cookies
- Chocolate Dipped Snowmen Nutterbutter Cookies
- Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
- Easy Christmas Brownies
- Reindeer Poop Christmas Cookies
- Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
- Homemade Soft Gingerbread Cookies
What are Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies?
These Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies are super soft and chewy cookies, with a bit of a crunch from the peppermint candy canes. You can opt to use pre-crushed peppermints or if you are like me, who tends to over-buy candy canes, you can crush them up instead.
Of course, anytime I have suggested using pre-crushed candy canes, my children have objected because they like to be the ones to crush the candy canes.
Tips for Making These Cookies
Cream the butter and sugars well. When you cream the butter and sugars (granulated and brown) until light and fluffy. This creates a great base for the cookie dough.
Don’t skip the chill time. You must chill the cookies before baking them. I like to make the cookie dough balls and then put them on the baking sheet and then put them in the fridge to chill. You can put the bowl of cookie dough in the fridge and then make the cookies after it has been chilled.
Fold in the Chocolate Chips. Gently fold in the chocolate chips to ensure they’re evenly distributed without overmixing the dough.
Line the baking sheets. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat to prevent the cookies from sticking and for easy cleanup.
Make Evenly Sized Cookies. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to ensure uniform cookie sizes. This helps them bake evenly.
Don’t Skip the Cooling Time. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Do NOT over bake the cookies. 14-16 minutes is the max amount of time that you want to cook the cookies in the oven. They will still look raw in the middle but the remaining heat from the cookie sheet will finish cooking them.
Variations of this Recipe
Peppermint extract. If you want a stronger peppermint flavor use peppermint extract instead of vanilla extract.
Change up the chocolate chips. You can use milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips or white chocolate chips.
Drizzling Chocolate. For an extra touch, consider drizzling melted chocolate over the cooled cookies.
Sprinkle Crushed More Peppermint on top of the chocolate drizzle. Before the chocolate drizzle sets, sprinkle some crushed peppermint candies for a beautiful finish.
How long do fresh chocolate chip cookies last?
Stored in an airtight container, fresh chocolate chip cookies will last for 2-3 weeks. That is if your family does not eat them all on your first.
How to store Peppermint Chocolate Chip cookies
The best way to store these homemade cookies is in an airtight container at room temperature. To store the cookies, let them cool completely and then place one layer in an airtight container, layer a piece of parchment paper and another layer of cookies, and continue until all the cookies are in the container.
If you notice the cookies are losing moisture, add a piece of bread to the container and it will help keep the cookies soft and the moisture in the airtight container.
Freezing Chocolate Chip Cookies
Fresh baked chocolate chip cookies will be kept in the freezer for 3-4 weeks. To freeze these cookies, allow the cookies to cool completely. Then place a piece of parchment paper on a room temperature baking sheet and lay the cookies in a single layer on the tray. Place the tray in the freezer for 1-2 hours until the cookies are fully frozen. Remove the frozen cookies from the tray and store them in a zip-lock plastic bag.
How to freeze chocolate chip cookie dough
If you are planning on doing a lot of cookie baking sometimes it makes life easier to make the cookie dough ahead of time and then freeze it. Having frozen cookie dough in the freezer also makes it easier to make freshly baked chocolate chip cookies anytime you want to.
If you are going to freeze the chocolate chip cookie dough, follow all of the steps of this recipe up to the baking step. Do not bake the cookie dough balls. Place a piece of parchment paper on a room temperature baking sheet and lay the cookie dough balls in a single layer on the tray. Place the tray in the freezer for 1-2 hours until the cookie dough is fully frozen. Remove the frozen cookie dough balls from the tray and store in a zip-lock plastic bag.
Frozen Chocolate chip cookie dough will be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to bake Frozen Chocolate chip cookie dough
Remove the amount of cookies you want to make, place the cookie dough balls on a baking sheet, and bake at 325 for 17-18 minutes. Then remove the cookies from the oven and let them continue to cook while on the baking sheet for an additional 5 minutes. The heat from the baking sheet will keep the cookies cooking.
Recipe FAQ
Do I need to use a stand mixer?
No. You do not need to use a stand mixer, I find it easier to use a stand mixer. If you do not have a stand mixer then you can use a large mixing bowl and a hand mixer.
How do I crush the Candy Canes for the cookies?
Place the peppermint candies in a zip-top bag and use a rolling pin or a kitchen mallet to crush them into small pieces. Be careful not to crush them into powder; small chunks work well for texture.
My cookies spread too much while baking. How can I prevent this?
Chilling the dough is crucial to prevent excessive spreading. Ensure your dough is well-chilled before baking. Additionally, using parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on your baking sheet can help control spreading.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the cookie dough ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients
- All purpose Flour
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
- unsalted butter. If you don’t have unsalted butter you can use salted butter just omit the salt when making the recipe.
- brown sugar. You can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar when making these cookies.
- granulated white sugar
- eggs
- vanilla extract
- chocolate chips. For this recipe, you can use milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips or white chocolate chips.
- candy canes. You will crush them into small candy cane pieces, or you can use precrushed peppermint candies.
How to make Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Preheat the oven 350F.
Add the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar and turn the mixer speed to medium to cream them together.
Add in the eggs and the vanilla just until combined.
In a small bowl mix the flour, baking soda, and salt with a whisk.
Turn the speed down to low and carefully add in the dry ingredients flour mixture just until it’s combined.
Stir in the chocolate chips and crushed candy canes.
With a small cookie scoop, scoop out the dough and put on a baking sheet. Once all the cookies are scooped, refrigerate for two hours.
After being in the fridge, remove the dough from the fridge and roll each scooped cookie in your hands, so they are round and smooth.
Place them on a cookie sheet two inches apart.
Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, just until the edges start turning brown. They will still look raw in the middle, but the remaining heat from the cookie sheet will finish cooking them.
Let them cool on the cookie sheet for 5 to 10 minutes.
Easy Peppermint Recipes
- Peppermint Bark
- White Chocolate peppermint fudge
- Peppermint Bark Brownies
- Chocolate Covered Peppermint Oreo
- Peppermint Meringue Cookies
Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 3/4 cups flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
- 8 ounces granulated sugar (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup chocolate chips
- 7 oz crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Add the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar and turn the mixer speed to medium to cream them together.
- Add in the eggs and the vanilla just until combined.
- In a small bowl mix the flour, baking soda, and salt with a whisk.
- Turn the speed down to low and carefully add in the dry ingredients flour mixture just until it’s combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and crushed candy canes.
- With a small cookie scoop, scoop out the dough and put on a baking sheet. Once all the cookies are scooped, refrigerate for two hours.
- After being in the fridge, remove the dough from the fridge and roll each scooped cookie in your hands, so they are round and smooth.
- Place them on a cookie sheet two inches apart.
- Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, just until the edges start turning brown. They will still look raw in the middle, but the remaining heat from the cookie sheet will finish cooking them.
- Let them cool on the cookie sheet for 5 to 10 minutes.
15 Weight Watchers SmartPoints on the Freestyle Program
Looking for more Christmas Recipes? Check out these!
Check out the 25 Days of Christmas Cookies and 12 Days of Christmas Cookies, 16 Christmas Treats for kids for more fun and tasty Christmas Dessert Recipes!
Comments & Reviews
Aunt.Charlee says
How much is 7 oz of crushed peppermint? Can you guesstimate how much in cups? I have a package of crushed peppermint.
Stephanie says
under a cup
Barb says
5 sticks of butter for the chocolate chip candy cane cookies…Really?!!! wow!!
Kaci says
How come my cookies spread into soup puddles it dosing look like the cookies in the picture
Kaci says
Why did my cookies come out soupy any tips
Maddie says
Is it really supposed to be 2.5 CUPS of butter? I made mine & they came out like soup. Maybe 2.5 sticks? Also melted butter? Softened?
Stephanie says
I’m sorry we had someone come in to add the recipe cards to the pages and some typos were made I’m going in to fix this now its sticks, not cups. I’m so sorry for the mess that must have made.