You know I couldn’t resist re-sharing one of my favorite Christmas cookies as the last recipe for AK Cookie Week 2025. I made these death by chocolate peppermint cookies years ago, and they quickly became one of the most popular holiday cookies on AK.
They’re packing double (or triple) chocolate with a perfectly chewy chocolate cookie, chocolate chips, and a dark & white chocolate topping. Should I say chocolate again?
These holiday cookies are perfect for making with kiddos as a fun project and are guaranteed to impress family and friends!
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Ingredients in these chocolate peppermint cookies
These cookies are infused with peppermint extract, dipped in dark chocolate, drizzled with white chocolate, and coated with crunchy crushed peppermint candies. SO GOOD. Here’s what you’ll need to make them:
- Flour: we’re using good old all purpose flour to make these double chocolate peppermint cookies.
- Cocoa powder: I recommend using a high-quality, unsweetened cocoa powder for the best flavor.
- Baking staples: you’ll need some salt and baking soda to help the cookies bake properly.
- Sugars: you’ll need both brown sugar and granulated sugar to give these cookies the perfect sweetness.
- Eggs: we’re using one egg and one egg yolk (yes, the yolk only) for a delicious texture.
- Butter: because butter makes every cookie amazing! And gives them the right amount of moisture.
- Extracts: you’ll need both vanilla extract and peppermint extract for that delicious peppermint flavor.
- Delicious add-ins: I love adding dark chocolate chips to the batter for a double chocolate peppermint cookie. You’ll also need some white chocolate chips, a little coconut oil, and crushed peppermint candies (or candy canes) for that gorgeous topping!
Optional ingredient swaps
I always recommend sticking with the recipe ingredients as much as possible, but here are a few swaps that should work well:
- To make dairy-free: feel free to use vegan butter, dairy-free chocolate chips, and dairy-free white chocolate chips.
- For the cocoa powder: you can also use cacao powder.
- To make vegan: I haven’t tested these with a flax egg, but I think it could work just fine! Then be sure to follow the dairy-free instructions.
Can I make these chocolate peppermint cookies gluten free?
I haven’t tested these cookies with a gluten-free swap, but my best guess would be to use a 1:1 GF all purpose flour.
Good news: I have tons of gluten-free cookies on my site! Check them all out here.
Get fancy: add a mocha twist
If you want chocolate peppermint mocha cookies (yum), simply add 2 teaspoons of espresso powder or 1 tablespoon instant coffee with your dry ingredients! The coffee flavor brings out that wonderful chocolate even more.
Make perfect double chocolate peppermint cookies
- Prep your oven. Set your oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the dry. Whisk together all of your dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Mix the wet. Beat together the butter and sugars in an electric mixer, then mix in the extracts and eggs until smooth.
- Make your dough. Slowly add the flour mixture to the electric mixer and mix everything just until your cookie dough forms. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Baking time. Use a cookie scoop and roll together about 2 tablespoons of dough. Place them on your baking sheet 2 inches apart and bake!
- Dunk, drizzle & enjoy. While your cookies are cooling, melt some dark chocolate over the stove or in a microwave-safe bowl. Dip each cookie halfway in the chocolate, and then add your crushed candies. Do the same for the white chocolate, but drizzle it on top with a spoon. Then enjoy the perfect Christmas cookies!
Can I make them without an electric mixer?
Yes! Feel free to use a hand mixer, or mix the wet ingredients together by hand, slowly add the dry ingredients in, and mix again until they’re well incorporated. A great arm workout!
How to store & freeze these cookies
- To store: store these chocolate peppermint cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: you can actually freeze the cookie dough OR the freshly baked cookies to enjoy later! Get all of my tips and tricks for freezing cookies here.
Tools you’ll need
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Cookie dough scoop
- Cooling rack
Get all of my kitchen essentials here!
More cookie recipes you’ll love
- Salted Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Snickerdoodles
- Iced Cherry Toasted Almond Oatmeal Cookies
- Santa’s Naughty Oatmeal Cream Pies
- Vanilla Brown Sugar Oatmeal Latte Cookies with Espresso Icing
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cream Pies with Fluffy Peanut Butter Filling
Get all of my cookie recipes here!
I hope you love these death by chocolate peppermint cookies! If you make them, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked them. Enjoy, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Ingredients
- Dry ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Optional if you want mocha peppermint cookies: 1 tablespoon espresso powder or instant coffee
- Wet ingredients:
- 1 cup (226g) salted butter, softened
- 1 cup (213g) packed brown sugar
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- Mix-ins:
- 1 cup (180g) dark chocolate chips (can also use semi-sweet)
- Topping:
- 1 ½ cups (225g) dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup (90g) white chocolate chips + 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- ½ cup (96g) crushed peppermint candies (or a few crushed candy canes will also work)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Also stir in espresso powder (or instant coffee) if you want to make these peppermint mocha cookies.
- Mix wet ingredients: In the bowl of an electric mixer, use the paddle attachment to cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add in vanilla extract, peppermint extract, egg, and egg yolk. Beat again until well combined, about 30 seconds longer.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Add in dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined and the dough forms. Fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips with a wooden spoon.
- Use a 1-ounce cookie scoop to grab about 2 tablespoons of dough, then roll dough into balls and place on the cookie sheet, leaving at least 2 inches apart from one another. (You’ll need to bake in batches.) Flatten each dough ball slightly with the palm of your hand.
- Bake the cookies: Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set but the middle is still slightly underbaked. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Make the topping: Once cookies have completely cooled, they are ready for dipping. Place chocolate chips in a small pot and place over low heat, stirring until chocolate is melted and smooth. You can also melt the chocolate in the microwave by placing the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until chocolate is melted. Once ready, dip cookies halfway in chocolate then place them back on a cooling rack or onto parchment paper to avoid a mess. Sprinkle chocolate with crushed peppermint candies.
- Next, melt the white chocolate and coconut oil the same way you did the chocolate in the previous step. Use a small spoon to drizzle the white chocolate all over the cookies diagonally. It doesn’t have to be perfect and should be festive and fun!
- Place cookies back on the cooling rack or parchment paper and allow the chocolate to harden completely. Makes 30 cookies.
Recipe Notes
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen Photography by: Yoga of Cooking
This post was originally published on December 3rd, 2018, republished on December 23rd, 2020, republished on December 7th, 2022, and republished on December 4th, 2025.
The only mod for me was instead of dipping the cookie I used a spoon to smear a glob of melted chocolate on top just for expediency. These cookies were PERFECT. I did include the instant espresso and next time might even do a bit more.
Great tip! So glad you loved them!!
My first time ever leaving a review on a recipe!
Just finished making these tonight and they turned out awesome. I substituted all dark chocolate for semisweet (only had semisweet on hand) and the sweetness is perfect. The flavors and textures of the cookie contrast each other so well, with the fresh, crunchy peppermint chunks complimenting the sweet and smooth chocolate dipped edges. The ratios of the recipe are perfect. The cookie texture is on point.
Moreover, I have never followed a recipe where the amount of melted chocolate for dipping & decorating was correct. I always end up with a lot left over – not with this recipe. Quantities for the dip and drizzle were exactly what the cookies needed.
Thank you for sharing!
Amazing! So glad they turned out beautifully, and thank you for your first ever review!
My first time ever leaving a review on a recipe!
Just finished making these tonight and they turned out awesome. I substituted all dark chocolate for semisweet (only had semisweet on hand) and the sweetness is perfect. The flavors and textures of the cookie contrast each other so well, with the fresh, crunchy peppermint chunks complimenting the sweet and smooth chocolate dipped edges.
The ratios of the recipe are perfect. The cookie texture is on point.
Thank you for sharing!
Hit of the holiday party! Super delicious, crunchy and beautiful.
So happy to hear that!
These are SO GOOD! My son said they were the best cookies I’ve ever made! I followed the recipe up until baking. I was worried these cookies would spread too much since you don’t chill them at all but they came out perfect thickness! I chose to drizzle my cookies with melted Andes Mint chocolate thins instead of plain chocolate chips and oh my goodness this made them 10/10!! I will be making these this same way, over and over again!
So happy to hear that! Perfect holiday cookie 🙂
Defiantly need to use at least a 2 tablespoon scoop—they do not spread much—so better to start out a bit bigger. I found them to dry and without enough sweetness.
Hi! So strange – did you weigh your ingredients? I’ve always found these plenty sweet with both types of sugar and chocolate, so I’m not sure how they didn’t turn out sweet enough!
SO GOOD! I love peppermint and chocolate! I didn’t have peppermint extract but I had Ghirardelli peppermint bark mix-ins which I added instead of regular chocolate chips. They are amazing. Thanks for the recipe!
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
Really good! I forgot to get white chocolate chips but even without the white chocolate drizzle they were so delicious and pretty with the candy cane topping.
Absolutely! Glad you loved them!
Hi,
I have a question. I had already copied and pasted and saved a previous version of yours. I noticed that there are a couple of slight changes, and I’m just wondering what one does compared to the other one?
The one I saved, you used 2 c. flour, rather than 2 1/2 c. Also in the one I saved…you used unsalted butter, and used salted in this one.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Hi! I recently updated these cookies to have even better texture and flavor. I prefer the current version 🙂
Awesome. Thanks for getting back to me.
Hello, I would like to know what does 1 cup mean, how many grams/ml?
Thanks a lot!
Hi! We’re working on adding metric measurements to every baking recipe on the site. Thanks for your patience here! We’ll get this one updated as soon as possible.
These are amazing! I actually won a Holiday Cookie Bake Off at my school with these. They deliver in every way – taste, texture, visual appeal, festive. I’ve made them twice, once with the espresso, and once without. They are great either way. I also used the technique you show in your cookie tips to make the cookies perfectly round by “spinning” them with an inverted glass. I did this right out of the oven and they were perfectly round – almost like brownie cookies with the crinkles and everything. I did have to flatten them a bit so they spread correctly, and baked a test cookie so I knew exactly how long to bake. Mine were ready at 9.5 minutes. These are going into the holiday rotation now. Thanks for another PERFECT recipe!
Amazing!! Congrats on your win!
Had to use GF flour (Bobs red mill 1:1) for these and scooped 1tbsp instead of 2. Turned out really good when baked for 9 mins, They were a little dry on their own but you couldn’t tell with the icing added on!
Great flavor (I did peppermint mocha) and will definitely make these again but want to figure out how to add moisture to the cookies w/o relying on the icing.
Glad they were still delicious! Be sure to use the spoon-and-level method when measuring the flour, and maybe underbake them by a minute or two.
Amazing. Have made them 4 times this holiday season. I mix Hershey kisses (candy cane flavor) with candy canes – perfect!! A perfect holiday cookie.
So good!!
Favorite christmas cookie I made last year!! I didn’t get peppermint candies and ended up just using red sprinkles instead. SO GOOD.
Light or dark brown chocolate?
I use dark chocolate!
Made these for my family cookie bake off & had people begging for the recipe!
So glad they were a hit!
I love making these during the Holiday season. They are delicious! Question- can they be made with gluten free flour to appease some family members?
You could try a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour, but note that I haven’t tested it with this recipe! Let me know if you give it a try 🙂
My dark chocolate didn’t harden but my white did. Is this because it didn’t have coconut oil?
These are seriously the best cookies I’ve ever made. I feel proud every time I share them with my family!
I’m so glad!!
Taste Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glad you loved them!
Just want to say thank you for this gorgeous recipe! Made these cookies once and my husband love them to bits as he’s a big fan of chocolate and mint. Hope there’ll be more choc and mint combo in the future! Looking forward to it!
Absolutely! Glad you both enjoyed 🙂
I made these gluten free with bobs red mill 1:1 baking flour. They taste great but are a bit dry. I think next time I’ll use slightly less flour. But overall I love the light peppermint flavor. And my youngest and I had fun making them together!
Let me know how they go with less flour next time! Glad you two had a fun baking adventure 🙂
I really liked these! I was lazy and skipped all the dipping and toppings and really enjoy them as is. I’m saving this recipe for future holiday baking. Thank you so much!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
I made these cookies last year and they were hands down the best cookies I’ve ever had! They’re so delicious and perfect for the holidays! I have every intention of making these every year during Christmas time.
Amazing! Happy to hear that they’re a favorite!
I’ve followed AK on insta for years but I’ve only made a few recipes and all have been great. I came across these cookies and OH MY GOD. I have found my new favorite Christmas cookie. I made the cookies larger so it only made 13 and I already have to make more tomorrow for a Christmas party! Literally death by chocolate with a delish hint of peppermint!
So glad you gave these a try! Perfect holiday cookie 🙂
I’ve made these cookies a couple times and let me tell you, they are freakin delicious! My neighbour is a chef and asks me to make these for her twice a year they are that good. Also, for any of my Canadian AK followers here, these are like bigger, soft and even better mint girlguide cookies.
Amazing! So glad they’re a hit!
Very nice cookie! I followed the recipe exactly, but I like to try modifications so here’s what I’ll do the next time – semi sweet instead of dark chocolate to make. it a little sweeter and a little more peppermint extract for more pronounced mint flavor. A full cup of chips into the dough. I’d probably skip dipping the cookies in chocolate and instead first drizzle with the white chocolate and then drizzle with the dark chocolate. I’d smash my peppermint candies into dust and give a little sprinkle. And by the next time, I mean I’ll probably be making these again next week!
So glad you liked these! They’re great for customizing with your chocolate and toppings 🙂
For those of you perusing the comments to find out if anyone else successfully made these gluten free, I got you! Thanks to the other commenter who suggested bobs red mill. I used the same flour and used 240 grams plus 3 tablespoons. I added the tablespoons to get the texture like the video. To prevent spreading like the other person mentioned I fridged for about an hour. I did a test cookie with a small and large cookie scoop and they still spread a lot, so the smallest scoop was perfect and made a normal sized cookie (I did slightly flatten still). I baked for 12 min but I should have done 10, as once they set they became a bit more crispy. Otherwise I followed the rest of the recipe precisely. They came out amazing and still chewy and were raved about at a Christmas cookie exchange party! Paving the way here for other ambitious gf bakers!!
Thanks so much for your gluten free insights in here! Happy to hear that they turned out well with those adjustments 🙂
Just made these for the first time and I tasted it, good balance of peppermint and chocolate. I would make it again and do some stuff differently. I didn’t have enough dark chocolate chips so I wish I could have added more inside the mix, maybe that’s why my texture is not quite exact like your picture. Mine seem cake like, not gooey or super moist. Or I over mixed the batter.
They look really festive with the decoration!! When I melted the chocolate to dunk I think I had too little I couldn’t dunk it, it was so thick too, melted on stove. Are you supposed to put some coconut oil in the dark chocolate to dunk?
Also the size of the cookies on the baking sheet…I tried 2 tablespoons was way too big, I didn’t use the traditional measuring spoon though, I used one heaping reg tablespoon (not measuring spoon) and I got 24 cookies but I may have pressed down too hard- the cookies came out flatter and not crackled like your picture. Overall great recipe, will make it again. Love the combo of flavors.
Hi Amanda! Glad you enjoyed these overall! Next time I’d suggest pouring the melted chocolate in a bowl that’s a bit less shallow, which will help with space for dunking. It should be fine without coconut oil, but feel free to add a little to make it a bit more “drippy!” Feel free to make the cookies a bit smaller, too, and gently flatten before baking 🙂
I love this recipe and make it every Christmas. Perfect combo of chocolate and peppermint. They look so pretty! I make them exactly as the recipe is written. ALWAYS a hit!
Love that! The perfect holiday cookie 🙂
Wow! These are amazing! The dipped dark chocolate with the white chocolate drizzle and candy canes on top are what make this cookie so good!