The Christmas Cookie to Make Every December
This is the cookie that will disappear first on holiday trays. It’s the one my kids ranked top 3 out of the 12 cookie recipes I tested this season.
They’re the perfect mix of cozy chocolate chip cookie energy with a festive peppermint twist. Thick, chewy centers, crisp peppermint on top, pockets of melty chocolate, pools of sweet white chocolate, and that bakery-style round, rippled look thanks to one simple shaping trick.
I tested different butter temps, ratios of brown sugar, chocolate types, and candy cane sizes so you don’t have to. This version hits every mark: soft, thick, minty, chocolatey, and super pretty.
Need more Christmas cookies? Try more peppermint flavored cookies like chocolate peppermint bark cookies, Andes mint cookies, and peppermint bark cookie bars.
Tested Tips Before You Start…
- Room temperature butter is still cool to the touch (around 67°F). Room temp better is actually much cooler than you think! It’s a note I share for all my cookie recipes.
- Cream the butter and sugar longer than you think. A full 2–3 minutes creates structure and air pockets that keeps them thick.
- Scoop tall to get the thick, rippled bakery-style edges.
- Don’t over bake. You want set edges and pale centers so they stay soft for days.
- Add extra peppermint + chocolate on top after baking keeps the candy canes big and crunch, plus it looks pretty.
- If your candy canes melt: they were crushed too finely or baked too long.
- Use a light-colored cookie sheet. They don’t spread or brown as much as a darker one.
What Makes these Peppermint Cookies So Good
- Soft + chewy centers from brown sugar and an extra yolk.
- Rippled edges thanks to tall, bakery-style scoops.
- No-chill dough that still stays thick.
- Crisp peppermint pieces that don’t melt into syrup.
- Melty pools of chocolate from chopped bars.
- A festive, gift-ready look with extra chocolate + peppermint on top.
The Key Ingredients + Why They Matter
- Unsalted Butter: Soft enough to cream properly but still cool to the touch (67 ish degrees f). This prevents overspreading while giving lift and structure.
- Brown Sugar + Granulated Sugar: Brown sugar adds moisture and chew while granulated sugar helps the edges set and ripple.
- Extra Egg Yolk: Adds richness and tenderness without making the dough cakey.
- Cornstarch: A small amount keeps the centers soft and gives that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Chopped Semi-Sweet + White Chocolate: Chocolate bars melt into glossy pools; chips stay too firm. A mix gives depth and color contrast.
- Crushed Candy Canes: Folded in at the end for crunch and peppermint flavor. They melt slightly but stay crisp when added on top after baking.
How to Make Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Step 1. Make the dough: Cream the butter and sugar, add the wet ingredients, then beat in the dry ingredients.
Step 2. Stir in the chocolate and peppermint: Chop the chocolate bars and candy canes small enough to distribute evenly, including the little shards.
Step 3. Scoop tall mounds: Use a large scoop (about ¼ cup) and roll the dough taller than it is wide. This is how you get thick, rippled cookies.
Step 4. Bake and top: Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just set. Right after baking, swirl a cup around the cookie to make a perfect circle. Press extra chopped chocolate + peppermint pieces into the warm tops.
Variations to Try
White Chocolate Peppermint: Skip the semisweet and double the white chocolate.
Peppermint Extract Version: Add ⅛–¼ teaspoon if you want stronger mint flavor.
Gluten-Free: Use a cup-for-cup GF flour. I like Bob’s Red Mill.
Mini Cookies: Use a small scoop for cookie boxes or gifting and bake for 7-9 minutes.
Peppermint Cookie FAQs
They soften slightly inside, especially if they’re chopped small. To keep them in tact, stir in larger chunks and top the cookies with more peppermint after baking.
The most common reason is the butter was too warm or you under measured your flour. Butter should still feel cool when you press your finger into it (about 67°F).
I think the real crushed candy canes give them plenty of peppermint flavor, but you could add up to 1/4 tsp of peppermint flavor for a stronger peppermint flavor.
No need to chill the dough! However, you can cover and chill it in the fridge for up to 3 days if you need to for timing, but it’s not necessary.
Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate bar chopped, plus more to top
- 4 oz white chocolate bar chopped, plus more to top
- 1/2 cup crushed candy cane plus more to top (about 4-5 candy canes)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line light-colored baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk dry ingredients (2 min): In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients including the flour, baking soda, corn starch, and salt.2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Cream butter and sugar (3 min): In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and creamy, 2-3 full minutes.3/4 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Add egg and vanilla (2 min): Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, and beat for another 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Finish the dough (2 min): With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Mix in the chocolate and peppermint (2 min): Add the chopped chocolate, chopped white chocolate, and crushed candy canes, including the small bits/shards left on the cutting board. Stir with a rubber spatula until combined.4 oz semi-sweet chocolate bar, 4 oz white chocolate bar, 1/2 cup crushed candy cane
- Scoop and bake (12 min): Use a large cookie scoop (or a scant 1/4 cup) to scoop and form tall mounds of dough. Forming them into taller ovals rather than balls makes them thick and soft. Place on the baking sheet 2-3 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden and the tops are just set.
- Shape and top (5 min): Right out of the oven, swirl the rim of a glass gently around the edges to form a perfect circle. Press extra chocolate and peppermint pieces onto the warm cookies. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack.1
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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