Add the crunch after baking
Crushed candy canes can melt into sticky puddles in the oven. Sprinkling them over freshly dipped cookies keeps the peppermint bright and the decoration tidy. Use a chocolate bar intended for melting rather than assuming every white baking chip will melt fluidly.
Before you bake
This recipe has not been independently kitchen-tested. Photographs are illustrative. Oven behavior and yields vary; use the doneness cues, and allow additional time for cooling, decorating, and successive trays. Cook time is per tray.
Peppermint chocolate Christmas cookies
Rich cocoa cookies dipped in white chocolate and finished with crushed candy canes.
- Prep
- 30 minutes
- Bake
- 12 minutes
- Total
- 62 minutes
- Yield
- About 20 cookies
Includes 20 minutes chilling. Total is for the first batch, before cooling; allow extra time for additional trays.
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Beat butter and sugars for 2 minutes. Beat in egg, vanilla, and peppermint extract.
- Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, then stir into the butter mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. Chill for 20 minutes.
- Heat oven to 350°F. Scoop level 1 1/2-tablespoon portions onto parchment-lined trays, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten lightly.
- Bake one tray at a time for 10–12 minutes, until edges are set and centers no longer look wet. Rest 5 minutes on the sheet, then cool completely on a rack.
- Melt white chocolate in a dry microwave-safe bowl in 15-second bursts, stirring each time and stopping when just smooth. Avoid overheating.
- Dip half of each cooled cookie in white chocolate. Lay on parchment and immediately sprinkle with candy cane pieces. Leave until the coating sets before serving or packing.
A little baking advice
Measure peppermint extract carefully; a little is enough. Keep all water out of the melting chocolate to avoid seizing.
Substitutions & variations
Omit peppermint extract for a gentler cookie that gets its mint flavor from the topping. Dark chocolate can replace the white dipping chocolate by weight.
Storage & freezing
Store airtight in a cool room for up to 3 days; candy toppings may become sticky in humidity. Freeze undecorated cookies for up to 2 months and add the coating after thawing.
Tools for this recipe
An independent editorial selection, based on published specifications—not hands-on testing. Retailer links are ordinary, non-affiliate links; we currently earn no commission from them. Read our disclosure.
OXO Medium Cookie Scoop
1 1/2-tablespoon capacity · trigger release
Why consider it: A stated portion size takes the guesswork out of everyday drop cookies.
Keep in mind: Not intended to force through very hard chilled dough; not needed for cutout cookies.
King Arthur Half-Sheet Parchment
16 1/2 × 12 1/4 inches · rated to 450°F
Why consider it: Precut flat sheets avoid curling and can be trimmed to line smaller pans.
Keep in mind: Creates waste and must stay away from direct heating elements. Check your pan fit.
