Description
Soft, gooey peppermint chocolate chip cookies bursting with rich dark chocolate and crunchy peppermint candy cane pieces, perfect for cozy holiday baking. This recipe involves chilling the dough for enhanced flavor and texture before baking to achieve perfectly tender cookies with a festive twist.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cool room temperature (168 g)
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed (200 g)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50 g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature (50 g)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (270 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
Add-ins
- 3/4 cup chopped dark chocolate bar or chocolate chips (90 g), plus more for topping
- 1/4 cup candy canes, crushed into small pieces (40 g), plus more for topping
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream together the unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the large egg and vanilla extract until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to ensure even mixing.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and fine sea salt to the wet mixture and mix gently until almost combined. Be careful not to overmix to maintain cookie tenderness.
- Fold in Chocolate and Peppermint: Fold in the chopped dark chocolate and crushed candy cane pieces carefully until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Scoop Dough and Chill: Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, portion the dough into 2-tablespoon balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the tray in the freezer and chill for a minimum of 3-4 hours or until the dough is frozen solid. For best flavor development, refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat Oven and Bake: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Arrange frozen cookie dough balls spaced at least 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake Cookies: Bake cookies for 9-10 minutes. The cookies will appear pale and slightly underbaked when removed from the oven but will firm up as they cool.
- Add Toppings and Cool: Immediately press additional crushed candy cane pieces and dark chocolate chips onto the tops of the warm cookies. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack before removing from the baking sheet.
- Storage: Store any leftover baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. The frozen cookie dough balls can be stored in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the freezer for up to 1 month to maintain candy cane texture and flavor.
Notes
- For accurate flour measurement, spoon flour into the measuring cup and level off with a knife instead of scooping directly.
- Chilling the dough overnight enhances the peppermint flavor and yields more tender cookies.
- Adding toppings right after baking helps to make the cookies look festive and adds extra peppermint and chocolate bursts in each bite.
- Use dark chocolate for a rich, balanced sweetness against the peppermint crunch.
- If preferred, substitute candy cane pieces with crushed peppermint candies of similar size.
- Prep Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
