This Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies recipe makes the most irresistible, thick, soft Christmas cookies ever. Topped with a gooey sweet vanilla marshmallow, crushed peppermint candies and drizzled with chocolate, this will become your new favorite winter holiday cookie recipe!
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As soon as Thanksgiving ends, I torture my family with Michael Bublé’s Christmas songs on repeat (hey, at least I wait until the Christmas season has officially began!). But it’s ok, they are used to it by now, and I think they secretly like it because they know that Christmas music also means Christmas cookies!
I seriously don’t know why it took me so long to share this recipe. I have a few other delicious cookie recipes that are also perfect for the season but, these peppermint hot cocoa cookies with chocolate drizzle, scream “Merry Christmas!”.
These Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies have a rich chocolate flavor, are topped with melted marshmallows and small pieces of candy canes which gives them a subtle hint of peppermint.
- Easy: These chewy chocolate cookies with crushed candy cane are so easy and fun to make. A great holiday recipe to bake with your kids!
- Loaded with Flavor: These rich chocolate cookies have a gooey and fluffy marshmallow in the center of the cookie and crushed candy cane on top. They may even become your new favorite Christmas cookie!
- Festive: These fudgy cookies are the perfect treat for the holiday season and a great addition to cookie platters or cookie exchange.
- Simple Ingredients: This recipe is made with simple ingredients you can find at your local grocery store.
This section highlights some of the ingredients you’ll need. Check the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts.
- Chocolate: This recipe uses two types of chocolate. Semi-sweet baking chocolate bars such as Ghirardelli, Bakers or Callebaut (the last one is my favorite!) and semisweet chocolate chunks. You can use dark chocolate or milk chocolate if preferred. In a pinch, substitute the chocolate chunks with semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Cocoa Powder: For this recipe, I use Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder. Since this recipe uses baking powder as leavening instead of baking soda, it’s best to use Dutch process cocoa.
- Flour: I used All Purpose Flour
- Eggs: I use large eggs
- Baking Powder: Used as leavening agent.
- Butter: For this cookie recipe, I use unsalted butter. Substitute this ingredient with salted butter if that’s what you have at home.
- Sugar: This recipe uses light brown sugar. Brown sugar adds flavor and produces softer and chewier cookies.
- Flavorings: Pure vanilla extract, peppermint extract and salt. if you don’t have peppermint extract, you can skip it. The peppermint bits sprinkled on top will add a subtle peppermint flavor.
- Marshmallows: A large marshmallow fits perfectly in the center of the chewy cookie however, you can use a few mini marshmallows as well. Although I haven’t made this recipe with marshmallow fluff, it can be used in a pinch.
- Peppermint Candy: I use crushed candy canes.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Melt: Melt the pieces of chocolate bar and butter in the microwave, in small intervals until melted and smooth.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and the unsweetened cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with an electric hand mixer, beat the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla and peppermint extracts until well combined.
- Add Melted Chocolate: Slowly, pour in the melted chocolate mixture and beat until incorporated.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
- Add Chocolate Chunks: Fold in the chocolate chunks and mix until they are well distributed.
- Chill: Remove the dough from the mixer and cover it in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Scoop: Once chilled, scoop dough out and shape it into cookie dough balls.
- Bake: Bake until slightly under-baked, about 9 minutes.
- Cookie Toppings: Meanwhile, cut the marshmallows in half and crush the candy canes
- Add the Marshmallows: Remove the cookies from the oven and place the marshmallow half on top of each cookie. Return to the oven and bake for 2-3 minutes or until the marshmallows are melted.
- Cool and Decorate: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Drizzle the cookies with chocolate and top with the crushed peppermint. Enjoy!
Yes, this cookie dough needs to be chilled in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before baking. Chilling the dough will prevent the dough from over spreading in the oven.
✔️ Make Ahead, Storage and Freezing
- Make Ahead: For convenience, you can make the cookie dough ahead of time. Keep the dough covered or wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. You can also roll the cookies into balls of dough and store them covered on a baking sheet in the fridge.
- Storage: Store these holiday cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Just make sure the cookies are fully cool before you store them.
- Freezing: Flatten the cookie dough onto a disk and store it tightly wrapped with plastic wrap inside a freezer safe resealable bag or an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the dough portioned into individual cookie scoops. When baking, add 2-3 minutes to the baking time. You can also freeze the baked cookies for about 2-3 months. Flash freeze the cookies unwrapped for about an hour and then, store them in an airtight container to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for 2-3 months.
🔪 Recipe Tips For Success
- To make evenly sized cookie dough balls, you can use a cookie scoop or an ice cream scoop.
- You can melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler or in the microwave. If using the microwave, melt in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval before returning to the microwave
- This recipe uses two types of chocolate, chocolate chunks and baking chocolate bars which can be found in the baking aisle. Although the recipe asks for semi-sweet chocolate, you can use milk chocolate or dark chocolate.
- Chill the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes before baking to prevent the cookies from over-spreading.
Take A Look At These Other Easy Cookie Recipes:
- Pinwheel Cookies (super festive!)
This Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookie recipe makes the most irresistible, thick, soft Christmas cookies ever. Topped with a gooey sweet vanilla marshmallow, crushed peppermint candies and drizzled with chocolate icing, this will become your new favorite winter holiday cookie recipe!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped or broken into pieces , (such as Ghirardelli, Bakers or Callebaut)
- 8 tablespoons (113 gr) unsalted butter, diced
- 1 1/2 cups (213 gr) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate chunks
- 24 large marshmallows
- Crushed peppermint candy.
- Optional: Drizzle the cookies with chocolate sauce or melted chocolate chips.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add the pieces of chocolate bar and butter to a microwave-safe bowl. Melt in 30-second intervals, stirring at each interval before returning to the microwave, until it’s completely melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with an electric hand mixer, beat the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla and peppermint extracts until well combined.
- Slowly, pour in the melted chocolate and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer set on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chunks and mix until they are well distributed.
- Remove the dough from the mixer and cover it in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, scoop dough out about 1 heaping tablespoon at a time. Shape into balls of dough and arrange on the prepared baking sheets leaving 2-inches between each cookie.
- Bake until slightly under-baked, about 9 minutes.
- In the meantime, cut the marshmallows in half using kitchen scissors. Place peppermint candy in a resealable bag and crush them up with a rolling pin.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and place the marshmallow half placing the cut side down on top of each cookie and return to the oven.
- Bake for about 2-3 minutes or until the marshmallows are melted.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool slightly then, drizzle the cookies with chocolate and top with the crushed peppermint. Enjoy!
Notes
- When mixing, don’t over work the dough.
- To make evenly sized cookie dough balls, you can use a cookie scoop or an ice cream scoop.
- You can melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler or in the microwave. If using the microwave, melt in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval before returning to the microwave
- This recipe uses two types of chocolate, chocolate chunks and baking chocolate bars which can be found in the baking aisle. Although the recipe asks for semi-sweet chocolate, you can use milk chocolate or dark chocolate.
- Chill the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes before baking to prevent the cookies from over-spreading.
- Store these holiday cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week
- You can freeze the cookie dough or the baked cookies for 2-3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 133 kcal, Carbohydrates: 17 g, Protein: 2 g, Fat: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 4 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g, Trans Fat: 0.1 g, Cholesterol: 16 mg, Sodium: 22 mg, Potassium: 101 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 11 g, Vitamin A: 79 IU, Calcium: 20 mg, Iron: 1 mg
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