Description
These peppermint chocolate crinkle cookies stay soft inside with a deep cocoa flavor and a clean hit of mint. The dough rests for a short time so it holds shape but still stays tender. A quick double coat of sugar gives the strong crackled look people want during the holidays. This version folds in a little crushed chocolate candy cane bark at the end. The bark melts in spots and sets again as the cookie cools, which gives tiny pockets of chocolate and peppermint that set it apart from the usual versions.
Equipment:
mixing bowls
hand mixer or stand mixer
rubber spatula
small saucepan
sheet pans
parchment paper
cookie scoop (1.5 tablespoons)
two shallow bowls for rolling
Ingredients
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup finely crushed chocolate peppermint bark (not candy cane dust; actual bark pieces)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, for rolling
- 1 cup powdered sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Line two sheet pans with parchment. Melt the chocolate chips and butter together in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until smooth and let it stand a few minutes to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl mix the cocoa, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Pour in the warm chocolate mixture and blend until it looks glossy. Add the eggs, egg yolk, vanilla, and peppermint. Mix until the batter loosens and looks even.
- In a separate bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry mix to the chocolate bowl and fold until no dry streaks remain. Stir in the crushed chocolate peppermint bark. The dough will be thick but scoopable. Let it rest 10 minutes on the counter.
- Scoop the dough into balls about 1.5 tablespoons each. Roll each one lightly in granulated sugar. Move them to the powdered sugar bowl and roll again until fully covered. Place on the sheet pans, leaving space for gentle spreading.
- Bake at 325°F for 11–13 minutes. The tops will crack and the edges will look set while the centers stay soft. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 10 minutes. Move to a rack to finish cooling.
Notes
The crushed chocolate peppermint bark is the small twist on this recipe. Most versions use plain candy cane pieces. Bark melts in little pockets, then sets again as the cookies cool. This gives tiny bits of chocolate and mint inside the cookie instead of only on top. The texture feels a little richer and the flavor is rounder without the sharp crunch of plain candy cane shards. These cookies stay soft for several days in a sealed container. They also freeze well before and after baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: ~ 145 per cookie