Crushed Peppermint Candy Cookies
Hey there, I’m Claire Whitmore — a pastry whisperer in Asheville, NC, where butter totally counts as self-care. This Crushed Peppermint Candy Cookies Recipe is proof that dessert doesn’t have to be complicated to feel special.
You know those nights when you’re craving something festive but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen? That’s exactly how these cookies were born.
I was testing holiday recipes last December, and my daughter walked in asking for “chocolate chip cookies but Christmas-y.” Challenge accepted. The result? These beauties that taste like your favorite chocolate chip cookie got all dressed up for a holiday party.
Little Snapshot: What This Recipe Delivers
This Crushed Peppermint Candy Cookies Recipe combines classic chocolate chip cookie dough with crushed candy canes for a festive twist that’s perfect for holiday baking.
You’ll get soft, chewy cookies with melty dark chocolate and refreshing peppermint in every bite — ready in about 30 minutes of active work, though they do need some chill time for that perfect texture.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe 🌸
- This Crushed Peppermint Candy Cookies recipe takes less time than wrapping presents — and it’s way more rewarding.
- You probably have most ingredients already sitting in your pantry, which means fewer trips to the store and more time with your people.
- The make-ahead dough means you can prep during nap time and bake fresh cookies whenever the mood strikes (or unexpected guests show up).
- According to King Arthur Baking, chilling cookie dough develops deeper flavor and prevents spreading — and this recipe proves exactly why.
Quick Facts ⚡
Here’s the quick scoop on this Crushed Peppermint Candy Cookies Recipe.
- CourseDessert
- Prep Time15 minutes
- Cook Time10 minutes
- Total Time3 hours 25 minutes (includes chilling)
- Servings24 cookies
- DifficultyEasy
Table of Contents
Nutritional Peek
Here’s what you’re looking at per Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies — because knowing the numbers helps you enjoy the treat even more:
| Nutrient | Amount per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 165 kcal |
| Protein | 2g |
| Carbohydrates | 22g |
| Fat | 8g |
| Saturated Fat | 5g |
| Fiber | 1g |
| Sugar | 13g |
| Sodium | 140mg |
Crushed Peppermint Candy Cookies Recipe Ingredients
When you’re making Christmas Cookies Chocolate Peppermint, quality ingredients make all the difference — but nothing here is fancy or hard to find.
| Amount | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 12 tablespoons | Unsalted butter, cool room temperature (yes, real butter — margarine just doesn’t cut it here) |
| 1 cup | Light brown sugar, packed |
| 1/4 cup | Granulated sugar |
| 1 large | Egg, room temperature |
| 2 teaspoons | Vanilla extract |
| 2 1/4 cups | All-purpose flour (see notes below for measuring) |
| 1 teaspoon | Baking soda |
| 1 teaspoon | Fine sea salt |
| 3/4 cup | Chopped dark chocolate bar or chocolate chips, plus more for topping |
| 1/4 cup | Candy canes, crushed in small pieces, plus more for topping |
Claire’s ingredient note: I like using a mix of chocolate chips and chopped chocolate bars — the irregular chunks create those gorgeous melty pools of chocolate.
And for the candy canes? Pop them in a ziplock bag and give them a few good whacks with a rolling pin. Very therapeutic.
Tools You’ll Actually Use
Essential:
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Cookie scoop (2 tablespoon size)
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
Optional but handy:
- Rolling pin (for crushing candy canes)
- Ziplock bag (candy cane crushing station)
- Kitchen scale (for precision)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making Crushed Peppermint Candy Cookies is honestly one of the most forgiving baking projects you’ll tackle — perfect for involving little helpers or just enjoying some quiet kitchen time.
Step 1: Cream the butter and sugars
In your mixer bowl, beat together the butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture looks light and fluffy — this takes about 3 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s a shade lighter and has that almost whipped texture.
Step 2: Mix in the wet ingredients
Add your egg and vanilla extract, mixing until everything’s just combined. Give the bowl a good scrape down with your spatula so nothing’s hiding at the bottom.
Step 3: Mix in the dry ingredients
Toss in the flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix until you can barely see streaks of flour anymore, then gently fold in those chocolate chips and crushed candy cane pieces. Don’t overmix here — we want tender Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies, not tough ones.
Step 4: Scoop and chill the cookie dough
Using your cookie scoop, portion out the dough into 2-tablespoon balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Now here’s the secret: pop that whole tray into the freezer for at least 3-4 hours, or until the dough balls are frozen solid. Overnight is even better if you can wait — the flavors get so much richer.
Step 5: Preheat and bake
When you’re ready for fresh-baked magic, heat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Space those frozen dough balls at least 2 inches apart on your baking sheet (they spread) and bake for 9-10 minutes. They’ll look pale and underbaked when you pull them out — trust me on this. They’ll firm up perfectly as they cool.
Step 6: Decorate with extra candies
While the Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies are still hot, press a few extra candy cane pieces and dark chocolate chips onto the tops — this makes them look bakery-fancy. Let the whole tray cool completely on a wire rack before you try removing them (I know, the waiting is hard).
Claire’s Pro Tips & Gentle Guidance
After making these Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies about a million times (okay, maybe just fifty), here’s what I’ve learned:
The room temperature thing matters. Your butter should be cool but soft enough to leave a slight indent when pressed. Too warm and your Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies will spread like crazy; too cold and they won’t cream properly.
Don’t skip the freeze. I know it seems like overkill, but freezing the dough does two magical things: it stops the cookies from spreading too thin, and it lets the flavors meld together beautifully. Plus, you can bake just a few at a time and have “fresh-baked” cookies whenever.
Underbake slightly. These cookies continue baking on the hot pan after you remove them from the oven. Pull them when they still look a bit pale in the center — they’ll be perfectly chewy, not crunchy.
Measure flour correctly. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping directly from the bag packs in too much flour, giving you dry, cakey cookies instead of soft, chewy ones.
According to the experts at Serious Eats , resting cookie dough isn’t just a suggestion — it genuinely improves texture and flavor. And after years of testing? I couldn’t agree more.
Quick Fixes for Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies Recipe
Cookies spreading too much? Your butter was probably too warm when you mixed it, or you didn’t chill the dough long enough. Next time, make sure that butter is just barely soft, and freeze the dough balls until completely solid.
Cookies turning out dry or crumbly? You might’ve added too much flour (easy to do if you scoop directly from the bag). Also check your baking time — even an extra minute can dry them out.
Candy canes disappearing into the dough? This happens if the dough sits too long before baking or gets too warm. Bake from frozen, and the candy pieces will stay intact and pretty.
Cookies too flat? Make sure your baking soda is fresh (it loses power after about 6 months), and definitely don’t skip the chilling step.
Edges browning too fast? Your oven might be running hot. Invest in an oven thermometer, or try baking on a lower rack with the temperature dropped by 25°F.
Variations & Fun Twists
These Christmas Cookies Chocolate Peppermint are wonderfully adaptable:
Dark chocolate lovers: Swap the candy canes for crushed peppermint bark or use all dark chocolate chips instead of a mix.
White chocolate version: Use white chocolate chips and add a touch of peppermint extract to the dough (start with 1/4 teaspoon — it’s strong!).
Gluten-free option: Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
Make them fancy: Drizzle cooled Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies with melted white chocolate and sprinkle with more crushed candy canes.
Not a peppermint fan? Leave out the candy canes entirely and you’ve got perfect classic chocolate chip cookies. Or swap in toffee bits, chopped nuts, or dried cranberries for a different holiday vibe.
Serving, Storage & Reheating
Your Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies deserve to be enjoyed at their absolute best.
Serving: These are perfect slightly warm with a glass of cold milk, or alongside your favorite hot chocolate (maybe with an extra candy cane for stirring?). They’re also gorgeous on a holiday cookie platter mixed with other festive treats.
Storage: Keep baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. After that, they start to lose their chewy texture (though honestly, they rarely last that long around here).
Freezing baked cookies: Layer them between sheets of parchment in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or pop them in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes to refresh.
Freezing unbaked dough: This is my favorite trick! Keep those frozen dough balls in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 1 month.
After that, the candy canes start to melt and disappear into the dough. Bake straight from frozen, adding maybe an extra minute to the baking time.
Quick refresh: If your cookies have gone a bit soft, you can crisp them up by warming them in a 300°F oven for 3-4 minutes.
No-Waste Kitchen Magic
Leftover candy canes: Crush them up and store in a jar to sprinkle over hot chocolate, ice cream, or your morning yogurt. They’ll keep for months.
Extra chocolate chips: Melt them down for a quick chocolate sauce, or fold them into your next batch of brownies or banana bread.
Day-old cookies: Crumble them over ice cream for an instant sundae, or pulse them in a food processor to make a cookie crust for cheesecake.
Broken cookies: Don’t even think about tossing them! Layer broken cookies with whipped cream and crushed candy canes in a glass for an easy trifle. Or mix them into vanilla ice cream for homemade cookies and cream.
Candy cane dust: All those tiny bits at the bottom of the bag? Perfect for rimming holiday cocktail glasses or sprinkling over frosted brownies.
Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies Recipe FAQs
Can I freeze this Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies Recipe dough?
Absolutely! In fact, I almost always have a stash of frozen dough balls in my freezer. They keep for up to a month and bake beautifully straight from frozen.
Why do my cookies need to chill for so long?
The long chill time does two things: it stops the cookies from spreading too thin during baking, and it gives the flavors time to develop. Think of it like marinating — totally worth the wait.
Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate?
Of course! Use whatever chocolate makes you happy. I prefer dark because it balances the sweetness of the candy canes, but milk chocolate works beautifully too.
My candy canes are melting into the dough. What am I doing wrong?
This usually happens when the dough sits at room temperature for too long before baking. Make sure you’re baking those dough balls straight from the freezer, and the candy pieces will stay intact.
How do I know when these cookies are done?
They should still look slightly underbaked in the center when you pull them out — pale golden around the edges but soft-looking in the middle. They’ll firm up as they cool. If they look fully baked in the oven, they’ll be overdone once cooled.
Can I make these without a mixer?
Definitely! You’ll just need a sturdy wooden spoon and a bit of arm muscle. Cream the butter and sugars really well by hand (it takes a few minutes), then fold in everything else gently.
Cozy Closing
There’s something magical about pulling a fresh batch of Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies from the oven — that perfect mix of chocolate, mint, and pure holiday joy.
Whether you’re baking these for a cookie exchange, a cozy night in, or just because Thursday needs a little sweetness, I hope they bring you as much happiness as they’ve brought to my kitchen.
I’d love to see your spin on this Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies Recipe! Leave a note below or tag me on Instagram so we can share a sweet moment together.
And if you’re looking for more festive treats, check out my Winter Wonderland Chocolate Chip Cookies or these gorgeous Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies.
Happy baking, friends!
I’m Claire Whitmore — a dessert daydreamer from Asheville, NC. For me, baking isn’t about perfect pastries — it’s about the joy of sharing something sweet (and maybe sneaking an extra scoop of icing).
Crushed Peppermint Candy Cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Cookie scoop (2 tablespoon size)
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
- Rolling Pin
- Ziplock bag
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter cool room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour see notes for measuring
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup chopped dark chocolate bar or chocolate chips plus more for topping
- ¼ cup candy canes crushed in small pieces, plus more for topping
Instructions
- In your mixer bowl, beat together the butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture looks light and fluffy — this takes about 3 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s a shade lighter and has that almost whipped texture.
- Add your egg and vanilla extract, mixing until everything’s just combined. Give the bowl a good scrape down with your spatula so nothing’s hiding at the bottom.
- Toss in the flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix until you can barely see streaks of flour anymore, then gently fold in those chocolate chips and crushed candy cane pieces. Don’t overmix here — we want tender cookies, not tough ones.
- Using your cookie scoop, portion out the dough into 2-tablespoon balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Now here’s the secret: pop that whole tray into the freezer for at least 3-4 hours, or until the dough balls are frozen solid. Overnight is even better if you can wait — the flavors get so much richer.
- When you’re ready for fresh-baked magic, heat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Space those frozen dough balls at least 2 inches apart on your baking sheet (they spread) and bake for 9-10 minutes. They’ll look pale and underbaked when you pull them out — trust me on this. They’ll firm up perfectly as they cool.
- While the cookies are still hot, press a few extra candy cane pieces and dark chocolate chips onto the tops — this makes them look bakery-fancy. Let the whole tray cool completely on a wire rack before you try removing them.
