A delicious dessert that tastes exactly like Christmas feels! These Dark Chocolate Peppermint Sugar Cookies are crunchy, chocolatey, and perfect for a glass of milk.
Looking for more cookies? Try our Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies or White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies.
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I really wanted to make a classic Christmas cookie this year so I decided to go with the tried-and-true chocolate peppermint combination. Dark chocolate peppermint sugar cookies combine a buttery crisp cookie with a sweet and minty chocolate glaze.
I love how festive these cookies look and they taste like Christmas in your mouth. I made these for my coworkers this year and it made the day feel more like the holiday season. Peppermint is the perfect decorative cookie and can be a crowd-pleaser for the holidays.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Dark Chocolate Chips. The sweetness of the sugar cookie is really plenty. If you use milk chocolate chips, these cookies will be too sweet. If you want something that's not dark, use a semisweet chocolate chip.
Coconut Oil: Vegetable oil is a great substitute for coconut oil.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step 1: Start by combining your dry ingredients and set aside to combine later with wet ingredients. Using a standing or handheld mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Then add in eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix until combined.
Step 2: Slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until combined. The dough will be slightly sticky. The dough will need a little extra flour if it sticks to the rolling pin.
Rolling the dough
Step 3: Separate your dough into two equal parts. To help roll the dough, we used four pieces of parchment paper. Generously flour your parchment paper. Place the dough in the center of the paper and sprinkle with more flour. Press another piece of parchment paper on top. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to ¼" thickness. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
Step 4: Lay the dough on top of each other and let rest in the fridge for at least 3 hours and up to overnight. The longer the dough sits in the fridge, the easier it will be to cut.
Pro-Tips
- Refrigerating the cookies will make them spread less and they will be easier to dip.
- Set the dipped cookies on a cooling rack if possible, but otherwise use wax paper.
Baking and Dipping
Step 5: Preheat the oven to 350° to bake. Remove one layer of dough from the refrigerator. Peel parchment paper from the top of the dough. Use Christmas cookie cutters or biscuit cutters to cut shapes out of the dough. Cut the shapes as close together as possible to maximize the dough.
Step 6: Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet 1 inch apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned or the edges are golden. When you remove them from the oven, let them cool for five minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to a wire rack.
Make sure the cookies are cooled completely before starting the dark chocolate glaze. In the meantime, use the rolling pin to crush the candy canes into peppermint pieces.
Step 7: Once the cookies have cooled, combine chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate for 15-30 second intervals. Stir the chocolate chips to evenly melt. The chocolate should become runny and without lumps.
Step 8: Dip the cookies in the chocolate glaze or use a fork to drizzle the chocolate. Top the cookies with the peppermint pieces and let the chocolate set for 2 hours or overnight. The cookies can stay fresh in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for 3-5 days
FAQs
A combination. These sugar cookies are soft on the inside with a crunch on the inside. Make sugar cookies more soft and fudgy by adding an egg yolk to the dough.
Yes. This will help the sugar cookies maintain hydration and be less crispy. It will also keep them from spreading out too much which can be helpful if you cut them into shapes.
Honestly, these are the best cookies to dip in some milk or hot chocolate. If you try the dark chocolate peppermint sugar cookies, leave a comment or review below! Follow us on Instagram @vindelgiudice or Tiktok @alwaysfromscratch to see more instructional videos.
Holiday Desserts
📖 Recipe
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- 1 large baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or vegetable shortening
- crushed candy canes for topping
Instructions
- Mix together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar with the paddle attachment on high for 2 minutes until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix until well combined. Add in dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Separate your dough into 2 equal parts and roll it out to ¼ inch thickness on floured parchment or wax paper. Refrigerate dough for 2-3 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters or biscuit cutters. Place cookies onto parchment-lined cookie sheets about an inch apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Let the cookies cool slightly before placing them on a wire cooling rack.
- Combine dark chocolate and coconut oil or vegetable shortening in a small microwave-safe bowl. Melt in the microwave for 15-30 second increments until completely melted. Dip cooled cookies into melted chocolate and top with crushed candy canes.
Notes
- Refrigerating the cookies will make them spread less and they will be easier to dip.
- Set the dipped cookies on a cooling rack if possible, but otherwise use wax paper.
Vinny
My wife makes these with out toddler and he has a blast doing it! They're very pepperminty so if that's your thing, you'll love these.