Description
These Peppermint Brownie Cookies combine rich, fudgy brownie flavor with festive peppermint and crunchy candy cane pieces. Soft in the center with slightly crisp edges, they deliver a perfect holiday treat with melted chocolate chips and refreshing peppermint extract, ideal for cookie lovers wanting a chewy, brownie-like texture in cookie form.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
Add-ins and Toppings
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
Instructions
- Prep — heat the oven and get set: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and place a rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat for easy cleanup. If chilling dough, have a plate or tray ready for dough balls.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder (sift first if lumpy), baking powder, and salt until smooth and evenly combined.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, add melted butter and let it cool slightly for 1–2 minutes to avoid cooking the eggs. Stir in granulated sugar and brown sugar, beating for about 60 seconds until glossy and sugar dissolves mostly. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in vanilla and peppermint extracts carefully, tasting for peppermint strength.
- Combine wet and dry – make the dough: Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches, folding gently with a spatula just until no flour streaks remain. Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips gently to distribute evenly without overmixing.
- Optional chill for firmer cookies: For thicker, fudgier cookies, cover and chill dough 20–30 minutes to firm the butter and reduce spreading. Skip chilling if short on time, cookies will spread more but remain delicious.
- Portion and decorate: Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon to portion dough spaced 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Press extra chocolate chips on top and sprinkle with crushed candy canes so they stick during baking.
- Bake and time for texture: Bake for 10–12 minutes on the center oven rack. Ten minutes yields soft, fudgy centers; twelve minutes makes them slightly more set and cakier. Remove when edges are set and tops slightly cracked but centers a bit underbaked for best gooey texture.
- Cooling and storing: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days with parchment layers. Freeze baked cookies by flash-freezing on a tray before transferring to freezer bag for up to 3 months. Raw dough can also be frozen and baked from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to bake time.
Notes
- Sifting the cocoa powder helps prevent lumps and creates a smoother dough.
- Do not overmix the dough once flour is added; overmixing makes the cookies cakier instead of fudgy.
- Chilling the dough is optional but recommended for thicker, fudgier cookies that spread less.
- Use good-quality peppermint extract; it’s potent so add carefully.
- Pressing extra chocolate chips and crushed candy canes on top before baking adds festive look and extra flavor bursts.
- Cookies should be taken out when centers are still slightly soft to remain chewy after cooling.
- Store cookies properly in parchment-layered airtight containers to prevent sticking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Peppermint Brownie Cookies, Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, Holiday Cookies, Fudgy Cookies, Chocolate Chip Peppermint, Christmas Cookies
