Peppermint Double Chocolate Cookies
Double chocolate cookies are my absolute favorite. I love the rich chocolate taste, fudgy texture, and double dose of chocolate. And with a glass of cold milk? Perfection.
Is Chocolate Good For You?
Chocolate contains flavanols, which are antioxidants.
Antioxidants may reduce damage to cell, which reduces the risk of cancer.
My soft-batch double chocolate chip cookies are actually one of the most popular recipes on my blog. So I wanted to make a holiday version in time for Christmas to share on Oh Sweet Basil.
Introducing peppermint double chocolate cookies. The recipe starts with rich, fudgy double chocolate cookies that taste somewhere in between a brownie and chocolate chip cookie. Then we’re infusing our cookies with peppermint extract, dipping them in melted chocolate, and sprinkling with crushed candy canes.
The combination of rich chocolate and cool peppermint is the perfect pairing. Then the candy canes make them so pretty for your Christmas cookie exchange.
Will Cookies Brown on Parchment Paper?
Parchment paper will help cookie dough bake into evenly browned cookies that hold their shape without cracks,
Using parchment paper creates a thin airy layer between the baking sheet and the paper that helps regulate the temperature, and neutralize hot spots.
Cookies baked on parchment paper slide right off the baking sheets.
To get started, first we make our cookie dough. We whisk together our dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, corn starch, baking soda and salt), so they’re ready to be added to the batter later.
Then we cream together the butter and sugars (I like to use a combo of brown sugar and white sugar) – and add in the egg, vanilla and peppermint extract. The dry ingredients are then carefully added in, and finally we add in the chocolate chips.
Then it’s time to chill the dough. Chilling is recommended because the double chocolate cookie dough is thick and sticky. If you don’t chill the dough it’ll be hard to form into cookie dough balls and your cookies will spread too thin.
Then after 2 hours (or overnight), it’s time to bake our cookies.
After they cool fully, dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate and sprinkle with candy canes. I absolutely love these for the holidays, and if you’re a double chocolate fan – or love candy cane hot chocolate – these peppermint double chocolate cookies are for you!
Why do Cookies Come Out Flat?
Butter and sugar make cookies spread.
When it comes to taste, there’s really no comparison.
Butter wins every time.
However, butter has a lower melting temperature than shortening does, so it is more important than ever to refrigerate cookie dough with butter in it.
If you decide to use shortening, refrigerating the cookie dough isn’t quite as important.
When a recipe calls for softening the butter before creaming it with the sugar, be sure you are just softening it.
Not melting it.
Don’t overbeat the dough.
Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Check oven temperature accuracy, bake a few minutes more, or increase temperature by 25 degrees.
Refrigerate the cookie dough.
Tips for Making Double Chocolate Cookies
- This recipe uses brown sugar and white sugar because it makes the cookies extra chewy.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients before adding them to the butter mixture. This helps the batter to mix together evenly.
- If you like richer cookies with a deep chocolate taste, use 1 cup of flour and 2/3 cup cocoa powder as written in the recipe below. However, if you prefer a chocolate flavor that isn’t as rich, use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour and 1/2 cup cocoa powder instead. (See recipe notes.)
- Adding a little cornstarch creates softer, chewier cookies.
- Chill the dough first so your cookies stay thicker. This makes it easier to form the dough into balls.
- After chilling the dough, form it into balls using a cookie scoop. Then gently roll the dough into a ball and flatten slightly.
- Finally, only bake your cookies until the tops look just set. They’ll continue baking slightly as they cool on the cookie sheet.
Peppermint Double Chocolate Cookies
Peppermint Double Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
For the Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 125 grams*
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder dutch processed preferred (60 grams)*
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter softened to room temperature (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons, or 143 grams)
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 165 grams
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50 grams
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract or 1/2 teaspoon if you prefer a milder mint flavor
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark
For the Chocolate Peppermint Topping
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate or dark
- 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
- crushed candy canes 2 regular sized is more than enough
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, baking soda and salt until evenly combined.
- Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl using a stand or hand-held electric mixer beat the butter until well softened.
- With the mixer on medium speed, add in the sugars and beat until no lumps remain.
- Then add in the egg, peppermint extract and vanilla and beat until well combined (about 30 more seconds).
- Turn the mixer down to low speed and carefully beat in the flour mixture about 1/2 at a time.
- Be careful not to turn the mixer on too high or the flour and cocoa will fly up.
- Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a large rubber spatula as necessary.
- Once the dry ingredients are evenly mixed in, turn the mixer to low and beat in the chocolate chips. The batter will be very thick and very sticky.
- Scrape off the beaters, cover the bowl with clingfilm and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight.
- Once ready to bake, remove the bowl from the fridge and allow the dough to warm up for 20 minutes. (If you chilled the dough overnight, you'll need to leave it for 30 minutes).
- Then preheat the oven to 350F degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop, form the dough into balls 1.5 tablespoons in size.
- Roll each into a ball between your hands, flatten slightly, and place on your lined cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. You'll end up with about 22-25 cookies total.
- Bake cookies for about 7-9 minutes, or until the tops are just set.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool fully.
- I usually cool for 10 minutes on the cookie tray, before transferring to a wire cookie sheet to continue cooling.
- Once the cookies are fully cooled, make the topping.
- In a medium bowl melt the chocolate and oil in the microwave in short 30 second bursts, stirring the chocolate in between each burst. Once fully melted, stir together until smooth.
- Dip 1/2 of each cookie in the melted chocolate, or spread 1/2 of the top of each cookie with melted chocolate using a flat-edge knife or a small rubber spatula.
- Place back on your wire rack and sprinkle with crushed candy cakes.
Notes
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Simple Chocolate Peppermint Cake
If you love peppermint and chocolate, try this fudgy, super moist chocolate cake with peppermint white chocolate frosting.
Soft-Batch Double Chocolate Cookies
Or if you love chocolate, try these thick, chewy soft-batch double chocolate cookies.