Peppermint Chocolate Cookies
If you’re craving a festive peppermint chocolatey cookie but don’t want to feel like you’re biting into a candy cane, these are the ones. These rich, fudgy chocolate cookies are topped with a silky chocolate ganache and finished with a single peppermint bark square, giving you just the right hint of peppermint without overpowering the chocolate. The peppermint only comes from the topping, so every bite stays deeply chocolatey with a light, seasonal twist. They’re cozy, elegant, and perfect for anyone who loves peppermint in moderation, aka the best balance of holiday flavor and classic chocolate deliciousness!
The Secret to Silk Smooth Ganache
The key to getting that perfectly glossy, smooth chocolate ganache is all in how you melt it. Instead of rushing the process, heat your cream in short 30 second intervals and stir between each one. This gentle approach prevents the chocolate from overheating or clumping and helps everything melts evenly into a silk, smooth ganache. The result is a topping that spreads beautify, stays soft and melty on top of the cookie, but still sets just enough to hold its shape, aka ganache perfect every single time!
Peppermint chocolate has always been a year-round thing for me. I’m the person who waits all year for those Junior Mint style peppermint chocolates and never understands why they’re considered “seasonal.” These cookies give me that exact nostalgic flavor combo I love, but in a way that’s way more balanced. Instead of an overwhelming blast of mint, the rich chocolate cookie and silky ganache take the lead, with just the right hit of peppermint from the bark on top. It’s chocolate forward, perfectly minty, and honestly the kind of treat that makes peppermint lovers very, very happy, no matter the season!
Why I Measure in Grams (and You Might Want To, Too)
If you’ve ever made the same recipe twice and gotten two totally different results, the measuring method is often the reason.
Professional bakeries almost always measure by weight, not volume. Measuring cups leave room for inconsistency—especially with ingredients that pack differently depending on how you scoop or pour them. A scale removes all of that guesswork.
One of the biggest offenders is sugar. Different sugars (and even the same sugar measured by different people) can vary wildly in volume, but 100 grams is always 100 grams. Measuring by weight gives you repeatable, bakery-consistent results and cuts down on extra dishes at the same time.
A food scale is one of the best (and most affordable) investments you can make for your kitchen if you love baking and want your recipes to turn out exactly the same every time.
Ingredients To Prepare
Before baking, take a few minutes to gather the ingredients below and to ensure that they are soft, peppermint-y, and perfectly chocolatey!
Once you have all of the ingredients ready to go, you’re officially set up for Peppermint Chocolate Cookie success. I always recommend measuring everything out ahead of time so the process is smoother, and you can focus on making the best cookies possible!
Peppermint Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp molasses optional
- 1 tbsp corn syrup
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Ghirardelli peppermint bark squares
Method
- Preheat oven to convection 350°F. Beat room-temperature butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with a whisk or paddle attachment (stand mixer) until light and off-white, about 1–2 minutes.
- Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, corn syrup, and molasses until fully combined.
- Fold in all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cocoa powder until a smooth dough forms.
- Using a 1/3 cup scoop, portion cookie dough balls onto a parchment-paper-lined baking tray, leaving space between each.
- Bake for 10–11 minutes.
- Optional: For perfectly round cookies, use a circular cup or cookie cutter to gently swirl around each cookie right out of the oven. Let cookies rest on the tray for about 10 minutes before removing.
- Heat heavy cream for 30–45 seconds until hot (not boiling). Pour over semi-sweet chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of ganache onto each cookie and spread evenly. Top with a Ghirardelli peppermint bark square.
- Enjoy fresh or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days.
Nutrition
Private Notes
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