Chewy Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Festive and delicious is what these cookies are! Chewy Peppermint Double Chocolate Chip Cookies are a mint-chocolate lover's dream with rich chewy peppermint-infused chocolate cookie dough and peppermint milk and dark chocolate chips.They're so chewy inside with perfectly crisp edges. It starts with the classic steps of creaming together soft butter and sugar. A blend of white and brown sugar ensures that the edges are crispy while the inside is soft and chewy.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Rich chocolate cookie dough - The perfect amount of cocoa makes these super chocolaty without drying them out. They are SO GOOD!
• Mixed milk and dark chocolate chips - I used these cute striped milk chocolate and white chocolate chips. You can use pure white chocolate or pure milk or dark chocolate... this recipe will work either way!
• Mint chocolate cookie dough - this recipe is infused with pure peppermint extract for a wonderful mint-chocolate flavor.
• Double chocolate chip cookies - You can also leave out the peppermint extract and make a classic double chocolate cookie -- you're the boss!

INGREDIENTS FOR TRIPLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

• Unsalted butter - soft butter adds incredible flavor and helps build some structure during the creaming step for crisp edges. Pull it out at least 2 hours before baking so it is softened to room temperature.
• Brown sugar - the molasses in brown sugar gives these cookies a toffee-like flavor to enhance the cocoa taste.
• Granulated sugar - this recipe uses both brown sugar and white granulated sugar. The white sugar will help them crisp up for crunchy edges.
• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla will elevate the deep chocolate flavor and it is really important in this recipe. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour makes the best cookies with a chewy texture.
• Cocoa powder - It's worth it to have good cocoa powder for these cookies! It's the main flavor and you want it to shine so use the best you can find. I love to use this Dutch Process cocoa powder for this recipe.
• Peppermint extract - use pure peppermint extract and use it with restraint - a little goes a long way!
• Salt - don't leave out the salt! It really elevates the chocolate taste and balances the sweetness.
• Chocolate chips - I use these pretty twisted milk and dark chocolate chips, but you can also use these delious 63% dark chocolate chips

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 2). Combine dry ingredients. Sift flour, cocoa and baking soda into a medium bowl to remove any lumps. Add salt and whisk to blend evenly.
• STEP 2). Cream butter and sugar. Beat together the soft butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and a bit fluffy. It will look more like wet sand than a pale and aerated mixture. You can use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until slightly fluffy and lightened in color by a shade, or you can also use an electric hand mixer. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times during mixing.
• STEP 3). Mix in egg. Add the egg mix until well combined. Mix in vanilla and peppermint extract.
• STEP 4). Add dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients and mix on low until it just begins to incorporate.
• STEP 5). Add chocolate chips. Fold in the chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed.
• STEP 6). Chill the dough. Cover the dough in the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• STEP 7). Bake. Scoop up about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into smooth balls. Place onto prepared baking sheets spacing them 2 inches apart. Place a few extra chocolate chunks on top of each dough ball if desired. Flatten just slightly and bake for 9-11 minutes until puffed and the tops are cracked but they are still soft in the middle. Transfer to a rack and let cookies cool on trays for 3 minutes before transferring individually to the rack to finish cooling.

RECIPE FAQ

What type of cocoa is best?

For many recipes I prefer natural cocoa. It has the most complex flavor and still preserves the fruity, earthy, spicy undertones of the cocoa bean. Natural cocoa is also acidic so it will react with the baking soda to help the cookies puff and spread.

I do not recommend black cocoa for this recipe.

What is natural cocoa powder?

"Natural" only refers to the processing of the raw cacao powder. It doesn't mean that it is necessarily healthier (unless you use unroasted "raw" cacao that has a higher antioxidant content).

However, it does not undergo any post-processing such as alkaline treatment, also known as "Dutching" or the "Dutch process". It is simply the product of finely milled de-fatted cocoa nibs. Natural cocoa has a light tan colour and fruity flavour with a bit of astringency (which I like).

What is Dutch cocoa powder?

Dutch process cocoa powder is treated with an alkalizing agent like potassium carbonate to neutralize the acidity of natural cocoa. This makes the cocoa taste more mellow... I find that Dutch cocoa loses its complex fruity character but some people prefer it because it tastes more classically "chocolaty", but really I think people are mostly just attracted to its darker colour. The alkaline process darkens the cocoa because it increase the pH (or lowers the acidity). It also makes it more soluble and that's why hot cocoa mix is always made with Dutch cocoa.

Do you need to refrigerate the cookie dough?

You don't, but you should. You can bake this cookie dough right away and they will still be delicious. They will also spread slightly more.

If you like a slightly thicker chewier cookie, then I recommend refrigerating the dough for at least 2 hours. This allows time for the flour to absorb the moisture and hydrate. The resulting cookie dough will be drier because the moisture is trapped inside so the baked cookies will be chewier (they will loose less moisture during baking). This also helps to create the cracks on top.

You could simply add more flour to the recipe to get thicker cookies right away, but then the cookies will taste less chocolaty and more doughy. It's your call!

These are a must-make for your holiday cookie platter and I hope you enjoy them!

If you love cookies, check out these recipes!

Chewy Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Christina Marsigliese

Chewy rich chocolate cookies with crisp edges and creamy white chocolate swirl peppermint chips!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Chill Time 2 hours hrs

Servings 20 cookies

Ingredients

  

• 1 ⅓ cups 190g all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup 28g cocoa powder (I prefer this one or this one)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon 125g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup 100g granulated sugar
• ½ cup 110g packed dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon 5ml pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon pure peppermint extract optional
• 1 cup 170g white chocolate/milk chocolate peppermint chips

Instructions

 

• Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
• Beat butter with both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer until smooth and slightly fluffy. Beat in egg with vanilla extract and peppermint extract (if you're using it) until well combined.
• Add flour mixture and mix on low speed until mostly combined but a few streaks of flour remain. Add chocolate chips and continue to mix on low just enough to distribute them through the dough. Wrap dough well in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or over night.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. If left overnight, let the cookie dough stand at room temperature for 15 minutes to soften.
• Roll about 2 tablespoons of dough into balls and place onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Flatten with the palm of your hand and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on trays for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.