Description

These Peppermint Brownie Cookies combine the fudgy richness of brownies with the festive crunch of crushed candy canes. Perfectly soft and chewy with bursts of chocolate and cooling peppermint, these cookies are ideal for holiday treats or anytime you want a deliciously indulgent dessert with a peppermint twist.

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 packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon peppermint extract

Add-ins & 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 baking mat. If chilling dough, set aside a small plate or tray for dough balls.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined and free of streaks. For smooth batter, sift cocoa powder if lumpy before whisking.
Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, pour melted unsalted butter and let cool 1–2 minutes so it won’t scramble eggs. Stir in granulated sugar and brown sugar, beating or stirring for about 60 seconds until glossy and most sugar dissolves. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition for smooth batter. Stir in vanilla and peppermint extracts, tasting batter carefully as peppermint extract is strong.
Combine wet + dry — make the dough: Add the dry mix to the wet in two additions, folding gently with a spatula until just combined—stop when no flour streaks remain. Fold in semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies fudgy instead of cakey.
Optional chill for tighter, fudgier cookies: Cover and chill dough for 20–30 minutes to firm butter and reduce spreading for thicker, fudgier cookies; skip chilling for thinner cookies that still taste delicious.
Portioning & decorating: Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or a rounded tablespoon to scoop dough and drop onto prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Gently press extra chocolate chips on top and sprinkle crushed candy canes so they adhere for baking.
Bake — timing for texture: Bake on center rack for 10–12 minutes depending on desired texture: 10 minutes for soft, fudgy centers; 12 minutes for slightly more set, cakier cookies. Look for cracked tops and set edges with slightly underbaked centers. Remove when centers remain soft to finish setting on baking sheet.
Cooling & storing: Cool cookies on baking sheet 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 to prevent sticking. For freezing, flash-freeze baked cookies before transferring to freezer bags for up to 3 months, or freeze scooped dough and bake from frozen with 1–2 minutes added to baking time.

Notes

For smoother cocoa powder, sift it before mixing with other dry ingredients.
Use a hand mixer on low when beating butter and sugars for silkier texture, though vigorous whisking also works.
Don’t overmix dough after adding dry ingredients to maintain fudgy brownie-like texture.
Chilling dough is optional but recommended for thicker, fudgier cookies.
Pressing extra chocolate chips and crushed peppermint candies on top ensures festive decoration and extra flavor.
Remove cookies from oven when centers are still soft to avoid drying out; they set while cooling.
Layer cooled cookies with parchment paper when storing to prevent sticking.
Baked or raw dough cookies can be frozen for convenient future enjoyment.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: peppermint brownie cookies, chocolate peppermint cookies, holiday cookies, fudgy brownie cookies, peppermint candy bake, chocolate chip cookies