Festive, chocolatey & perfect for the holidays
Get ready to spread some holiday cheer with these Peppermint Bark Cookies soft, chocolatey, and sprinkled with crushed candy canes! They’re everything you love about peppermint bark, baked into rich chocolate cookies that melt in your mouth. With a fudgy base, creamy white chocolate topping, and festive peppermint crunch, they’re a total showstopper for cookie swaps, Christmas dessert trays, and edible gifting. From Emma’s Cake Studio, these cookies are as easy as they are stunning a bite of holiday magic in every swirl of chocolate and peppermint.
Time Breakdown
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Bake Time: 10 minutes
- Cool & Decorate Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Servings: 24 cookies
Ingredients List
For the Cookies
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional, for extra chocolatey goodness
For the Topping
- 1 cup white chocolate chips or melting wafers
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- ¼ cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
✨ Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
This recipe doesn’t require fancy gadgets, just a few reliable kitchen basics to keep everything simple and stress-free.
- Mixing bowls (large & medium)
- Hand or stand mixer
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
- Microwave-safe bowl or double boiler (for melting chocolate)
- Spoon or offset spatula
Step-by-Step Beginner-Friendly Instructions
- Preheat & prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Cream butter & sugar: In a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add egg and vanilla, and mix until combined. 🧈
- Combine: Gradually add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips, if using.
- Scoop & bake: Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 9–10 minutes, until centers are just set (they’ll firm up as they cool).
- Cool completely: Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let them cool fully before topping.
- Melt white chocolate: Microwave white chocolate in 20-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Stir in peppermint extract.
- Decorate: Spread or drizzle white chocolate over each cookie, then sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Let set until hardened. 🍬✨
Pro Tips
- Don’t overbake: Soft centers = fudgy, chewy cookies. Perfect holiday texture! 🍪
- Candy cane crunch: Crush peppermints between parchment sheets to avoid sticky messes.
- Make ahead: Cookies can be baked and stored up to 5 days or frozen for 3 months.
- Festive finish: Add a drizzle of dark chocolate for a bakery-style look.
Nutrition Table
| Serving Size | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fiber | Sugar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cookie | 180 | 2g | 24g | 9g | 1g | 16g |