Peppermint Bark Cookies
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If you’re looking for more recipes like these Peppermint Bark Cookies, try my Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, these Fudgy Crinkle Cookies, or these White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies.
Peppermint Bark Cookies bring the smell and taste of Christmas into our homes each year. It’s a quintessential treat; with a brownie-like cookie base layer, a decadent white chocolate frosting on top, and the sweet crunch from peppermint candy and peppermint bark on top. You can make the cookies and frosting in advance, and frost them when ready to serve! I just know you’ll love these and I hope they bring some holiday magic and fun memories into your home!
Ingredient Notes
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below).
- All-Purpose Flour: use a gluten free flour 1-1 if needed.
- Espresso Powder – It’s like a bakers secret weapon! Espresso powder enhances and intensifies the chocolate flavor in these cookies.
- Cocoa Powder: If you can get your hands on the special dark cocoa or dutch process cocoa, try that. If not, regular cocoa works great, too!
- Corn starch: helps make the cookies chewy
- Baking Powder: Be sure your baking powder hasn’t expired! It’s always important to check expiration dates when baking.
- Chocolate chips (milk chocolate, semi-sweet, or dark). I love using semi-sweet for this recipe.
- Eggs: room temperature
- Peppermint extract: I love having peppermint extract stashed in my pantry during the holiday season.
- White chocolate: Use your favorite. I used 2, 4.4 oz. Lindt bars for the frosting.
- Candy canes and peppermint bark: crush the candy canes up a bit so you won’t bite down on big pieces of candy cane, and break up the bark into pieces to use as garnish.
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below).
Melt the chocolate and butter
This can be done in a saucepan on the stove, or in increments in the microwave.
Beat the eggs & sugars
Beat until light and pale in color, about 3-4 minutes.
Stir in the chocolate
I love those pretty swirls it makes as you stir it in!
Fold in dry ingredients
You can chill the dough for a few minutes to make it easier to scoop.
Scoop & Bake!
The most perfect little brownie-like peppermint cookies 😍
Frost & enjoy!
Add the white chocolate buttercream frosting on each cooled cookie, and garnish with candy canes and peppermint bark pieces. So decadent and yummy!
Success Tips
- Cookies might look gooey when you pull them out of the oven, but once they cool they will firm up and be perfect!
- When melting the chocolate chips and butter, be sure to watch it carefully so the chocolate doesn’t burn.
- Use a cookie scoop to ensure your cookies are the same size.
- Spoon and level flour properly: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and be sure it’s leveled. Do not scoop the flour out of the container/bag with your measuring cup because you could end up with 50% more than you need. Spoon and level by using a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and use the back of a knife to level off the top of it.
Storage
- Storage: the unfrosted cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Store the freshly baked unfrosted cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Frosted cookies: You can store the frosted peppermint bark cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature, up to 5 days in the fridge, or up to a month in the freezer.
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Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp. espresso powder
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup chocolate chips (milk chocolate, semi-sweet, or dark all work well)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. peppermint extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed (light or dark)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- garnish: crushed candy cane pieces and broken peppermint bark pieces
White chocolate buttercream frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup Lindt white chocolate (I used 2, 4.4 oz. Lindt bars)
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
- 2-3 Tbsp. heavy cream, room temperature
- pinch of kosher salt
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl: flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Whisk and set aside.1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 2 tsp. espresso powder, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. cornstarch, 1/2 tsp. salt
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the chocolate chips and butter. Stir just until ingredients are melted and be careful to watch so chocolate doesn't burn. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and peppermint extracts and cool. (Or you can do this in the microwave in 30 second increments until melted)1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup chocolate chips (milk chocolate, semi-sweet, or dark all work well), 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 tsp. peppermint extract
- Using a stand-mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the eggs and sugars for 3-4 minutes or until thick and pale in color.2 large eggs, room temperature, 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed (light or dark), 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Using a rubber spatula, stir in the cooled chocolate/butter mixture until well combined.
- Add in the flour mixture and fold until combined, avoid over-mixing. Dough will look shiny.
- Chill cookie dough in fridge for at least 10 minutes so batter can thicken and look more like cookie dough. (Chilling the dough will also help the cookies bake up thicker & help prevent spreading). Preheat oven to 350°F while dough chills.
- Scoop batter using a cookie scoop so cookies come out even in size and place on a baking sheet or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Bake for 8-10 minutes (I always like to slightly underbake for the best chocolatey texture)
- Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting
- Add the softened butter to a stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate in 20-30-second increments in the microwave until smooth or feel free to use a double boiler. White chocolate needs to cool before adding it in, it should still be smooth when you stir it, just not super hot.1 cup Lindt white chocolate (I used 2, 4.4 oz. Lindt bars)
- Add the about half of the powdered sugar, extracts, and 2 tbsp. Heavy cream. Mix until combined.3-4 cups powdered sugar (sifted), 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 2-3 Tbsp. heavy cream, room temperature, 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
- Add the remaining powdered sugar, white chocolate, and salt. Mix again on medium speed until fluffy and cream.pinch of kosher salt
- Add the buttercream on top of the cooled cookies, garnish with candy canes and peppermint bark and enjoy!garnish: crushed candy cane pieces and broken peppermint bark pieces
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
📸 Photos by Sierra Ashleigh Photography
