Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies Recipe

Makes about 20 cookies

It doesn’t get more holiday than peppermint and hot cocoa — or having roughly thirty leftover candy canes — so I’ve combined the two into one chewy, chocolate-y cookie. Finished off with a festive white chocolate drizzle and a candy cane crumble, these are perfect for cookie swaps or sending home with holiday party guests.

 

Ingredients

Cookies

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract or vanilla extract
• ½ cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips 

White Chocolate Drizzle

• 4 ounces white chocolate
• 3 standard-sized peppermint candy canes, crushed (about ½ cup)

 

Directions

Make the cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and sugars. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and extract and mix to combine. Add the flour mixture and once again mix to combine.

Add the chocolate chips to a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each one, until just melted. Pour the melted chocolate into the cookie dough and beat on low speed until just combined. Remove the cookie dough from the mixer and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375℉. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Use a tablespoon measure to portion out the cookie dough. Use the palm of your hands to roll each scoop of dough into a ball. Arrange the dough on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 ½ inches between them. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are just set around the edges but puffed and soft in the middle. Let cool for a few minutes on the sheet tray before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Make the drizzle: Add the white chocolate to a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each one, until just melted. Drizzle the melted chocolate across the cookies and immediately sprinkle the crushed candy canes over the chocolate before it sets so they adhere. Let the chocolate set for 15 minutes before serving. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Note: The chocolate cookie base is good enough on its own if you want to omit the white chocolate drizzle, or if you don’t want to wait until you have leftover candy canes.

 

Cook With Tiffani

Two more recipes from Here We Go Again for AARP members to try:

Cheese Board Pinwheels

Cheese board leftovers lend themselves perfectly to this salty, cheesy appetizer using store-bought puff pastries.

Pot Roast & Potato Pizza

Pizza is the perfect canvas for reinventing leftovers. With this recipe, we’re putting your pot roast to work again.

Read about Tiffani Thiessen’s cookbook, Here We Go Again.