Description
Peppermint Brownie Cookies are a delightful holiday treat combining the fudgy texture of brownies with the chewy goodness of cookies, infused with a refreshing peppermint flavor and studded with semi-sweet chocolate chips and crushed candy canes for a festive crunch.
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 brown sugar (packed)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
Mix-ins
- 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 position a rack in the center. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking and facilitate even baking. If you plan to chill the dough, set aside a small plate or tray for placing the dough balls.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Whisk these together until evenly integrated and no streaks remain. For smoother batter, sift the cocoa powder first if it’s lumpy and whisk continuously to avoid lumps.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, pour in the melted unsalted butter and let it cool for 1–2 minutes to avoid scrambling the eggs. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, then stir or beat for about 60 seconds until the mixture is glossy and most sugar is dissolved. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until the batter is smooth. Stir in vanilla extract and peppermint extract; you can taste a small bit to ensure the peppermint flavor is to your liking.
- Combine wet and dry to make dough: Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in two additions. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined—do not overmix to maintain a fudgy texture. Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly into the dough.
- Optional chilling for denser cookies: For thicker, fudgier cookies, cover and chill the dough for 20–30 minutes to firm up the butter and reduce spreading. If short on time, you may skip chilling; cookies will spread more but still taste delicious.
- Portioning and decorating: Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or rounded tablespoon to drop dough onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Gently press extra chocolate chips on top of each dough mound and sprinkle crushed candy canes on top so they stick during baking.
- Bake for perfect texture: Bake on the center rack for 10–12 minutes. At 10 minutes, cookies will be soft and fudgy; at 12 minutes, they will be slightly more set and cakier. Look for cracked tops and set edges while the centers remain slightly underbaked. Remove while centers are still soft to ensure gooeyness as they set on the baking sheet after removal.
- Cooling and storing: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, layering with parchment paper to prevent sticking. For freezing, flash freeze baked cookies on a tray before transferring to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Raw scooped dough can also be frozen similarly and baked from frozen with an added 1–2 minutes baking time.
Notes
- For a smoother batter, sift cocoa powder before mixing.
- Use a hand mixer on low speed for mixing butter and sugars for extra silky texture.
- Do not overmix dough to keep cookies fudgy rather than cakey.
- Chilling dough helps control spreading and yields thicker cookies.
- Cookies should be removed from oven while centers are still soft for a gooey texture.
- Store baked cookies properly with parchment layers to prevent sticking.
- Raw dough and baked cookies freeze well for advanced preparation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: peppermint brownie cookies, holiday cookies, chocolate peppermint cookies, fudgy cookies, Christmas cookies, peppermint extract cookies
