Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies Recipe
Chocolate peppermint crinkle cookies are the Christmas cookie jar favourite: fudgy chocolate cookies rolled in powdered sugar, cracked on top, with cool peppermint and bits of candy cane. Crisp outside, soft inside, and gone fast. Bake a batch for the cookie swap and watch them vanish before the coffee is poured.
DessertsThese Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies Recipe are the Christmas cookie jar favourite. Fudgy chocolate cookies are rolled in powdered sugar, which cracks into a snowy pattern as they bake, with cool peppermint and bits of crushed candy cane in every bite. They are crisp on the outside, soft in the middle, and gone fast.
For more holiday favourites, try our Christmas Sugar Cookies, our Gingerbread Cookies and our Peppermint Bark.
What Makes These Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies So Good
The magic is in the contrast. Deep, dark chocolate dough meets cool peppermint and a crackled sugar coating, so each cookie tastes rich and refreshing at the same time. The powdered sugar crust gives a delicate crunch that yields to a soft, brownie like centre.
They are also the perfect cookie for gifting and cookie swaps. They hold their shape in a tin, they look like snow covered chocolate, and the recipe makes a big batch from one bowl. Bake them once and you will make them every December.
The Key Ingredients
A short list of fresh staples is all this classic needs.
The Cocoa
Unsweetened cocoa powder gives the cookies their deep chocolate flavour. Use a good quality Dutch process cocoa for the darkest colour and the smoothest taste.
The Peppermint
Peppermint extract brings the cool, festive flavour, and crushed candy canes add crunch and sparkle. A little extract goes a long way, so measure carefully to avoid a toothpaste taste.
The Sugar Coating
Rolling the dough balls first in granulated sugar, then in powdered sugar, is what makes the cracks stand out. The granulated sugar stops the powdered sugar from soaking in, so the white coating stays bright.
How to Make Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies
The method is simple: mix, chill, roll, and bake.
- Whisk the dry ingredients: combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
- Beat butter and sugar: cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and peppermint: beat in the eggs, vanilla, and peppermint extract.
- Mix in the dry ingredients: stir until a soft dough forms, then fold in candy cane pieces.
- Chill the dough: refrigerate for at least 1 hour so the cookies hold their shape.
- Roll and bake: roll balls in granulated sugar, then powdered sugar, and bake 10 to 12 minutes.
Mistakes to Avoid
Skipping the Chill
Warm dough spreads into flat discs and the cracks never form. Chilling firms the butter, so the cookies stay thick and the sugar coating cracks beautifully.
Overbaking the Cookies
Crinkle cookies dry out quickly once they pass the soft stage. Pull them when the edges are set but the centres still look slightly soft, as they firm up on the tray.
Too Much Peppermint Extract
Peppermint extract is strong, and a heavy hand makes the cookies taste medicinal. Half a teaspoon is plenty for the whole batch.
What to Serve with Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies
These are a rich, festive cookie, and they love a warm drink:
- Peppermint hot chocolate, for a double peppermint treat
- Homemade eggnog, for a classic Christmas pairing
- Gingerbread latte, where the spices meet the cool mint
- Cold milk, for the simplest, best cookie dunk
Make It Your Own
The recipe welcomes tweaks. Stir in chocolate chips for an extra fudgy cookie, or dip half of each baked cookie in melted white chocolate for a fancy finish. Swap the candy cane for crushed peppermint bark, or leave the mint out entirely for plain chocolate crinkles. A pinch of espresso powder deepens the chocolate flavour without adding coffee taste. Chill the shaped dough balls for 15 minutes before rolling them in sugar for the sharpest cracks, and freeze a double batch so a fresh tin is always ready for the next party.
Make These Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies Today
Fudgy, minty, and cracked like fresh snow, these are the cookies your Christmas tin has been missing. Mix the dough and chill it tonight. Browse more of our Desserts recipes for more holiday baking.
Recipe card
Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies Recipe
- Prep
- 20 mins
- Cook
- 12 mins
- Total
- 1 hr 35 mins
- Serves
- 24
- Makes
- 24 cookies
- Course
- Dessert
- Cuisine
- American
- Calories
- 140 kcal
Ingredients
0/12 ready · tap to tick off
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Wire rack
- Cookie scoop
Method
Tap a step when it’s done.
Nutrition
140 kcal
Calories
2 g
Protein
22 g
Carbs
6 g
Total Fat
1 g
Fibre
15 g
Sugar
60 mg
Sodium
* Values are estimates.
Notes
- Chill the dough for at least 1 hour so the cookies hold their shape.
- Roll in granulated sugar first so the powdered sugar stays bright.
- Pull the cookies while the centres still look slightly soft.
- Cool fully before stacking so the sugar coating does not smudge.
- Store in an airtight tin for up to a week.
- Freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months.
Tips for success
- Use Dutch process cocoa for the darkest, richest colour.
- Crush the candy canes in a sealed bag with a rolling pin.
- Keep the dough cold between batches for even baking.
- Use a small cookie scoop for evenly sized cookies.
- Dust with extra powdered sugar before serving for a snowy look.
- Bake one tray at a time for the most even results.
