Elevate your holiday baking with a delightful twist by whipping up a batch of Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies! These treats are the perfect fusion of the classic warmth of hot chocolate and the cool, refreshing taste of peppermint all tied together with a gooey marshmallow center. As the winter chill settles in and the holiday season approaches, there's nothing quite like the comforting aroma of freshly baked cookies wafting through the air.
If you're looking for other great holiday cookie recipes, give my Brown Butter Apple Cider Cookies, Gingerbread Latte Cookies, or my Coconut Chai Cookies a try!
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Why You'll Love These Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies
These peppermint hot cocoa cookies are sure to be a crowd favorite at your next holiday gathering! I brought these cookies into work after I made them and they all disappeared right away...they didn't even make it lunch! Here's a few of the main reason's that you'll make these time and time again:
They have the perfect Crunch! These cookies have a unique crunch due to the candy canes. I personally love it and so do the people that I had taste test for me!
They are full of gooey marshmallow! Who doesn't love a gooey marshmallow in the center of anything? These complete the cookies by making them a true hot chocolate cookie!
They require no chill time! As with most of my cookies, I try to avoid creating recipes that require you to chill the dough which saves you time and makes your life a little easier!
Ingredients and Substitutions
To start, gather your ingredients:
Butter: Make sure to soften your butter for this recipe. I recommend unsalted butter. If you choose to used salted butter then omit the salt later in the recipe.
Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar: This is definitely dominant with brown sugar. I used light brown sugar but dark brown works fine too!
Egg: I used large-sized eggs and let them come to room temperature.
Vanilla and Peppermint Extract: Find this in your local baking aisle.
All-Purpose Flour and Cake Flour: If you don't have cake flour you can just use all-purpose flour. However, this will effect your cookie texture and it won't be quite as light.
Cocoa Powder: I use unsweetened cocoa powder.
Baking Soda: Double check that your baking soda is not past it's expiration date.
Salt: Use standard table salt.
Chocolate Chips: I used milk chocolate chips but you can use whichever kind you prefer.
Marshmallow: I used full-sized marshmallows.
Crushed Candy Cane: If you can't find crushed candy cane in your store, then you can always buy whole candy canes and place them in a Ziploc bag before crushing them with a rolling pin.
How to Make Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies
Below is a summary of how these cookies are made. I've also included pictured to help as much as possible.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth.
Step 3: Add the egg, vanilla and peppermint extract. Mix until just combined.
Step 4: Add the flours, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until just combined.
Step 5: Fold in the chocolate chips.
Step 6: Scoop out a rounded tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. Dunk the top in the crushed candy cane. Be sure not to roll it in the candy cane otherwise you will get a melted mess. You only want the top covered!
Step 7: Bake in the oven for 5-6 minutes. While they are baking, cut the marshmallows into quarters. Remove from the oven and place a quarter of a marshmallow in the center of each cookie. Return to the oven to bake an additional 3-4 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before moving to a cooling rack.
Tips for the Best Cookies
Below are a few tips when baking cookies to help you get the best cookies possible:
Measure your Flour Properly! Flour should never be packed into a measuring cup otherwise you will end up with too much flour and dense cookies. Fluff up your flour before spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off.
Allow your ingredients to reach room temperature! Bring your ingredients to room temperature so they mix properly. Cold ingredients will not combine as well which could result in a bad final texture for your cookie.
Do not coat the entire cookie in Candy Cane! I tried this at first and believe me, it was a mess! Everything will melt into a giant glob. Learn from my mistake and only coat the top of the cookie in candy cane.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store these cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Cookies can also be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Yes! To do this, use the full sized marshmallow and scoop out 3 rounded tablespoons of dough. Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes before placing the marshmallow on top and then returning to the oven for another 3-4 minutes.
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📖 Recipe
Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 c unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ c brown sugar
- ¼ c granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon mint extract
- 1 ½ c all-purpose flour
- ½ c cake flour
- 1 c cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 c milk chocolate chips
- 15 marshmallows
- ½ c crushed candy canes for rolling the cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars until smooth.1 c unsalted butter, 1 ½ c brown sugar, ¼ c granulated sugar
- Add the egg, vanilla and peppermint extract. Mix until just combined.2 eggs, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon mint extract
- Add the flours, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until just combined.1 ½ c all-purpose flour, ½ c cake flour, 1 c cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Fold in the chocolate chips.2 c milk chocolate chips
- Scoop out a rounded tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball. Dunk the top in the crushed candy cane. Be sure not to roll it in the candy cane otherwise you will get a melted mess. You only want the top covered!½ c crushed candy canes
- Bake in the oven for 5-6 minutes. While they are baking, cut the marshmallows into quarters. Remove from the oven and place a quarter of a marshmallow in the center of each cookie. Return to the oven to bake an additional 3-4 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before moving to a cooling rack.15 marshmallows
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