These peppermint brownie cookies have the perfect balance of chocolate and peppermint. The fudgy and minty cookies are ideal for the holiday season.
Peppermint Brownie Cookies
These peppermint brownie cookies are a true delight. The rich, fudgy texture of the chocolate brownie cookie is the perfect combo with the minty flavor of the peppermint. The cookies are excellent for the holiday season and a wonderful addition to a cookie swap or Christmas cookie box.
Now, these aren't chocolate cookies but rather brownie cookies. The cookies have the same texture of a fudgy, rich brownie, just in cookie form. They are crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle. The rich chocolate flavor comes from using both cocoa powder and melted chocolate. The melted chocolate keeps the dough nice and moist, while the cocoa powder provides the traditional chocolate flavor.
The brownie cookie dough is somewhat loose when it is finished. Don't panic and think you need to add more flour! The cookie dough needs to be loose to spread out in the oven like brownies. The chilling process is key here — it helps the cookies retain their shape before hitting the oven, so don't think you can skip it!
Looking for more holiday cookies to make? Try my chocolate orange cookies and Christmas M&M cookies.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Perfectly Balanced - The chocolate and peppermint flavors complement each other without overpowering one another.
- Simple To Make - The cookie recipe is super simple to put together.
- Holiday Treat - The minty chips in the cookies make these cookies perfect for the holidays.
Ingredients Needed For Peppermint Brownie Cookies
- Espresso Powder - A small amount enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Peppermint Extract - Added in with the vanilla to provide a burst of peppermint flavor.
- Chocolate - Either chocolate chips or bar chocolate will work to be melted down.
- Peppermint Chips - I used Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Chips, but any kind of peppermint chips will work.
- Butter - Allow the butter to soften to room temperature.
Directions For How To Make Peppermint Brownie Cookies
- Prepare.
Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set to the side.
- Melt the chocolate.
Melt the chocolate using a double boiler or by putting it in the microwave in 30-second increments. Stir until melted and set to the side.
- Mix dry ingredients.
Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder, and espresso powder in a small bowl. Set the side.
- Cream butter and sugar.
In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, cream the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy. Then, add in the eggs and the extracts. Mix until combined.
- Mix in chocolate.
Add in the melted chocolate and mix to combine.
- Combine.
Add the dry ingredients to the mixture and fully mix to combine. Add in the peppermint chips and fold in using a rubber spatula until fully distributed.
- Form the cookie dough.
Using a cookie dough scoop, form the cookie dough into balls and set it on a cookie sheet. Then, place the cookie sheet in the fridge and let the cookies chill for 20 minutes.
- Bake the cookies.
Place the cookies on the prepared cookie sheet and bake the cookies in the oven for 12 minutes. You can top the cookies with any extra chocolate and peppermint chips if desired.
- Cool and enjoy.
Let the cookies cool slightly on the cookie sheet before moving to a cooling rack to fully cool.
Serving Suggestions
While these peppermint brownie cookies are tasty any time of the year, they have flavors that go hand-in-hand with Christmas. Make them for your cookie swap, or add them to your cookie boxes.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make Ahead: The cookies can easily be made ahead of time. Store cookies in an airtight container for 1-2 days before serving. The cookies can also be made into cookie dough balls and frozen until baking. Place the frozen cookie dough right on parchment and add a few minutes to their baking time.
- To Store: Store any extra cookies in an airtight container for 4-7 days. The cookies are crumbly, so store them carefully to keep them from crumbling.
- To Freeze: The cookies can be frozen before and after baking. Store cookie dough or baked cookies in a plastic bag or airtight container for 2-3 months.
Tips and Variations
- Storing - These cookies are delicate and crumble pretty fast, so be careful when arranging them for storage.
- Peppermint - If you don't love overly peppermint cookies, leave out the extract and add the peppermint chips to keep the flavor subtle.
- Bake Time - These cookies can harden up fast, so make sure to keep an eye on them in the oven. Take them out once the edges are set.
Peppermint Brownie Cookies
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- Measuring spoons
- hand or stand mixer
- rubber spatula
- cookie sheet
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 5 Tablespoons butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 8 oz melted chocolate
- ¾ cup peppermint chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set to the side.
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler in the microwave for 30-second increments. Stir until creamy and set to the side to cool.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, espresso powder, and cocoa powder in a small bowl. Set to the side.
- Using a hand or stand mixer, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Then, add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla and peppermint extract.
- Mix in the melted chocolate until fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix until smooth and combined.
- Add in the peppermint chocolate chips and fold them in the dough using a rubber spatula.
- Form the cookie dough into balls using a cookie dough scoop and place the cookie dough in the refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes.
- Place the chilled cookie dough on the prepared baking sheet and bake the cookies in the oven for 12 minutes until the edges of the cookies are set. Before placing it in the oven, top it with extra peppermint chips if desired.
- Let the cookies cool slightly on the cookie sheet before moving them to a cooling rack.
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