The first tray tells you when these cookies are ready: the edges have picked up a little color, but the centers still look soft. They’ll firm as they cool, leaving you with chewy middles, semisweet chocolate in every bite, and little peppermint-candy crunches. I learned not to wait for the centers to look fully baked in the oven; that extra minute can take the softness out of the finished peppermint chocolate chip cookies.
The dough has both peppermint extract and crushed peppermint candies, and they do different jobs. Extract carries mint through the cookie, while the candy brings scattered crunchy bits. A short rest in the refrigerator also makes the dough easier to portion neatly. The result is a cookie that tastes clearly pepperminty without losing the buttery, brown-sugar base underneath.
Kitchen Note
Give the covered dough the full 30 minutes in the refrigerator. It firms up enough to scoop cleanly, so the portions hold together instead of smearing around the spoon.
Save these peppermint chocolate chip cookies for a batch with soft centers, semisweet chocolate, and crunchy candy in every bite.
Why the Flour Goes In Last—and Comes Out Early
Once flour meets the wet ingredients, mixing starts developing gluten. That structure is useful in bread, but too much of it can make a cookie firm and bready instead of tender. For this dough, stop as soon as you can’t see dry flour. It may look less uniform than a cake batter, and that’s exactly where you want to stop.
There’s another reason to keep the mixing restrained: the chocolate chips and crushed peppermint candies still need to be folded in afterward. If you beat the dough hard while adding them, the candies can break down further and the dough can turn dense. Use a spatula and fold just until the add-ins look evenly scattered. The cookies will bake up with distinct chocolate chips and small peppermint pieces rather than a uniformly mixed, overworked dough.
The Two Peppermint Ingredients Have Different Jobs
- Peppermint extract — This is what gives the dough its even, cool mint aroma. Measure it rather than pouring straight from the bottle; peppermint extract is concentrated, and a heavy hand can take over the chocolate and butter.
- Crushed peppermint candies — These add little crisp, sweet pieces rather than the even mint flavor that extract provides. Keep the pieces small enough to distribute through the dough, but don’t pulverize them into dust; a mix of small bits gives the cookies a more interesting bite.
- Unsalted butter — Softened butter creams with the sugars and gives the dough its tender, rich base. It should yield when pressed but not look oily or melted. Melted butter won’t cream in the same way, so stick with softened butter here.
- Light brown and granulated sugars — The brown sugar brings moisture and a mild molasses note, while granulated sugar helps the cookies spread and gives their edges a little crispness. Pack the brown sugar when measuring it so the balance stays consistent.
- Egg and extra yolk — The whole egg binds the dough, and the additional yolk adds richness without adding another egg white. Room-temperature eggs blend more smoothly into the creamed butter than cold ones.
- Semisweet chocolate chips — Their bittersweet edge balances the sweetness of the candy. Use chips you enjoy eating on their own; there’s no need for a specialty brand, but stale or waxy chips stand out in a simple cookie.
- All-purpose flour and baking soda — Flour gives the cookies their structure, and baking soda helps them spread and brown. Whisk the dry ingredients together so the soda isn’t left in one concentrated spot.
Mixing and Baking These Cookies Without Overworking the Dough
Cream the Butter and Sugars
Heat the oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat the softened butter with the packed brown sugar and granulated sugar for about 2 minutes, until the mixture looks creamy. If the butter is cold and stiff, it won’t combine evenly; let it soften before you begin rather than trying to beat it smooth.
Blend in the Egg and Extracts
Beat in the room-temperature egg and egg yolk until they’re combined with the butter mixture. Mix in the vanilla and peppermint extracts next, scraping the bowl if any mixture is clinging to the sides. The batter should look cohesive before the dry ingredients go in.
Bring the Dough Together Gently
Whisk the flour, baking soda, and kosher salt in a separate bowl, then add them to the butter mixture. Mix just until no dry flour remains; stop before the dough looks glossy or elastic. Fold in the chocolate chips and crushed peppermint candies with a spatula until they’re spread throughout. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough before portioning.
Portion and Bake on Both Racks
Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon portions and arrange 12 on each prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between them. Bake for 10–12 minutes, switching the sheets between oven racks halfway through. Look for lightly browned edges while the centers still appear slightly soft; waiting for the centers to look completely firm can leave the cooled cookies dry.
Let the Cookies Set Before Moving Them
Leave the cookies on their baking sheets for 5 minutes after baking. They’re delicate while hot, and that short rest lets them firm enough to transfer without breaking. Move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Three Ways to Change the Peppermint-Chocolate Balance
Keep the peppermint flavor, skip the candy crunch
Leave out the crushed peppermint candies and keep the peppermint extract in the dough. The cookies will still have mint throughout, but the texture will be smoother and a little less sweet.
Turn the dough into classic chocolate chip cookies
Leave out both the peppermint extract and the crushed peppermint candies. The butter, brown sugar, and semisweet chocolate still make a complete cookie; the result is familiar chocolate-chip flavor without the mint.
Spread the chocolate through every bite
Chop some or all of the semisweet chocolate chips before folding them into the dough. Smaller pieces distribute more widely, so you get chocolate flecks throughout instead of only the occasional whole chip.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They’ll firm up in the refrigerator and lose some of their crisp-edged contrast.
- Freezer: Freeze completely cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months, separating layers with parchment. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Reheating: These are best at room temperature, so there’s no need to reheat them. Microwaving can make the peppermint candy hot and sticky before the cookie warms evenly.
Questions That Come Up While Baking Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Beat in the egg and egg yolk until combined.
- Mix in the vanilla and peppermint extracts.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix just until no dry flour remains.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and crushed peppermint candies until evenly distributed.
- Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon portions.
- Arrange 12 portions on each prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between them.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, switching the sheets between oven racks halfway through, until the edges are lightly browned and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
