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Peppermint Bark Cookies – Dark chocolate gooey cookies with homemade peppermint bark on top, and a chunky peppermint frosting.
These Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies are the ultimate holiday treat, combining a chewy chocolate cookie base with a smooth peppermint frosting, a rich layer of dark chocolate, and a sprinkle of crushed candy canes for that festive finish. Perfectly decadent and filled with seasonal flavors, these cookies are a must-bake for your holiday dessert spread!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for the holiday season: These chocolate peppermint bark cookies blend a chocolate cookie base with a creamy peppermint frosting and a coating of dark chocolate—ideal for your holiday cookie tray or gifting to friends and family.
- Chewy and chocolatey: The gooey cookie center and chewy chocolate cookie texture bring out the best of rich cocoa powder and smooth white chocolate.
- Festive peppermint flavor: The peppermint extract and crushed candy canes add a refreshing, wintry twist, making these cookies a holiday favorite.
- Simple yet show-stopping: With an easy step-by-step process using your large mixing bowl, stand mixer, and prepared baking sheets, you can whip up a batch that looks and tastes impressive.
These cookies will be the best Christmas cookies on any holiday dessert spread—perfect for cookie exchanges, family gatherings, or simply treating yourself this season!
Ingredients – Peppermint Bark Cookies
Next here are the ingredients to make these peppermint bark cookies, these aren’t the full list of ingredients, so be sure to check out the recipe card below so you can find all the ingredients!
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated white sugar
- eggs
- Pure vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- Powdered sugar
- Heavy whipping cream
- Peppermint extract
- Crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
- Dark chocolate, melted and slightly warm
- Crushed peppermint candies for garnish
Step-by-Step Instructions – Peppermint Bark Cookies
This new cookie recipe will be a breeze! Here is everything you need to know about making this recipe! For a full list of instructions, please check out the recipe card below!
For the Cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, cream softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes)scrape the sides of the bowl.
- Add the large egg, then the egg yolk, mixing each until combined. Add vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to wet ingredients on low speed until just combined.
- Form 6 large cookies using a large cookie scoop. Flatten slightly on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
For the Peppermint Frosting:
- Beat room-temperature butter until fluffy on medium speed. Add powdered sugar, heavy cream, peppermint extract, vanilla, and salt, mixing until smooth.
- Fold in crushed candy canes. Frost the cooled cookies, then chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
For the Bark Topping:
- Melt dark chocolate and butter together in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
- Spread chocolate over the frosting the top of the cookies and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.
- Chill for 1 hour to set, then enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
The perfect cookie does exist and I am here to help you with all tips and tricks!
- Avoid Overmixing: When mixing the cookie dough, stop as soon as the dry ingredients are incorporated to keep the cookies chewy and soft.
- Chilling the Frosted Cookies: Chilling the cookies before adding the chocolate topping helps the frosting set, making it easier to spread the chocolate smoothly.
- Melting Chocolate: Melt the chocolate and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl at 30-second increments, stirring frequently to avoid overheating.
- Storage: Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure the butter is at room temperature for both the cookies and frosting. This helps the ingredients blend smoothly, giving the cookies a great texture and the frosting a fluffy.
- Don’t Skip the Chilling: After frosting the cookies, chilling them in the fridge for 15 minutes helps the frosting firm up, making it easier to spread the melted chocolate topping.
Recommended Tools
- Stand Mixer: For the best, fluffy frosting and creamy cookie dough.
- Large Cookie Scoop: Helps to make evenly sized cookies.
- Offset Spatula: Perfect for spreading frosting smoothly.
- Parchment Paper: Prevents sticking and makes for easy cleanup.
- Wire Rack: Cools cookies evenly.
FAQs – Peppermint Bark Cookies
Can I use regular cocoa powder instead of Dutch-processed cocoa powder?Yes, but Dutch-processed cocoa gives a deeper, smoother chocolate flavor, which pairs well with peppermint.
Can I make these cookies ahead of time?Absolutely! Make the cookies up to 2 days in advance. Wait to frost and add the chocolate until closer to serving for the best results.
Can I freeze these cookies?Yes, you can freeze these cookies without the chocolate topping. When ready to serve, thaw and add the chocolate layer and crushed peppermint candies.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
- Storing: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week.
- Freezing: To freeze, place the cookies in a single layer in a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, let them thaw, then add the chocolate topping and crushed peppermint candies for the best texture and flavor.
FOR MORE COOKIE RECIPES
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Recipe
Peppermint Bark Cookies
Dark chocolate gooey cookies with homemade peppermint bark on top, and a chunky peppermint frosting.
Ingredients
For The Chocolate Cookie
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg slightly chilled
- 1 egg yolk cold, slightly chilled
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 & ½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder King Arthur recommended
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Peppermint Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
For the Bark
- 4 ounces dark chocolate melted and slightly warm
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Crushed peppermint candies for garnish
Instructions
For the Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using an electric hand mixer), cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the slightly chilled egg, mix on medium speed for 20 seconds, then add the cold egg yolk. Scrape down the sides, add vanilla extract, and mix on low until combined.1 large egg, 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the flour, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix.1 & ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop, form 12 cookie dough balls. Take two dough balls and roll them together to create one large cookie ball. You should end up with 6 large cookies.
- Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly. Gently flatten each to about ½ inch in thickness.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
For the Peppermint Frosting:
- While the cookies are cooling, make the frosting. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the room-temperature butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.½ cup unsalted butter
- Add the powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, and salt. Start mixing on low speed until incorporated, then increase to medium-high and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl to ensure even mixing.2 cups powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, Pinch of salt, 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- Gently fold in the crushed candy canes or peppermint candies using a rubber spatula.¼ cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
- Once the cookies have fully cooled, use an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly over the tops, creating a smooth surface. Place the frosted cookies in the fridge for 15 minutes to set.
For the Peppermint Bark Topping:
- While the cookies chill, melt the dark chocolate and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth.4 ounces dark chocolate, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, Crushed peppermint candies
- Remove the cookies from the fridge. Using a large spoon, gently pour the melted chocolate over the frosting on each cookie, spreading it to the edges and smoothing it out with the back of the spoon.
- Top with additional crushed peppermint candies, then return the cookies to the fridge for about 1 hour to allow the chocolate to harden.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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