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Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies

12 reviews
Contest Ribbon Contest Winner
Test Kitchen Approved
Total Time

Prep: 30 min. Bake: 10 min./batch + cooling

Makes

about 3-1/2 dozen

Updated: Sep. 14, 2023
These peppermint hot chocolate cookies are a variation of the cookies my mother made when I was growing up. Now my 13-year-old daughter and I bake them together. They’re always a huge hit! The taste is like rich hot chocolate baked into a scrumptious cookie. —Larry Piklor, Johnsburg, Illinois
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup baking cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 package (11-1/2 ounces) milk chocolate chips
  • 1 cup marshmallow creme
  • 1 cup finely crushed peppermint candies

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and extract. Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
  2. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake until tops are cracked, 10-12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
  3. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Drop a teaspoonful of marshmallow creme into the center of each cookie. Dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Immediately sprinkle with candies. Place on waxed paper and let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.
Hot Chocolate Peppermint Cookies Tips

How can you make peppermint hot chocolate cookies your own?

Swap out the milk chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips to pump up the cocoa flavor. Otherwise, get inspired by things to put in hot chocolate. You can top these cookies with green or colored candy canes, or even tiny marshmallows. The cocoa possibilities are endless!

How should you store peppermint hot chocolate cookies?

These cookies will taste best stored in a well-sealed container for three days. In general, it’s OK to store crisp cookies in a container with a looser-fitting cover. But to keep cookies soft and chewy, store them in a container that has a tight-fitting lid. Learn more about how to store cookies properly.

Can you make peppermint hot chocolate cookies ahead of time?

To freeze these peppermint hot chocolate cookies for later, arrange baked and cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet. Pop the sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes or until the cookies are frozen solid. Then, layer frozen cookies in airtight containers, with a piece of parchment paper separating each layer. This will help prevent the cookies from sticking to one another. Repeat until all the cookies are packed, then freeze containers for up to three months. Several hours before serving, proceed with finishing the cookies as directed. Check out our guide on how to freeze cookies for more tips.

—Maggie Knoebel, Taste of Home Associate Recipe Editor/Test Cook

Nutrition Facts

1 cookie: 145 calories, 7g fat (4g saturated fat), 18mg cholesterol, 132mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (12g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein.