Chocolate Peppermint Cookies (Dipped in White Chocolate)

These fudgy dipped Chocolate Peppermint Cookies taste incredible, and look gorgeous on any Christmas cookie tray! Who can resist a chewy chocolate cookie dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with crushed candy canes?

If you’re looking for a cookie that you can use for neighbor gifts, holiday parties, or cookie exchanges, these peppermint cookies should be at the top of your list! I’m pretty sure they’re one of Santa’s favorites as well. 😉

PERFECT PEPPERMINT CHRISTMAS COOKIES

I adapted the chocolate dough from my Rolo cookies to come up with these amazing cookies. Personally, I love chocolate and mint any time of year, but it’s especially tasty during the holiday season, isn’t it?

Just on their own, the peppermint chocolate chip cookies are mighty tasty. Chewy, fudgy chocolate cookies flavored with peppermint extract and loaded with chocolate chips. Sounds good, right?

But then you dip the cooled cookies in melted white chocolate. To add the perfect finishing touch, you sprinkle crushed mints on the top. Not only are they pretty, they add a delicious crunchy mint flavor. These really are a perfect Christmas cookie!

HOW TO MAKE DIPPED PEPPERMINT COOKIES

1. PREP – Let your butter soften to room temperature. Line baking trays with silicone liners or spray with cooking spray. Crush the candy canes. I just place them in a ziplock bag and pound them with a rolling pin.
   
2. WET INGREDIENTS – In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar till creamy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and peppermint extract.
3. DRY INGREDIENTS – In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture with the chocolate chips. 
4. FORM – Roll dough into balls. I like to use a one tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough before I roll it. Place the dough balls at least 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
   
5. BAKE – Bake cookies at 350° for about nine minutes, or until they are barely set in the middle. Don’t overbake or they won’t have that soft and fudgy texture.
   
6. COOL – Let cookies rest on the pan for 2-4 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks with a metal spatula. Let them cool completely before dipping!
7. DIP – Chop the almond bark and place in a small glass bowl. Melt in the microwave at half power, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Dip half of each cookie in the white chocolate, then carefully lay on silicone mats or parchment paper. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies and let sit till the white chocolate hardens up.

Biting into one of these white chocolate dipped cookies tastes just like Christmas!

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER COOKIES? 

You can store these peppermint chocolate cookies at room temperature for up to 5 days if you place them in airtight containers. They won’t go bad after that, they will just dry out. 

If you want to freeze them, I recommend freezing them before they are dipped. When you are ready to serve them, let them thaw, then dip them as directed.

You can freeze them after you’ve dipped them, but the candy cane bits tend to fall off.  And the white chocolate doesn’t look very pretty because all the cookie crumbs and candy bits rough it up.

If you do freeze them, you have to thaw them at room temperature. The microwave will melt the chocolate before the cookies defrost.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED COOKIES PRO TIPS:

• When making cookies, it is best to let your butter come to room temperature on the counter. Using the microwave causes uneven butter temperatures, which can alter the way your cookies spread as they are baking.
• I never have great success when I try to bake two pans of cookies at one time. But if you do try it, make sure you rotate the pans both back to front, and move them from one rack to the other halfway through cooking. This ensures that they will bake a little more evenly.
• I can usually dip 5-6 cookies, then sprinkle them with the crushed candy canes. If you do too many at once, the chocolate will harden before the candy bits stick to it!
• If your almond bark starts to harden before you are finished dipping, you can pop it back in the microwave for a few seconds.
• To keep melted chocolate from hardening, I sometimes use a heating pad covered with a dish towel. Placing the bowl on the dish towel keeps the chocolate warm, so it stays smooth and cream till I’m done dipping.
• Just want the candy cane chunks and not the powder? Use a wire mesh strainer to remove the peppermint dust. Shake it over a bowl and save the powdered candy cane dust for sprinkling in hot chocolate. Delicious!

VARIATIONS

• For extra mint flavor, you can use chocolate mint chocolate chips. They can be hard to find, but they are so yummy!
• If you want to use white chocolate chips or bars in place of the almond bark, you will need to add oil or shortening to get the melted white chocolate a thin consistency. I usually use about 2 teaspoons of oil per cup of white baking chips.
• Really love chocolate? Dip the cookies in melted semi sweet chocolate or milk chocolate instead.
• Not a fan of dipping cookies? You can simply drizzle the tops of the cookies with melted white chocolate.
• If you can find them, the pre-crushed peppermint bits are a great time saver.

MORE TASTY CHRISTMAS COOKIES TO TRY:

• Pistachio Pudding Cookies
• Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies (Mint)
• Buttery Shortbread Cookies
• White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
• Italian Christmas Cookies
• Soft Ginger Cookies (Dipped in White Chocolate)

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT COOKIES RECIPE

These double chocolate peppermint cookies are a must try recipe during the Christmas season. Not only are they beautiful, they taste heavenly! Share them with friends and neighbors and they will love you forever. 🙂