Peppermint Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies
Fudgy, chewy, dark chocolate cookies with hints of peppermint and crushed candy canes. A simple treat you can make ahead for any holiday party, unexpected visitor, or just a special treat you can keep all to yourself—because you’ll probably want to.
Not only are we in the single digits to Christmas, we’re also less than a week away. I’m so not ready. I’ve been trying to make the most of this Christmas season, but somehow things still feel incomplete. Like I'm Kevin’s mom in Home Alone and I know there’s something I’m forgetting but I can’t quite put my finger on it.
I think it’s the people. Only I’m not forgetting them, I just don’t get to have them. Life won’t feel complete until I get my people back.
I know there are worse problems to have, but I’m still a little sad anyway. So, for now, I’m going to bake up a storm and share it with my loved ones in front porch conversations that will have to replace shared meals this year.
Amid the recipe testing I’ve been doing this week (look out for my New Years champagne cake!), I made these cookies for one of my family gift exchanges. My siblings and I do a “secret” Santa that’s not so secret. This year I have my youngest sister in law (one of three amazing sisters in law in my life), so we planned a porch drop gift exchange. Yes, I have real gifts for her. But if I can’t bring a dessert to a family gathering, I for sure will pass along a baked good from 6” apart instead.
I actually crafted these around my little brother (my sister in law’s husband). I knew I wanted to share a dark chocolate something, because I also need some content for this site. Since they both prefer cookies to cake, and since I know my brother is a candy fiend, I thought I’d try to reinvent my gooey chocolate cookies to include candy canes!
Wise choice, IMO.
The fun twist is that I included melted candy canes! You’re already melting some chocolate, so why not throw in some crushed candy canes as well? Again with the good choices today!
How to make peppermint dark chocolate fudge cookies
First, melt your chocolate, butter, and crushed candy cane (optional). Set aside to cool while you prep everything else.
Sift and whisk together your flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
Beat your eggs, sugar, vanilla, and peppermint extract on high until frothy, about 1 minute.
Add your melted chocolate to your eggs. If the chocolate is still a little warm, pour it in while you have the mixer on low to avoid scrambling the eggs.
Add in your flour mixture, mixing just until blended.
Fold in about 3/4 of your remaining chocolate chips and crushed candy canes. And for those of us not born knowing what it means to fold something while baking or cooking, you use a large spatula and swipe it around the edge in one big circle, starting and ending in roughly the same spot. Once you’ve come full circle, turn the spatula to fold what you've gathered back into the middle. Every few swipes, use the same motion but pull it through the middle rather than the sides.
Chill dough at least 1 hour. You may need to let it warm up slightly in order to roll the dough. Roll into roughly 1 1/2 inch balls (slightly smaller than a ping pong ball). Dip one side into the crushed candy canes then top with a few more chocolate chips. Freeze for 10 minutes.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until baked through (you’ll be able to tell if the middle is still unbaked—it turns lighter and crinkly when it’s baked).
Cool on the pan 10-15 minutes then remove to a cooling rack.
Enjoy!
Tips for this recipe
Chill time is not optional!
I have several ugly (but delicious) cookies that baked flat or even into weird shapes. Chilling the dough before rolling it then freezing it before baking is key. It helps it bake into a cookie instead of a pancake.
Make dough up to a month ahead
I love how easy it is to roll the dough up into a ball then freeze it (on a cookie sheet for 1 hour, then removed to a freezer safe bag). You can pop it right in the oven to have just one or two servings whenever you want! You can freeze dough for at least a month. I’ve done about 2-3 months, with varying results, so one month is safest. You can also make the dough and refrigerate it, tightly sealed, for up to 3 days before rolling and baking. Either option is great to help save time and also save leftovers!
Peppermint Dark Chocolate Fudge Cookies
- prep time: 10 minutes
- chill time: 1 hour
- cook time: 12-15 minutes
- total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Servings: 24-30 cookies
Ingredients:
- 12 ounces chocolate chips (any kind)
- 9 tablespoons butter
- 1 mini candy cane, crushed (or ½ regular sized)
- 1 ⅓ cups flour, sifted
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ⅓ cups lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
to mix in and decorate
- 4-5 mini candy canes, crushed (or 2-3 regular sized)
- ⅔ cup chocolate chips
Instructions:
- First, melt your 12 ounces chocolate, butter, and one crushed mini candy cane (optional) in a heatproof bowl. You can set it over a saucepan with 1-2” simmering water, stirring frequently, or in the microwave at half power in 15 second intervals, stirring in between. Set aside while you prep the other ingredients.
- Sift and whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- Beat eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and peppermint extract on high for about a minute, until slightly frothy and a little lighter in color. Slowly add the melted chocolate to the eggs, with the beaters on low to prevent scrambling the eggs. Mix the flour in on low, just until combined. Fold in about ⅔ to ¾ of your crushed candy canes and chocolate chips.
- Refrigerate at least one hour. See notes about refrigerating longer.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat (you don’t want to bake straight on a cookie sheet--it’ll stick). Roll into balls roughly the size of a ping pong ball, about 1 ½ inches in diameter. You should get at least 24 cookies. Dip one side in the reserved crushed candy canes. Set it candy cane side up on your prepared cookie sheet. Place a few chocolate chips on top (optional, but so cute!).
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, just until middle no longer looks uncooked but no longer than that. Cool on cookie sheet 10-15 minutes then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Enjoy! Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days. It’s not recommended that you freeze baked cookies, but see note about freezing dough.