Peppermint Bark Cookies are based on a chocolate sugar cookie, covered in white chocolate with peppermint extract and topped with crushed candy canes for a perfect finish.
These soft chocolate cookies are beautiful, festive and simply irresistible. A real eye-catcher and a perfect gift…if you can resist and you have any left over at all.
Tools & Equipment
- 2 large baking sheets
- 6,35cm / 2,5-inch circle cookie cutter
- Glass measuring cup
- Medium bowl
- Parchment paper
- Rolling pin
- Silicone baking mat
- Silicone spatula
- Stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment
- Wire rack
Recipe Tips
Flour the Surface: using flour is helpful when rolling out dough, because it helps prevent it from sticking to the surface and the rolling pin. As we make chocolate cookies, use cocoa powder instead, this will give an extra chocolate flavor!
Working with the Dough: if the dough is to warm, it is difficult to cut and if you cool it in one piece, it gets warm again to fast. That’ s why the dough is rolled out and cooled in the fridge. But since it is impossible to transport a huge piece of rolled out dough from the counter onto a surface without damaging it, just place it directly on a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Adding oil to the chocolate: the oil helps to make the chocolate thinner. The thinner the chocolate, the easier it is to coat the cookies.
Candy Dipping Tool: if you have one, it is very helpful for coating the cookies with the melted chocolate. Since I don’t have one of those, I just used a meat fork and a spoon. That worked pretty good.
How to make Peppermint Bark Cookies
Make the Cookies
Start by weighing all of your ingredients.
Beat butter and sugar at medium speed in a large bowl of a stand mixer until completely smooth and creamy, for about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat at high speed.
Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Slowly and at a low speed mix into the wet ingredients until they are combined.
Cut the dough into 2 equal parts. Dust the rolling pin, the dough and the baking mat with cocoa powder. Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 0,6cm / 0,2-inch and chill for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 177°C / 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Cut the dough into shapes by using a 6,3cm / 2,5-inch circle cutter. Place the cut out cookie dough on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. They will remain slightly soft in the center. Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then place on a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Coating
Gather your ingredients and line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Melt the white chocolate and the oil together in 15-second intervals in the microwave. Stop and stir in between until completely smooth. Stir in the peppermint extract. Place the candy canes in a plastic bag, zip it and smash it with a rolling pin until they have a suitable size.
Drop one cookie into the white chocolate and flip it with a fork to coat all sides. Lift the cookie out of the chocolate and tap the fork against the side of the bowl to allow excess chocolate to drip off. Place the cookie onto the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Allow the chocolate to set completely.
Storage: coated cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 10 days. Freeze for up to 3 month.
My Summary for Peppermint Bark Cookies
Difficulty: simple.
Taste: white chocolate and candy canes add sweetness to the cookies, but by using cocoa powder for the cookie base they do not turn out to sweet – they are perfect.
Texture: a soft cookie which is also crunchy thanks to the white chocolate coating and the crushed candy canes.
PROS: super delicious and they look simply stunning.
CONS: time consuming. But it’s worth it.
More “Cookie” Recipes
- Brownie Crinkle Cookies
- Coconut Macaroons
- Gingerbread Cookies
- Vanilla Crescents
- White Chocolate Matcha Cookies
Recipe adapted from sally’s baking addiction.