These White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are the ultimate cookie to serve at all of your holiday parties and gatherings. With just 10 simple ingredients, you can easily make the dough in advance for simple party prep. Chewy in texture with sweet white chocolate and a minty flair, they’re a cookie everyone will love.
When it comes to making Christmas cookies, we are such big fans! We make so many kinds, and these White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are always on our annual list.
These cookies are so soft, chewy and studded with sweet white chocolate and fresh crushed peppermint for a flavor pairing that’s so festive for the season. These peppermint cookies are some of our friends’ favorites and always requested at every holiday party.
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The best part is they’re so easy to make (similar in process to a classic chocolate chip cookie), that anyone can master the process beautifully! Plus, they store well at room temperature or in the freezer to enjoy at a later date.
If you love great cookie recipes, you must try our viral Ritz Cracker Cookies, or 7-Layer Magic Cookie Bars. You truly can’t go wrong. Another festive colorful holiday dessert is this Red Velvet Bundt Cake!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- 10 Ingredient holiday cookie recipe. These peppermint cookies with white chocolate are so easy to make and only take a handful of approachable ingredients. You probably already have so many of them in your kitchen!
- Crowd-pleasing festive cookie. They are so cute and fun to whip up with white chocolate chips and crushed red and white peppermint on top!
- Easy to make in advance. Make the dough ahead of time and bake the cookies fresh before guests arrive.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the end of this post for specific ingredient amounts in the recipe card.
- All-purpose flour: The base of the cookie dough that gives the cookie it’s structure.
- Baking soda: Tenderizes the cookie to make it chewy and light.
- Baking powder: Gives the right amount of rise and lift to the cookie dough to make the texture so perfect.
- Salt: Always add salt to your cookie dough, it enhances the flavors even more.
- Salted butter: We love starting with salted butter here to compliment the sweetness of the white chocolate.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cookie dough and gives it that chewy texture.
- Large eggs: Binds the dough together.
- Vanilla extract: Adds the caramel yet floral like note that pairs with the white chocolate so well.
- Peppermint oil: A little goes a long way, gives a minty essence to the cookie.
- White chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate bars: The main chocolate that shines in this cookie, use chips or chop your own from bars.
- Crushed peppermint candy or candy canes: Adds that holiday cheer and minty flavor we all love!
Tools You'll Need
- 12"x17" Sheet Pan
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
- Liquid Measuring Cups
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Spatula
- Cookie Scoop (2 Tablespoon)
How to Make White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until well combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Fold in the ¾ cup (about 4.5 ounces) of the white chocolate chips or chopped bars and ⅓ cup of the crushed peppermint candies. Mix until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Drop rounded 2 tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Refrigerate the dough for 15-30 minutes.
- Bake 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers may look slightly underbaked, but they will firm up as they cool. If desired, while the cookies are warm, shape into perfect cookie circles with a large round biscuit cutter by circling the cookie dough 3-4 times. Cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wax paper or parchment paper lined wire rack or countertop to cool completely.
- Melt the remaining white chocolate in a small bowl. Drizzle on top of the cooled cookies and sprinkle on the remaining crushed peppermint.
Expert Tips for Peppermint Cookies
- Make sure your butter is room temperature. This ensures that the butter and sugar are creamed well and evenly for a cookie that’s chewy and light.
- Underbake rather overbake your cookies. Be sure to pull the cookies out of the oven on the earlier side of the cook time. They will continue to cook from the residual heat of the pan.
- Refrigerate the dough prior to baking to help it hold it’s shape. Chilling the dough slightly allows the dough to set and the gluten to rest. It also prevents the cookies from spreading so quickly in the oven which creates a nice and chewy center.
- Swap the white chocolate for semisweet. If you a true chocolate lover, these are also so delicious with semisweet chocolate chips as well.
Another simple handheld chocolate treat that would be great for the holidays are these adorable Mini Chocolate Tarts. Santa will love if you learn how to make custard and share a couple cookies with him!
Storage
These white chocolate peppermint cookies store well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Chewy peppermint cookies also freeze well to for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature until easy to eat.
You can make the cookie dough up to a day in advance and keep it in the fridge covered with plastic wrap. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes prior to scooping and baking when you’re ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
We like to chill this cookie dough for 15 to 30 minutes to help keep the cookies from spreading too much.
You want it to be coarsely crushed so there is some texture and lots of minty flavor. Placing peppermint candy in a resealable plastic bag. Use a rolling pin or a heavy object to gently pound on the bag, applying even pressure to break the candies into smaller pieces. You can also crush peppermint in a food processor.
Yes, dark or semisweet chocolate is also delicious. Walnuts or pecans are also a decadent addition.
Be sure to measure your flour correctly and don’t pack the ingredients into the measuring cup. Second, don’t overwork the dough, this creates gluten in the dough. Lastly, be sure to not overbake the cookies, this makes them crunchy and hard.
More Delicious Holiday Dessert Recipes
- Ritz Cracker Cookies
- Rice Krispie Date Balls
- Mini Spiced Bundt Cakes
- Hot Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats
White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup salted butter room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 8 ounces white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate bars divided
- ½ cup crushed peppermint candy or candy canes divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until well combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Fold in the ¾ cup (about 4.5 ounces) of the white chocolate chips or chopped bars and ⅓ cup of the crushed peppermint candies. Mix until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Drop rounded 2 tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Refrigerate the dough for 15-30 minutes.
- Bake 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers may look slightly underbaked, but they will firm up as they cool. If desired, while the cookies are warm, shape into perfect cookie circles with a large round biscuit cutter by circling the cookie dough 3-4 times. Cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wax paper or parchment paper lined wire rack or countertop to cool completely.
- Melt the remaining white chocolate in a small bowl. Drizzle on top of the cooled cookies and sprinkle on the remaining crushed peppermint.
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