Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe - Fork Knife Swoon (2024)

The best peppermint chocolate crinkle cookies, a minty twist on the Christmas cookie platter classic! Packed with dark chocolate, cocoa, brown sugar, vanilla, and peppermint, and rolled in both cane sugar and powdered sugar for extra crinkly tops, these decadent, flavorful chocolate cookies are sure to become a holiday favorite!

Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe - Fork Knife Swoon (1)

Peppermint chocolate crinkle cookies

Popping in to wish you a very Merry Christmas! However you celebrate, I hope you’re having a wonderful holiday filled with love, laughter and lots of good food.

We’re currently at my parent’s house in Santa Barbara, visiting with family, soaking up the California sunshine, eating our weight in Christmas cookies and the best local Mexican food, and loving being home. My mom and I have been doing some Christmas baking – richly spiced pumpkin bread, powdered sugar-dusted pecan praline cookies, classic chocolate chip cookies, frosted sugar cookies for Santa (decorated by Henry), melty peanut butter blossoms, and these minty chocolate crinkle cookies. To name a few!

I’m sneaking away from the family festivities for a few minutes to share this last decadent holiday recipe with you. Since resolutions, and kale smoothies, and veggie-laden salads stand poised to take over in January. Thank you for your support this year, and I look forward to cooking and baking together again in 2020! Wishing you and your family a cozy, wonderful holiday! xoxo, Laura

Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe - Fork Knife Swoon (2)

why you’ll love these peppermint chocolate crinkle cookies

These chocolate crinkle cookies have become a yearly Christmas tradition since I first found the recipe in Cook’s Illustrated about five years ago. Nearly foolproof and always a hit, I love these craggy black and white cookies for several reasons.

Taking deep caramel and molasses notes from dark brown sugar, they’re more complex and less saccharine than many versions of chocolate crinkle cookies that you’ll find languishing atop a holiday cookie platter. That being said, they’re still rolled in a generous amount of both granulated and powdered sugar, so there’s no worry about lack of indulgence here.

The combination of sugars outside helps to develop deep, and importantly, distinct cracks and fissures, making for a really pretty Christmas cookie.

Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe - Fork Knife Swoon (3)

But looks aren’t everything. While this recipe does produce nicely consistent, round cookies with perfectly crackly tops and soft and fudge centers, they’re also packed with tons of flavor from dark chocolate, rich cocoa, dark brown sugar, and fragrant vanilla and peppermint.

Because they don’t require chilling, you can also whip up a batch fairly quickly and relatively last minute, if the mood strikes or extra guests are arriving.

The original recipe calls for espresso powder – always a friend of chocolate – but I usually opt for a few drops of pure peppermint extract in addition to vanilla, instead. You can always add both (for a peppermint mocha inspired flavor profile).

The results are decadent and delicious and perfect for the holidays (or for any dark chocolate lover!).

Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe - Fork Knife Swoon (4)

what you need to make chocolate crinkle cookies

If you bake often, you probably have all the ingredients you need to make these minty chocolate cookies on hand, right now:

  • dark chocolate: Look for a pure, unsweetened chocolate baking bar (100% cacao). Because these cookies are chocolate-focused, I like to use the good stuff.
  • butter: adds flavor, and makes for super glossy melted chocolate.
  • flour: we’re using traditional all-purpose flour. Be sure to measure by weight or spooning and leveling for the best results!
  • cocoa powder: we add both melted chocolate and cocoa powder for double the dark chocolate flavor. I’ve always used natural unsweetened cocoa powder (such as Hershey’s), but Dutch-processed (like Rodelle baking cocoa) will work too.
  • baking powder and soda: we combine both for the perfect amount of both lift and spread. This produces consistently round, gently puffed cookies.
  • kosher salt: intensifies all of the flavors (I always use Diamond Crystal.)
  • eggs: Add moisture, lift, bind the dough together, and gives us chewier cookies.
  • dark brown sugar: adds sweetness with a more complex flavor than granulated sugar thanks to its natural molasses content.
  • vanilla: always and forever.
  • peppermint extract: adds a minty, holiday touch!
  • cane sugar: helps to develop defined cracks on the outside of the cookies as they bake.
  • powdered sugar: provides a pretty “snowy” contrast to the chocolate.

Find all the exact measurements and recipe instructions below.

Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe - Fork Knife Swoon (5)

how to make the best chocolate crinkle cookies:

We start by melting chocolate and butter together until smooth and glossy. Don’t the best recipes start with good dark chocolate?

The chocolate is whisked together with the eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and peppermint. Then we fold in the dry ingredients, and a thick, somewhat sticky dough is formed.

Instead of chilling like many cookies require, this chocolate crinkle cookie dough takes the unusual step of resting for ten minutes at room-temperature, before the cookies can be rolled and baked.

Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe - Fork Knife Swoon (6)

The second surprising step is rolling the cookie dough balls in two kinds of sugar. The first layer, granulated sugar, dries out faster in the oven, producing defined cracks and crevices over the surface of the cookie. It also helps to hold the second layer (confectioners sugar) in place, revealing the chocolate dough beneath.

The result – a festive black and white contrast and gorgeous holiday cookie. Thank you, baking science! 😉

Happy baking!!

Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe - Fork Knife Swoon (7)

If you make these peppermint chocolate crinkle cookies, be sure to tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #forkknifeswoon and leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked them! ★★★★★ Star ratings are especially helpful because they help others find my recipes too. xo, Laura

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Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe - Fork Knife Swoon (8)

Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

★★★★★4.3 from 9 reviews

  • Author: Laura Bolton
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 22 Cookies 1x
  • Category: Dessert, Cookies
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Description

The best peppermint chocolate crinkle cookies, a minty twist on the Christmas cookie platter classic! Packed with dark chocolate, cocoa, brown sugar, vanilla, and peppermint, and rolled in both cane sugar and powdered sugar for extra crinkly tops, these decadent, flavorful chocolate cookies are sure to become a holiday favorite!

Ingredients

Scale

  • 4 oz unsweetened chocolate (100% cacao), chopped
  • 4 Tbsp (55g) unsalted butter
  • 11/4 cup (150g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (40g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
  • 3 (150g) large eggs
  • 11/2 cups (298g) dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tsp (5g) pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp pure peppermint extract ¹
  • 1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar, for rolling
  • 1/2 cup (60g) confectioners (powdered) sugar, for rolling

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325℉. Line two large rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Melt the chocolate and butter together in either a double-boiler over gently simmering water, or in a heat-proof glass bowl in the microwave. If using a microwave, heat in bursts of 30 seconds on medium power, stirring well and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula after each increment, until completely smooth and glossy. Set aside.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Set aside.
  4. In another large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs until well-combined. Add the brown sugar, vanilla, and peppermint extract, and continue whisking until smooth and creamy.
  5. Stir in the melted chocolate, and mix until smooth. Fold in the flour mixture until just combined and no dry streaks remain. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes at room temperature.
  6. Meanwhile, place the granulated and powdered sugars in two separate shallow bowls.
  7. Use a 2-Tbsp cookie scoop (I used a #26) to scoop the dough into equal portions directly into the granulated sugar, about 4 at a time. Then gently roll into balls until completely coated, using the sugar to keep your fingers from sticking.
  8. Transfer to the powdered sugar and gently roll again until completely coated. Place on the prepared sheet pans, about 2-inches apart.
  9. Bake each sheet individually for 11-13 minutes, until the cookies are gently puffed and the tops are crackled. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheets. Enjoy!

Notes

¹ Start with 1/8 tsp of peppermint extract. If you like your cookies very minty, use up to 1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp total. Any more and your cookies may become a little tooth-pasty!

Leftover cookies can be stored for 2-3 days. Place in single layers between parchment or wax paper in a tightly-covered container and keep refrigerated or at room-temperature.

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated.

Keywords: peppermint chocolate crinkle cookies, best peppermint cookie, mint, dark chocolate, no chill, with butter, powdered sugar

Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe - Fork Knife Swoon (12)

Originally published on December 26, 2015. Updated recipe and instructions.

Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe - Fork Knife Swoon (2024)

FAQs

Why are my crinkle cookies not crinkling? ›

Why are my crinkle cookies not crinkling? If the dough is too wet, then it will dissolve the sugar and the crinkle will get lost. In order for a defined crinkle to form, the surface of the dough needs to be dry. If your cookies are not crinkling then there is too much free water in the dough.

Why didn't my crinkle cookies crack? ›

Why didn't my chocolate crinkle cookies crack? The most common reason for cookies that don't crack is either that the oven was not hot enough or the baking powder was expired.

What makes a cookie crinkle? ›

The part that makes this a 'crinkle' cookie is the generous coating of powdered sugar that the cookie dough ball gets before going into the oven. As it bakes and spreads on the baking sheet, cracks develop and are exposed, giving the perfect crackle cookie.

Why are my crinkle cookies hard? ›

Most cookies are soft and flexible, so the dough evenly expands as the cookies bake. In crinkle cookies, however, the powdered sugar dries out in the oven, creating a hard outer shell that is not flexible.

How do you make cookies soft instead of crunchy? ›

Slightly underbaking cookies with brown sugar in them makes them softer as well. Just make sure to store brown sugar in an airtight environment so it doesn't dry out. Flour plays its part by contributing protein. The lower the protein, the softer your cookies will be.

How to get crackly cookies? ›

Instead of simply placing a smooth ball of cookie dough on your baking sheet, use your hands to split the ball in half, and then gently squeeze it together. You'll want the split side facing up when the cookies go into the oven.

How to know if crinkles are done? ›

How do you know when chocolate crinkle cookies are done? Look for the crackly top! You want to bake the cookies until they've cracked on top and the edges look set, but the center is still soft.

Why is my crinkle cookie dough dry? ›

To avoid this, try using as little flour as possible while preparing to roll your dough. Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

What are crunchy cookies called? ›

Most English-speaking countries call crunchy cookies "biscuits", except for the United States and Canada, where "biscuit" refers to a type of quick bread. Chewier biscuits are sometimes called "cookies" even in the United Kingdom. Some cookies may also be named by their shape, such as date squares or bars.

What makes a cookie crunchier? ›

A lower oven temperature will give your cookies more time to spread before they start to rise, resulting in a crispier cookie. I recommend baking your cookies for a bit longer at a lower temperature to achieve the texture you're looking for. You can also play around with the type of pan you're using.

Why aren t my cookies crinkling? ›

The signature crinkle effect happens when the cookies spread and crack as they bake. If your cookies aren't crinkling, it might be because the dough is too warm (try chilling it for longer before baking), or the oven temperature might be too low (ensure your oven is correctly preheated).

How do you make cookies chewy and not hard? ›

The science is simple: According to the flour authorities over at Bob's Red Mill, cornstarch can help “soften the rigid proteins of the flour, resulting in a light and chewy dessert.” “The cornstarch complements the flour in absorbing the liquids, but won't develop gluten structure like the flour will,” stresses ...

Why are my cookies crunchy instead of chewy? ›

The ingredients you use and how you shape your cookies both play an important role in whether your cookies turn out crispy or chewy. The type of flour and sugar you use, if your cookie dough contains eggs, and whether you use melted or softened butter all factor into the crispy-chewy equation, too.

Why don't my cookies come out crispy? ›

To make cookies crispy, add less liquid or bake it in the oven for longer to dry out the dough. Generally bake around 13-15min at 180C for a crispy cookie. But if you want a thoroughly crispy cookie – not those just charred on the outside – decrease the temperature to 140C and bake for 30min.

Why are my cookies not puffing up? ›

If the butter is any warmer, it won't incorporate enough air and your cookies will have less rise. Moreover, butter that's warmer than room temperature melts in an instant in the oven, encouraging the dough to spread quickly with it.

Why didn't my cookies crackle? ›

Not enough leavening (it needs to be strong enough to crack the top once it's set) Using a single-acting baking powder (double acting gives extra rise when it gets heated) Not creaming the fat long enough (creaming cuts little air pockets into the fat, which means the leavening has to do less work)

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