Festive Double Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies

I grew up thinking chocolate and mint was only for those fancy dinner mints my grandma kept in a bowl by the door. Then I tried peppermint bark for the first time at a holiday party, and my whole world changed. That sweet-crunchy-minty combo? Pure magic.

These cookies take everything good about peppermint bark and stuff it into a soft, chewy double chocolate cookie. We’re talking cocoa powder in the dough, melted milk chocolate chips, and both crushed candy canes and peppermint kisses on top. It sounds like a lot, but trust me—it works. My kids go crazy for these every December, and they’re actually pretty simple to make.

What Kind of Chocolate Should I Use?

For these cookies, you’ve got some flexibility when it comes to your chocolate chips. Milk chocolate will give you a sweeter, creamier cookie that pairs really nicely with the peppermint, while semi-sweet chocolate chips offer a bit more balance if you don’t want things too sugary. You can even mix both types together if you want the best of both worlds. Just grab whatever chocolate chips you have on hand or prefer – both options will melt beautifully into the dough and create those gooey pockets of chocolate we all love in a good cookie.

Options for Substitutions

These cookies are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need to make changes:

• Cocoa powder: Regular unsweetened cocoa powder works great here, but you can use Dutch-processed cocoa if that’s what you have. The cookies will be slightly darker and have a smoother chocolate flavor.
• Milk chocolate chips: Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips work just as well. You can even use white chocolate chips if you want a different twist, though the cookies won’t be quite as ‘double chocolate.’
• Hershey Candy Cane Kisses: If you can’t find these seasonal treats, regular Hershey Kisses topped with a small piece of candy cane work fine. You could also skip the Kisses entirely and just press extra crushed candy canes on top.
• Candy canes: Peppermint candies or starlight mints can replace candy canes – just crush them the same way. For a different flavor, try using crushed Andes mints instead.
• Butter: Salted butter can work if that’s all you have – just reduce or skip the added salt in the recipe.
• Brown sugar: You can use all white sugar if needed, though the cookies will be slightly less chewy and won’t have that molasses depth.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making these cookies is overbaking them, which turns fudgy chocolate cookies into dry hockey pucks – pull them from the oven when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone, as they’ll continue cooking on the baking sheet.

Another common error is adding the candy cane pieces too early in the baking process, causing them to melt completely and lose their crunch, so always press them gently into the tops during the last 2 minutes of baking or right after the cookies come out of the oven.

Make sure your butter is truly softened (not melted) before creaming it with the sugars, since melted butter will cause your cookies to spread too thin and lose their thick, chewy texture.

Finally, don’t skip letting your egg come to room temperature, as cold eggs can cause the butter to seize up and create an uneven dough that doesn’t bake properly.

What to Serve With Double Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies?

These cookies are pretty rich and sweet on their own, so they pair perfectly with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee to balance out all that chocolate and peppermint. If you’re putting together a holiday cookie platter, they look great alongside simpler cookies like sugar cookies, snickerdoodles, or shortbread to give people some variety. For a fun dessert spread, serve them with vanilla ice cream or hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and extra crushed candy canes. You could also package them up in tins with parchment paper as homemade gifts during the holidays – they’re always a hit at cookie exchanges and winter parties.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. I like to put a piece of parchment paper between layers so the candy cane pieces don’t stick together. They actually taste even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to meld!

Freeze: These cookies freeze really well for up to 3 months. Just make sure they’re completely cooled before stacking them in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers. You can also freeze the dough in balls before baking if you want fresh cookies anytime.

Serve: Let frozen cookies thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. If you froze the dough, you can bake them straight from the freezer – just add an extra minute or two to the baking time.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2600-2900
• Protein: 20-26 g
• Fat: 120-135 g
• Carbohydrates: 370-410 g

Ingredients

For the cookie dough:

• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 10 tbsp unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)
• 1.25 cups milk chocolate chips (I prefer Ghirardelli)
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened, for rich chocolate flavor)
• 1 large egg (room temperature)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)

For baking:

• 1 bag peppermint candy kisses (about 20-25 pieces)

For the coating:

• 1/4 cup crushed candy canes (finely crushed into small pieces)

Step 1: Combine Dry Ingredients and Cream Butter with Sugars

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 10 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar

Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl—this ensures even distribution of the leavening agent and salt throughout the dough.

In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter with both sugars for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.

This creaming process incorporates air into the dough, which helps create a tender cookie texture.

While the butter mixture creams, you can have your dry ingredients ready to go.

Step 2: Build the Cookie Dough

• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• dry ingredient mixture from Step 1
• 1.25 cups milk chocolate chips

Add the room-temperature egg and vanilla extract to the creamed butter mixture and beat until fully incorporated.

The egg acts as a binder and adds moisture, while the vanilla extract enhances the chocolate flavor.

Gently fold in the dry ingredient mixture from Step 1 until just combined—avoid overmixing, which can develop gluten and make the cookies tough.

Once the flour mixture is fully incorporated, fold in the milk chocolate chips, distributing them evenly throughout the dough.

Step 3: Chill the Dough

• cookie dough from Step 2

Transfer the dough to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.

I find that chilled dough is much easier to handle and produces cookies with better shape and texture—the cold dough spreads less during baking and yields a fudgier center.

This chilling time also allows the flavors to meld beautifully.

Step 4: Shape and Bake the Cookies

• chilled dough from Step 3

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and roll it into balls about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter—consistent sizing ensures even baking.

Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart, and bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone.

The cookies will continue to cook on the hot pan after removal from the oven.

Step 5: Cool and Prepare for Peppermint Coating

• baked cookies from Step 4
• 1 bag peppermint candy kisses

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (this helps them firm up), then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cookies cool, microwave the peppermint candy kisses in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until they’re completely melted and smooth.

I recommend using short bursts rather than one long heating time to prevent the candy from seizing or scorching.

Step 6: Dip, Garnish, and Set

• cooled cookies from Step 5
• melted peppermint candy from Step 5
• 1/4 cup crushed candy canes

Once the cookies have cooled completely, dip the top of each cookie into the melted peppermint candy, then place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

While the peppermint coating is still wet and slightly sticky, sprinkle each cookie with the crushed candy canes, pressing gently so they adhere.

Allow the cookies to set at room temperature for at least 30 minutes until the peppermint coating hardens completely.

If you want to speed up the process, you can place them in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.