Candy Cane Peppermint Fudge Cookies

Finding a cookie that captures the magic of the holiday season without spending all day in the kitchen can be tough. After all, between decorating the house, shopping for gifts, and attending all those parties, there’s barely enough time to bake something special for your family or to bring to a cookie exchange.

Luckily, these peppermint fudge cookies check all the boxes: they’re festive yet easy to make, require just a handful of ingredients, and come together in under 30 minutes from start to finish.

What Kind of Chocolate Should I Use?

This recipe calls for three different types of chocolate, and you’ve got some flexibility with each one. For the semi-sweet chocolate chips, any brand from the baking aisle will work great – just make sure to grab two cups since you’ll be melting some and mixing the rest into the dough. The white and dark chocolate chunks can be swapped out for chips if that’s what you have on hand, though chunks do give you those nice irregular pockets of melted chocolate in every bite. If you’re feeling fancy, you can chop up a good quality chocolate bar instead of using chips or chunks, which will give you a more gourmet texture and flavor.

Options for Substitutions

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

• Cocoa powder: The recipe calls for natural cocoa powder, which is important for the texture and rise. If you only have Dutch-process, you can use it, but add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder to help the cookies rise properly.
• Espresso powder: This is totally optional and just deepens the chocolate flavor. Skip it if you don’t have it – your cookies will still taste great.
• Peppermint extract: If you don’t have peppermint extract, you can increase the vanilla to 2 teaspoons and rely on the crushed candy canes for that minty flavor.
• Chocolate chips and chunks: Feel free to mix and match your chocolate here. Use all semi-sweet chips, all dark chocolate, or whatever you have on hand. You can even chop up a chocolate bar if you’re out of chips.
• Candy canes: Regular peppermint candies or Andes mints (chopped) work just as well. You can also use store-bought crushed peppermint to save time.
• Milk: Any milk works here – whole, 2%, almond, or oat milk are all fine substitutes.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with these cookies is overbaking them – since they’re fudgy, they should look slightly underdone in the center when you pull them out, as they’ll continue to firm up while cooling on the baking sheet.

Another common error is skipping the step of bringing your eggs to room temperature, which helps them blend smoothly into the batter and creates a better texture overall.

Make sure to crush your candy canes into fine pieces rather than large chunks, or they can create hard spots that are tough to bite through, and consider reserving some crushed peppermint to press onto the tops of cookies right after baking for a prettier presentation.

Finally, avoid overmixing once you add the flour mixture, as this can lead to tough cookies instead of the soft, fudgy texture you’re after.

What to Serve With Peppermint Fudge Cookies?

These cookies are pretty rich and chocolatey, so they pair perfectly with a cold glass of milk or a mug of hot cocoa topped with marshmallows. If you’re serving them at a holiday party, set them out alongside other festive treats like sugar cookies, gingerbread, or brownies to create a fun dessert spread. They also taste amazing with a cup of coffee or peppermint tea, which brings out the minty flavor even more. For an extra special treat, try sandwiching a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two cookies to make ice cream sandwiches that everyone will love.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep these peppermint fudge cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. I like to tuck a piece of bread in the container to help keep them soft and chewy. They’re perfect for grabbing throughout the week when you need a chocolate-peppermint fix!

Freeze: These cookies freeze really well, either baked or as dough. For baked cookies, layer them between parchment paper in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. You can also scoop the dough into balls, freeze them on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag and bake straight from frozen (just add a minute or two to the baking time).

Enjoy: Frozen cookies taste great straight from the freezer if you like them cold and fudgy, or let them sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes to soften up. If you want them warm, pop them in the microwave for about 10 seconds to get that fresh-baked feel again.

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 3100-3400
• Protein: 32-38 g
• Fat: 140-160 g
• Carbohydrates: 430-470 g

Ingredients

For the dry ingredients:

• 2 tsp espresso powder
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur flour)

For the wet ingredients:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (melted and cooled)
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar

For the mix-ins and toppings:

• 2/3 cup white chocolate chunks
• 6 peppermint candy canes (1/3 cup crushed, finely crushed)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup dark chocolate chunks

Step 1: Prepare the Baking Sheets and Oven

Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C).

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly spray with non-stick spray to prevent the cookies from sticking.

Set these aside for later use.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp espresso powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt.

Once thoroughly combined, set the bowl aside for use after the wet ingredients are ready.

Step 3: Melt Chocolate and Combine Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (melted and cooled)
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp peppermint extract
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar

In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and the room temperature unsalted butter.

Microwave on low power in 15-second increments, stirring in between, until fully melted and smooth.

Whisk in the vanilla extract and peppermint extract, followed by the granulated sugar and light brown sugar until well combined.

Step 4: Add Eggs and Milk

• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp milk

Beat the eggs into the wet mixture one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.

Then, beat in the milk.

The mixture will become glossy and thick.

Step 5: Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures and Fold in Chocolate Chips

• Dry mixture from Step 2
• Wet mixture from Step 4
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Add the dry ingredients from Step 2 to the wet mixture from Step 4.

Gently stir until just combined—take care not to overmix, as this can make the cookies tough.

Fold in the remaining 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips, stirring until just incorporated.

I find that folding helps keep the batter tender and creates pockets of chocolate in every bite.

Step 6: Portion and Bake the Cookies

• Cookie batter from Step 5

Using a 1/4 cup measure, scoop batter onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 1-inch between cookies.

Bake one tray at a time: slide a tray into the oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (149°C).

Bake for 16 to 19 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops appear dark and shiny.

If the cookies spread too much, use a spatula to gently press the edges inward while they’re still warm.

Step 7: Top and Finish the Cookies

• 2/3 cup white chocolate chunks
• 2/3 cup dark chocolate chunks
• 1/3 cup crushed peppermint candy canes (from 6 candy canes)

While the cookies are still warm out of the oven, gently press a few white chocolate chunks and dark chocolate chunks into the tops.

Sprinkle the crushed candy canes over the cookies for a festive look and minty flavor.

Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before serving.

For an extra pop of color and crunch, I like to reserve a bit of the crushed candy canes to sprinkle just before serving.