Irresistible Peppermint Bark Brownie Cookies

Christmas cookies are great, but sometimes I want something a little different on my holiday cookie tray. That’s when I make these peppermint bark brownie cookies. They’re like if a fudgy brownie and peppermint bark had a cookie baby.

I started making these a few years ago when I had leftover candy canes from decorating our tree. The kids love them because they taste like those fancy peppermint bark squares you see at the store, but in cookie form. Plus, they’re way easier to eat while you’re decorating the house.

The best part? They look fancy enough for a cookie exchange, but they’re actually pretty simple to make. You bake chocolate cookies, dip them in chocolate, and top them with crushed candy canes. That’s it. No complicated steps or weird ingredients you’ll never use again.

What Kind of Chocolate Should I Use?

For these cookies, you’ll be using both semi-sweet and white chocolate, so quality matters here. When it comes to the semi-sweet chocolate, you can use chocolate chips if that’s what you have on hand, but chopping up a good chocolate bar will give you a better melt and richer flavor. For the white chocolate topping, definitely go with a chopped bar rather than white chocolate chips – chips are formulated not to melt as easily, which makes them trickier to work with when you’re trying to create that smooth bark layer. If you’re at the store trying to decide between brands, look for chocolate that lists cocoa butter (or milk and cocoa butter for white chocolate) as one of the first ingredients rather than a bunch of fillers.

Options for Substitutions

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

• Dutch-processed cocoa powder: Regular unsweetened cocoa powder works just fine here. The flavor will be slightly less mellow, but your cookies will still turn out great.
• Semi-sweet chocolate: You can use dark chocolate or bittersweet chocolate instead. Milk chocolate will make them sweeter, so you might want to reduce the sugar by a couple tablespoons.
• Brown sugar: Light brown sugar and dark brown sugar are interchangeable in this recipe. In a pinch, you can even use all granulated sugar, though you’ll lose a bit of that chewy texture.
• Peppermint extract: If peppermint extract is too strong for your taste, start with half the amount and adjust. You can also skip it entirely and just rely on the crushed candy canes for mint flavor.
• Shortening: Coconut oil works as a substitute for shortening in the white chocolate topping. It helps thin out the chocolate for easier drizzling or spreading.
• Candy canes: Any hard peppermint candies work here. Just place them in a sealed bag and crush them with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pan.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making these cookies is overbaking them – since they’re meant to be fudgy like brownies, 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 skipping the step of letting your eggs come to room temperature, which helps them blend smoothly into the batter and creates a better texture overall.

When melting the chocolate and butter together, make sure to do it gently over low heat or in short microwave bursts, stirring frequently to prevent the chocolate from seizing up or burning.

For the white chocolate topping, adding shortening helps it stay smooth and prevents cracking, but be careful not to overheat it – white chocolate scorches easily and can turn grainy if you’re not watching closely.

What to Serve With Peppermint Bark Brownie Cookies?

These cookies are pretty rich and chocolatey, so they pair perfectly with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee to balance out the sweetness. If you’re serving them at a holiday party, set them out alongside other festive treats like sugar cookies, gingerbread, or shortbread for a nice variety. They also make a great addition to a hot chocolate bar – let people grab a cookie to dunk or crumble on top of their cocoa. For a fun dessert spread, serve them with vanilla ice cream or even peppermint ice cream for an extra minty kick.

Storage Instructions

Store: These peppermint bark brownie cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for about 5 days. Just layer them between sheets of parchment paper so the white chocolate topping doesn’t stick together. They’re perfect for making ahead during the busy holiday season!

Freeze: You can freeze these cookies for up to 3 months, which is great for holiday baking prep. Stack them with parchment paper in between and store in a freezer-safe container. The peppermint bark topping holds up really well in the freezer.

Serve: Let frozen cookies thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. They taste amazing straight from the fridge too if you like a firmer, fudgier texture. I sometimes keep a batch in the fridge during the holidays because they’re easier to grab and go!

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 2700-2950
• Protein: 30-37 g
• Fat: 145-158 g
• Carbohydrates: 360-385 g

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 2 tbsp Dutch-processed cocoa powder (for rich chocolate flavor)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
• 1/4 cup softened butter (room temperature)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate (chopped into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the white chocolate coating:

• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
• 2 tbsp shortening (helps achieve smooth, glossy coating)
• 8 oz white chocolate (chopped into small pieces for even melting)

For the topping:

• 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy (finely crushed, about 1/8-inch pieces)

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place and Preheat

• 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate
• 8 oz white chocolate
• 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Chop the 8 oz of semi-sweet chocolate into 1/2-inch pieces and chop the 8 oz of white chocolate into small pieces—this ensures even melting later.

Measure out the crushed peppermint candy, making sure the pieces are finely crushed to about 1/8-inch size for even distribution.

Having everything prepared before you start mixing will keep your workflow smooth and prevent the melted chocolate from cooling while you hunt for ingredients.

Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.

Set this mixture aside.

Whisking the dry ingredients together ensures the baking powder and cocoa powder are evenly distributed throughout the flour, which guarantees consistent rise and chocolate flavor in every cookie.

Step 3: Cream Eggs and Sugars

• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the 2 large eggs with the packed brown sugar and granulated sugar for 3-5 minutes until the mixture becomes light, pale, and fluffy.

This aeration is crucial—it creates tiny air pockets that give these cookies their distinctive brownie-like texture rather than a dense, flat result.

Don’t skip this step; the beaten eggs are what makes these cookies special.

Step 4: Melt Chocolate and Incorporate into Wet Base

• 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
• egg and sugar mixture from Step 3

Microwave the chopped semi-sweet chocolate (from Step 1) and softened butter together in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until completely smooth—this usually takes 1-2 minutes total.

Let it cool for 1-2 minutes so it’s no longer steaming, then add the vanilla extract and peppermint extract.

Gently fold this chocolate mixture into the egg mixture from Step 3 until just combined.

I prefer to let the melted chocolate cool slightly before mixing to avoid cooking the eggs.

Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures and Add Chocolate Chips

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• chocolate mixture from Step 4
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Fold the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2 into the chocolate mixture from Step 4 until just combined—don’t overmix, as this can make the cookies tough.

Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips.

The dough should be thick and fudgy.

Scoop dough into 1.5-tablespoon balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for slight spreading.

Step 6: Bake the Cookies

Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes.

The cookies should look slightly underbaked when you pull them from the oven—the edges will be set but the centers should still look a bit soft.

This is intentional; they’ll continue cooking as they cool on the sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

The residual heat creates that signature fudgy brownie texture.

Step 7: Prepare the White Chocolate Coating and Finish Cookies

• cooled cookies from Step 6
• 8 oz white chocolate
• 2 tbsp shortening
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
• crushed peppermint candy from Step 1

Once the cookies are completely cooled, microwave the chopped white chocolate (from Step 1) and shortening together in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until smooth and glossy.

Stir in the peppermint extract.

The shortening is key here—it keeps the white chocolate coating smooth and prevents it from becoming thick and chalky.

Dip each cooled cookie halfway into the white chocolate coating, then immediately sprinkle the crushed peppermint candy on the wet coating so it adheres.

Set on parchment paper to set.

The finished cookies will have a beautiful contrast of dark brownie cookie with a crisp white chocolate peppermint shell.