Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies (Printable)
Soft, mint-kissed chocolate chip cookies ready in 25 minutes, festive and chewy for holiday platters.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
→ Mix-ins
10 - 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
11 - 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes, plus extra for garnish (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar with an electric mixer or whisk until light and creamy.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Blend in vanilla extract and peppermint extract until fully combined.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed or by hand until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Gently fold in semi-sweet chocolate chips and crushed peppermint candies.
07 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each about 2 inches apart.
08 - If desired, sprinkle additional crushed peppermint candies on top of each dough portion for decorative finish.
09 - Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until cookie edges are lightly golden and centers remain soft.
10 - Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to set completely.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The cool sharpness of peppermint feels like a little secret with every chewy bite.
- They come together quickly and always make the kitchen smell like a celebration.
02 -
- If you bake these cookies until they look totally done in the oven, they’ll end up too crisp once cool&8212;pull them a bit earlier.
- Fold the peppermint gently at the end; over-mixing can melt the candy and make the dough streaky.
03 -
- Room temperature butter is your friend for even creaming and fluffy dough.
- Use parchment, not just greased pans, for the best chewy bottoms every time.