A peppermint twist on this classic holiday cookie, this recipe for Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies results in a spectacular cookie. With a beautiful crinkle and sugary shell on the outside makes way for a moist and chocolate packed middle. Friends, family, and you won’t be able to stop eating them!
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This post was originally published 11/17/2017 and updated 12/08/2021 with new photos and more information in the post, recipe remains the same.
Homemade Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies
When brainstorming what sort of Christmas cookies I wanted to develop this year chocolate was a no brainer. In the past I haven’t always necessarily been a chocolate person… I know I know… but this second pregnancy has me wanting chocolate nonstop. I haven’t had a ton of cravings this time around, besides wanting things a little spicier the only thing I have been craving is chocolate. So I decided to use this craving to my advantage and work on developing these delicious Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies.
I wanted to give these classic cookies a fun holiday time twist so I decided what better then peppermint!
So for these crinkle cookies I wanted to make them the very best so I took a step from the America’s Test Kitchen Book. To get an amazing crinkle and outside texture I roll the batter in granulated sugar first and then the classic powdered sugar. I find this little tip to make the crinkle cookies ten times better, the granulated sugar gives the cookies almost a crunchy shell on the outside avoiding the whole cookie from being to soft and falling apart.
So aside from my sugar rolling trick to make these cookies really stand out I did a few other things. You will notice I use double chocolate because well why not!? I start with the classic unsweetened cocoa powder and then add more dark chocolate! I choose to use a darker chocolate baking bar (Ghirardelli 70% Cacao Baking Bar to be exact) because I like the dark chocolate flavor mixed with peppermint.
Speaking of peppermint I choose to give these crinkle cookies a twist and go with a peppermint flavor. And they do not disappoint! I only use 1 teaspoon so you can definitely taste and smell the peppermint but it is not over powering as you are eating your cookie.
Lastly I use all brown sugar in this recipe for moisture content. Brown sugar keeps these cookies moist and soft. I would almost compare these cookies to little brownies in the sense that they hold on to their softness really well!
So now that I have given you about 100 reasons (100 right??) on why these Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies are amazing it is time to get making them yourself. I do have a video for this recipe that you can see below to help you make them! So happy baking and even happier taste testing!

Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Brown Sugar
- Eggs
- Peppermint Extract
- Dark Chocolate (70% baking bar)
- Cold Butter, unsalted
- Granulated Sugar
- Powdered Sugar (Confectioners)
For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325º F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Add brown sugar, eggs, and peppermint extract to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until light and frothy.

Cut the butter into tablespoons and add to a microwave safe bowl. Add the chocolate bar broken into small pieces in with the butter. Microwave for 30 seconds, and stir well. Microwave an additional 15 seconds and stir again. Continue microwaving in 15 second increments stirring in between microwaving until fully melted. Be careful to not over heat your chocolate, giving a good stir at each break helps it melt faster and easier. (In TOTAL it usually only takes me between 1 minute to 1 minute and 15 seconds for my chocolate to be melted.)

Add the melted chocolate to the wet ingredients. Stir together.

Stir the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Once fully combined let the batter rest for 15 minutes. Before resting the batter will almost seem like brownie batter, allowing it to rest will thicken it allowing it to be rolled.

While batter is resting add the granulated sugar to a plate and the powdered sugar to another plate.
Once the batter has set use a tablespoon to scoop the batter. Drop a tablespoon of the batter onto the plate of granulated sugar (use a spoon or small spatula to help plop it into the sugar). Roll the batter in the granulated sugar, forming a ball.
Transfer the batter ball onto the powdered sugar plate and roll to cover. Transfer to the parchment paper. Repeat until the batter is gone, making about 24 cookies, 12 per cookie sheet.

In two batches bake for 12 minutes, the cookies will look raw in the cracks when done. Leave on cookie sheet to cool. Enjoy.


tips, tricks and questions
DO NOT skip the resting period, it will make it near impossible to roll out your cookies if you don’t give it time to thicken and set.
Getting the batter out onto the sugar can be a little difficult (especially the first few), by scooping a slightly heaping tablespoon I find using a spoon or mini spatula to plop it out of the tablespoon onto the granulated sugar works best. And as you cover the batter in the granulated sugar it will become extremely easy to roll into a ball.
For my chocolates I use Hershey’s 100% unsweetened cocoa powder and Ghirardelli 70% Cacao Baking Bar, I find using good quality chocolates like these in the cookies really makes for a superior cookie.

If you like this Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies Recipe you might also like:
Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies

One of the BEST classic holiday cookies to make! Chocolate Crinkle Cookies with a Peppermint twist! Moist and soft on the inside with a perfect sugary shell on the outside, keep this recipe bookmarked because everyone will want it!
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 4 ounces dark chocolate (70% baking bar)
- 4 tablespoons cold butter, unsalted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (confectioners)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325º F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add brown sugar, eggs, and peppermint extract to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until light and frothy.
- In a microwave safe bowl add the butter, cut into tablespoons and the chocolate bar broken into small pieces. Microwave for 30 seconds, and stir. Microwave an additional 15 seconds and stir again. Continue microwaving in 15 second increments stirring in between microwaving until fully melted. Be careful to not over heat your chocolate, giving a good stir at each break helps it melt faster and easier. (In TOTAL it usually only takes me between 1 minute to 1 minute and 15 seconds for my chocolate to be melted.)
- Add the melted chocolate to the wet ingredients. Stir together.
- Stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Once fully combined let the batter rest for 15 minutes. Before resting the batter will almost seem like brownie batter, allowing it to rest will thicken it allowing it to be rolled.
- While batter is resting add the granulated sugar to a plate and the powdered sugar to another plate.
- Once batter has set use a tablespoon to scoop the batter, drop the tablespoon of batter onto the plate of granulated sugar (use a spoon or small spatula to help plop it into the sugar). Roll the batter in the granulated sugar, forming a ball.
- Transfer the batter ball onto the powdered sugar plate and roll to cover. Transfer to the parchment paper. Repeat until the batter is gone, making about 24 cookies, 12 per cookie sheet.
- In two batches bake for 12 minutes, the cookies will look raw in the cracks when done. Leave on cookie sheet to cool. Enjoy.
Notes
adapted from America's Test Kitchen Cookbook
Do NOT skip the resting period, it is important for the consistency of the cookies!
Getting the batter out onto the sugar can be a little difficult (especially the first few), by scooping a slightly heaping tablespoon I find using a spoon or mini spatula to plop it out of the tablespoon onto the granulated sugar works best. And as you cover the batter in the granulated sugar it will become extremely easy to roll into a ball.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1 cookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 146Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 91mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 2g
Nutritional data is automated, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.
Thee best cookies I’ve EVER made!!! Easy to follow recipe!
Thank you Lacey! That comment made my day!
This is a perfect recipe. They made the perfect cookies. I am memorizing this lol thank you!!
This comment just made my day!! Thanks Jen!
Are these able to be frozen either before or after baked? Thank you !
They can totally be frozen after they are baked, I actually have frozen these cookies a ton, they freeze really well! Great question!
When do you add the butter? With the brown sugar? It’s not mentioned.
I can totally see the confusion because that is when butter is usually added in a lot of cookies but you can read in step 4 you will be adding the cold butter and broken chocolate together in a bowl to melt and then add to the other wet ingredients.
LOVED these cookies! Definitely gonna be a new tradition in my home!
I am so happy you enjoyed these!