Let Me Tell You About These Cookies…

Alright, so I have to start by saying if you ever find yourself tossing chocolate chips into things just to see what happens (guilty), you’re in the right place. These Peppermint Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies were born the year I accidentally bought way too many candy canes and, weirdly, not enough wrapping paper. It was one of those snowy afternoons where you alternate between battling with sticky tape and suddenly thinking, “I bet these candy canes would taste pretty good smashed into cookies.” Spoiler: I was not wrong. My kids still talk about that batch like I invented the wheel, but I’m pretty sure they just love the chocolate. Anyway, here’s the lowdown in all its imperfect, holiday glory (because, honestly, is Christmas ever actually Pinterest-perfect?).

Why I Keep Coming Back To This Recipe

I make these cookies whenever my family starts whistling carols in November. Seriously, it’s like clockwork—the kitchen starts feeling chilly, and boom, I’m digging out the peppermint extract I probably should have replaced last year. Everyone goes a bit nuts for them because they’ve got that sweet and minty punch, and the chocolate gives it this rich, wintry thing that just feels right. Plus, if you grew up in a house where someone always creatively reused leftover candy canes (hi, Mom!), this is one for your own little Christmas traditions (and your taste buds, frankly—sometimes I just make ‘em to have with my coffee when I need a break from holiday chaos).

Only real problem? I kept burning the first few batches until I figured out how crucial it is to chill the dough. Otherwise, well, let’s just say my oven rack got a fresh cleaning. Live and learn.

The Ingredients – aka, What Goes In

2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (every now and then I swap in 1/2 cup whole wheat, but don’t tell the kids—they never notice)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (table salt is fine, but kosher salt gives a fun little crunch if you have it)
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled (I know pros say softened, but melting it makes mixing easier for impatient folks—like me)
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed (dark or light, whatever’s on hand)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 large eggs (room temp, or just hold them in your hands for a minute if, like me, you forget every time)
1.5 tsp peppermint extract (My grandmother swore by McCormick, but honestly, anything from Aldi to fancy organic works. Just don’t accidentally grab mint—there’s a difference.)
2 cups chocolate chips (I like half milk/half semi-sweet, but throw in what you got—even chocolate chunks. Mini chips give you more chocolate ‘hits’ per bite.)
1/2 cup crushed candy canes (bash them in a zip bag with a rolling pin—great for stress relief at this point in December)
Optional: festive sprinkles, if you’re feeling extra

Get Stuck In: Directions (Some More Precise Than Others)

Set your oven to 350°F (about 175°C). Line a couple of cookie sheets with parchment (if you’re out, foil works almost as good but sometimes sticks—a risk I sometimes take). If you forget to preheat until halfway through, we’re probably related.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. (I used to skip this step and just dump everything together, but actually, it helps. No idea why but it does.)
Beat butter with both sugars until creamy. If you don’t have a mixer, good old elbow grease with a spoon will do—as long as you count it as your arm workout for the day.
Add the eggs, one at a time, and then stir in the peppermint extract. (This is the part where the dough smells so good I nearly forget there’s raw egg in it.)
Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mix. At first it’ll look way too thick, almost like it’s gone wrong, but keep going—it comes together. No panic!
Fold in the chocolate chips and most of the crushed candy canes (save a handful for decorating). If dough seems too sticky, I sometimes pop it in the fridge for about 20 minutes. (It helps with the spreading issue.)
Scoop balls of dough—about 2 tablespoons per cookie—onto the cookie sheets. Press a bit of the remaining candy cane pieces and sprinkles on top, if you like that festive touch.
Bake 9 to 11 minutes until the edges look set but the centres are still a bit shiny. (This is where I usually sneak a taste of the warm chips. Warning: burnt tongue = Christmas tradition around here.)
Let them cool on the pan for 5 minutes (unless you like them messy and melted—which, honestly, sometimes I do), then move to a wire rack.

Notes From Countless Batches

Actually, letting the dough chill does help the cookies hold their shape and be chewy. I was skeptical, but after a few flat disasters, I’m a believer.
If your candy canes get too melty and ooze, try pressing them in just after baking instead of before. Or maybe I just overdo it sometimes. Who knows?
If you can’t find parchment (ran out one Christmas Eve, naturally), a lightly greased baking tray is your friend, though you’ll get a little caramelized crunch—which can be delightful, to be honest.

Variations I’ve Tried (and One Regret)

White chocolate chips instead of regular—really, really good if you like a sweeter cookie.
Crushed up chocolate mints (like Andes), but it got way too rich for me. My nephew loved it though. To each their own.
One time I experimented with gluten-free flour; wasn’t a home run—sort of crumbly—but maybe it was just my measuring? If you want to give it a whirl, I’d go with a 1:1 blend and add a splash more butter.

What If I Don’t Have Fancy Gear?

The only must-have is a good baking sheet. I always thought you needed a stand mixer for these, but a big bowl and wooden spoon (or I guess a sturdy spatula) work just fine—just takes a bit of extra muscle. For scooping, sometimes I use a regular soup spoon if I can’t find my cookie scooper, and nobody’s complained yet!

How To Store Peppermint Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies (Not That They Last)

Okay, theoretically, you can store these in an airtight tin on the counter roughly 4 or 5 days, maybe a week if you hide them from the snack monsters in your house. But—let’s be honest—they rarely see the sunrise at my place. Stack with parchment between layers if you want to keep them from sticking, and if by some Christmas miracle you have leftovers, freezing works (just thaw at room temp). More info about freezing holiday cookies can be found here if you want to prep in advance (or, err, portion control?).

How We Serve & Enjoy (Or: ‘The Best Bits’)

Our family lines these up on the coffee table Christmas Eve with mugs of cocoa and a silly holiday movie (think “Elf” or “Home Alone”—you can’t beat them). If you’re feeling proper, a dusting of powdered sugar or a tiny scoop of peppermint ice cream makes them look fancy. Sometimes I pack them into treat bags for neighbours, though a few always seem to go missing en route… funny, that.

A Few Real-Life Pro Tips (aka, ‘How I Messed Up And Learned’)

Rushing the chilling step = flat, kind of sad cookies. I know it’s hard, but give it at least 20–30 minutes. (I once tried popping the dough in the freezer to speed things up; not my best idea. It got weirdly dry on the outside.)
Using butter that’s too hot melts the chocolate way too early and the cookies end up streaky. Let it cool, or do what I do and stick the bowl on the back porch for a minute if it’s frosty out.
Don’t overbake! These look a tiny bit underdone when you pull them out, but they keep baking as they cool, so hold your nerve. (Or use a timer, which I almost never seem to find—my loss!)

Questions I Actually Get (and a Tiny Detour)

“Can I use mint extract instead of peppermint?”
Technically yes, but it’ll taste more like toothpaste than Christmas. Trust me, I tried (not on purpose!). Use peppermint if you possibly can.
Do these freeze well?
Absolutely, either the dough or the baked cookies. I’ve actually thrown in a batch or two when prepping for a cookie swap (here’s a great guide from King Arthur Baking for more tips—no, they don’t pay me, I just like their site).
How do you get those ‘pretty’ tops?
I just stick extra chocolate chips and a pinch of crushed candy cane right on top before baking. Honestly, only about half come out Instagram-ready. The rest are, shall we say, authentically homemade (which is half the fun).
My candy canes get super sticky—what am I doing wrong?
Same thing happened to me until I stopped stirring in the crushed canes at the last second (don’t put in too early), and definitely don’t let those pieces touch the cookie sheet. Or clean up will take longer than baking.
Do kids actually like these?
Yup. But if they aren’t sold on peppermint, try half vanilla and half peppermint extract—it’s a little milder. Or just throw in more chocolate. Whichever keeps them coming back for ‘just one more’.
Oh, by the way, if you ever find yourself doubling the recipe—don’t forget to double everything, even the extract. Learned that one the hard way. You wind up with sad, vaguely mintified cookies and regret. Next time I write myself a note on a stickie.

If you make these, please tell me how they go for you—or, you know, just whether your oven timer is as useless as mine! For more Christmas baking inspiration (and even more charming kitchen mishaps), my favorite site lately is Smitten Kitchen. She doesn’t know me, but I reckon we’re kindred spirits in butter and flour.