Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies (Printer-Friendly)

Soft, chewy cookies studded with peppermint and plenty of chocolate chips - festive and quick to bake.

# 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 pure 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 the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer or sturdy whisk until light and creamy.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the pure vanilla extract and peppermint extract until fully combined.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Gently fold in the 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 - Optionally, sprinkle additional crushed peppermint over the tops of the dough balls for decoration.
09 - Bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden but the centers remain soft.
10 - Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The hit of peppermint feels like a secret shortcut to holiday cheer, no matter what time of year.
  • Each cookie balances that classic chocolate chip chew with the surprise of cool, crunchy bits of candy.
02 -
  • Once, I overbaked a batch just by a minute and the cookies lost that divine chewy middle—never multitask during the last few minutes.
  • Chilling the dough for just 20 minutes makes the cookies sturdier and helps the peppermint chunks stay put.
03 -
  • Avoid storing cookies with peppermint candies already on top if the weather’s humid—they’ll melt into a sticky halo.
  • For bakery-style cookies, chill the dough up to 24 hours for richer flavor and thicker texture.

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