Description
These Peppermint Bark Cookies combine a classic chocolate chip cookie base with festive crushed candy canes and a white chocolate drizzle, creating a delightful holiday treat that’s both crunchy and creamy with a refreshing peppermint twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup crushed candy canes
Decoration
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- Additional crushed candy canes for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the cookies from sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, ensuring a smooth base for your cookies.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Mix in the vanilla extract to infuse the dough with warm flavor.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined to ensure proper leavening and seasoning.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined to prevent overworking the dough and resulting in chewy cookies.
- Fold in Mix-ins: Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and crushed candy canes, distributing them evenly throughout the dough for bursts of chocolate and peppermint.
- Portion the Dough: Drop rounded tablespoons of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing each about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading during baking.
- Bake Cookies: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden, and the centers remain slightly soft for chewy texture.
- Melt White Chocolate: While the cookies bake, melt the white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl using 30-second intervals, stirring after each until completely smooth without any lumps.
- Decorate Cookies: Once the cookies have cooled slightly, drizzle the melted white chocolate over the tops and immediately sprinkle additional crushed candy canes on each cookie for a festive finish.
- Set and Serve: Allow the white chocolate to fully set before serving or storing the cookies to ensure a neat and delicious presentation.
Notes
- Make sure the butter is softened (not melted) to achieve the right cookie texture.
- Don’t overmix the dough once the flour is added to keep cookies tender.
- Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and easy cleanup.
- For a stronger peppermint flavor, you can increase the peppermint extract to 1 teaspoon.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
