Peppermint Mocha Cookies
These peppermint mocha cookies are soft and chewy and have the perfect amount of peppermint flavor. They’re based on my double chocolate cookie recipe, with instant espresso and peppermint extract added to give them that classic peppermint mocha flavor.
To dress them up a bit for the holidays, I like to drizzle the cooled cookies with white chocolate and sprinkle them with crushed peppermint candies. The decoration is optional, but it makes them perfect for Christmas cookie boxes and holiday baking.
Peppermint Mocha Cookies at a Glance
- Flavor: Chocolate, coffee, and peppermint
- Texture: Soft and chewy with melty chocolate chips
- Yield: About 24 cookies
- Prep Time: About 10 minutes
- Bake Time: 11–12 minutes per tray
- Cookie Size: About 1 1/2 Tbsp of dough each
- Decoration: Optional white chocolate drizzle and crushed peppermint candies
How to Make Peppermint Mocha Cookies
These cookies come together quickly and don’t need to chill before baking. The most important thing is to avoid overmixing or overbaking them so they stay soft and chewy.
Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugars
Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
Beat the room-temperature butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar together on medium-high speed for a couple of minutes. The mixture should look lighter in color and fluffy.
Mix in the egg, egg yolk, instant espresso or coffee, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until everything is evenly combined.
Step 2: Mix in the Dry Ingredients and Chocolate Chips
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, dark or Dutch-processed cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in two additions on low speed. Mix just until the flour is incorporated, scraping around the bowl with a rubber spatula between additions.
Fold in the milk or dark chocolate chips by hand.
Step 3: Scoop and Bake the Cookies
Use a 1 1/2 Tbsp cookie scoop to portion about 24 cookies. Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 11–12 minutes. The cookies may still look a little soft when they come out of the oven, but they’ll continue to set on the hot baking sheet.
Let them cool on the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Step 4: Drizzle and Decorate the Cookies
Once the cookies have cooled, melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl using a double boiler or microwave. If you use the microwave, heat it in 15-second intervals and stir between each interval until smooth.
Drizzle melted white chocolate over each cookie, then place it on parchment paper or a silicone mat and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.
Let the chocolate set at room temperature for about an hour. If you’re short on time, you can place the cookies in the fridge to help the chocolate firm up faster.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
This recipe is adapted from my double chocolate cookies, so most of the ingredients work the same way. These are the ingredients that make the biggest difference in the peppermint mocha version.
- Instant Espresso or Coffee – This gives the cookies their mocha flavor. The recipe card calls for 1 Tbsp of instant espresso or coffee.
- Peppermint Extract – A full teaspoon gives these cookies their peppermint flavor. Peppermint extract is much stronger than vanilla, so I recommend measuring it carefully.
- Dark or Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder – Either works well in this recipe and gives the cookies a deep chocolate flavor. Regular unsweetened cocoa powder can also be used, but the flavor and color may be slightly different.
- Chocolate Chips – Use milk or dark chocolate chips, depending on how rich you want the cookies to taste.
- White Chocolate & Peppermint Candies – These are optional and are only used to decorate the cookies after they bake. You can leave them off if you want a simpler cookie.
- Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter, you can use it and omit the fine salt in the dough.
Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
Store the baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
The cookie dough can also be frozen for up to 1 month if it’s wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container. Move it to the fridge the night before you plan to bake the cookies.
If you’re making these for a Christmas cookie box, I recommend keeping them in their own airtight container or freezer bag while they’re stored so the peppermint flavor doesn’t transfer to the other cookies.
Troubleshooting
Why Did My Cookies Turn Out Tough or Dense?
The dough was most likely overmixed after the flour was added. Mix in the dry ingredients on low speed just until they’re incorporated, then fold in the chocolate chips by hand.
Why Are My Peppermint Mocha Cookies Dry?
They were probably baked a little too long. These cookies don’t brown much, so it’s better to watch the texture rather than the color. Pull them from the oven while the centers still look slightly soft and let them finish setting on the hot pan.
Why Are Some Cookies Baking Faster Than Others?
Try to keep the dough balls the same size. A 1 1/2 Tbsp cookie scoop makes this easy and helps all 24 cookies bake at about the same rate.
Tips for Making the Best Peppermint Mocha Cookies
- Cream the butter and sugars thoroughly at the beginning of the recipe to help the cookies bake up soft and tender.
- Don’t overmix the dough once the flour is added.
- Use a cookie scoop so the cookies are evenly sized.
- Space the cookies about 2 inches apart because they spread as they bake.
- Don’t overbake them. They will continue to set on the baking sheet after they come out of the oven.
Peppermint Mocha Cookie FAQs
Can I Make Mini Peppermint Mocha Cookies?
Yes. Scoop about 48 cookies using 3/4 Tbsp of dough per cookie and bake them for 9–10 minutes at 350°F/175°C.
Can I Double This Recipe?
Yes. You can double all the ingredients and make a double batch with either a hand mixer or stand mixer.
Can I Leave Off the White Chocolate and Crushed Peppermint?
Definitely! Both are optional decorations. The cookies will still have plenty of peppermint mocha flavor from the espresso, cocoa powder, and peppermint extract in the dough.
Can I Use Instant Coffee Instead of Instant Espresso?
Yes, either will work in this recipe. Instant espresso will give them a stronger coffee flavor, but instant coffee works too!
Let Me Know What You Think!
If you make these peppermint mocha cookies, I’d love to hear how they turn out! Please leave a rating and comment below.
And if you share them on social media, tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets so I can see your delicious creations!
Peppermint Mocha Cookies
Equipment
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- Wire Rack
- heatproof bowl for melting the white chocolate
- Paddle Attachment if using a stand mixer
Ingredients
Peppermint Mocha Cookies
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 113g
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100g
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 100g
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temp 76g
- 1 Tbsp instant espresso or coffee
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 5g
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 125g
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 50g
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch 8g
- 1 tsp baking soda 6g
- 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
- 1 1/4 cups milk or dark chocolate chips 220g
Cookie Decorations (optional)
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candies
Instructions
Peppermint Mocha Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and line two large baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar on medium-high speed with a hand mixer or paddle attachment for a couple of minutes. The mixture should become lighter in color and look fluffy as you mix.
- Add 1 egg, 1 large egg yolk, 1 Tbsp instant espresso or coffee, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tsp peppermint extract. Mix on medium speed until incorporated.
- Whisk together 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt in a separate bowl.
- Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture in two additions, mixing on a low speed until it is JUST incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between additions.
- Fold in 1 1/4 cups of milk or dark chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop 1 1/2 Tbsp-sized cookie dough balls. You should be able to scoop out about 24 cookies. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets and space them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake one sheet of cookies at a time. Bake for 11–12 minutes on the middle rack of your oven (bake time can vary based on the size of the cookies). They will look kind of puffy coming out of the oven and deflate a bit as they cool, but this is what makes them so deliciously chewy! Let the baked cookies cool on the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- While the cookies cool, melt the white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl using a double boiler or microwave (melt in 15-second intervals, and stir in between until completely melted). Drizzle the melted white chocolate over each cookie and sprinkle the crushed peppermint candies on top of the chocolate. These will set at room temperature in about an hour. If you're in a rush, you can set them in the fridge to help the chocolate set faster. Leftover cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes
How Many Cookies Does This Recipe Make?
This recipe makes about 24 cookies using a 1 1/2 Tbsp cookie scoop. If you don’t have that size cookie scoop, scoop and roll one sample cookie dough ball with 1 1/2 Tbsp of dough using a tablespoon as a guide. Then portion the remaining cookies to match it as closely as possible so they bake evenly. If you want to make more cookies, you can double the ingredients and make a double batch using either a hand mixer or a stand mixer. You can also make mini peppermint mocha cookies that are half the size. Scoop 48 cookies using a 3/4 Tbsp cookie scoop and bake for 9–10 minutes at 350°F/175°C.Making These Cookies in Advance and Storage Tips
You can store these cookies in an airtight container for up to a week at room temperature or for up to a month in the freezer. This cookie dough can also be frozen for up to 1 month if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container. Move the cookie dough to the fridge the night before you plan to bake the cookies.Tips for Making the Best Peppermint Mocha Cookies
- Cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar thoroughly in the first step. This helps incorporate air into the dough and gives the cookies a soft, tender texture.
- Don’t overwork the cookie dough once the flour is added.
- Use a cookie scoop to make sure the cookies are uniformly sized.
- Space the cookies about 2 inches apart before baking because they will spread.
- Don’t overbake the cookies. They continue to set on the hot baking sheet after they come out of the oven.
Nutrition
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