Description
These Peppermint Bark Cookies combine rich, fudgy chocolate cookies with a festive peppermint bark topping and a creamy peppermint buttercream frosting. Perfect for holiday celebrations or any time you crave a deliciously sweet and minty treat, this recipe blends chocolate, peppermint, and buttery flavors in a delightful layered cookie.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 & ¼ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Peppermint Bark:
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup white chocolate chips or chopped baking bar
- 1 tablespoon crushed peppermint candies
Buttercream Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, beat together the unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is fluffy and well combined.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the large egg and vanilla extract thoroughly, ensuring the wet ingredients are well incorporated.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift together the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add this mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Chill Dough: Cover the cookie dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up the dough and enhance flavor development.
- Preheat Oven: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Shape Cookies: Divide the chilled dough into 6 equal portions and roll each into a ball. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them to allow for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. After baking, let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Peppermint Bark Base: Line another baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring thoroughly after each until smooth. Spread evenly over the parchment paper.
- Add White Chocolate Layer: Melt the white chocolate chips similarly and spread evenly on top of the semi-sweet chocolate layer.
- Sprinkle Peppermint: Sprinkle the crushed peppermint candies evenly over the white chocolate layer.
- Set Bark: Refrigerate the layered chocolate for 30 minutes or until fully set. Before breaking into pieces, allow the bark to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to prevent cracking.
- Make Buttercream Frosting: Using a hand-held or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, whip the softened butter, confectioners sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until smooth and fluffy. Add additional milk as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Pipe Frosting: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a round tip or a freezer bag with the tip snipped off. Pipe swirls of buttercream onto the cooled cookies.
- Assemble Cookies: Top each buttercream-topped cookie with a few pieces of peppermint bark.
- Optional Garnish: Add extra crushed peppermint pieces on top for added festive flair, if desired.
Notes
- This recipe yields 6 jumbo cookies. For smaller cookies, divide dough into 12 portions but reduce baking time accordingly and monitor closely.
- Pre-crushed peppermint candies or crushed candy canes can typically be found in the holiday baking aisle. Alternatively, crush your own by placing candies in a freezer bag and using a rolling pin or meat tenderizer to break them into pieces.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 jumbo cookie
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
