These Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies have a crispy exterior with a chewy interior and full of peppermint bark candy pieces for that chocolate peppermint combination. This easy recipe for cookies is for the die-hard chewy chocolate cookie fan who also loves peppermint.
These chocolate cookies are great any time of year, but are especially nice for the kids to sit out for Santa on Christmas eve! A chewy chocolate cookie with peppermint bark baked in gives that chocolate peppermint flavor that goes so delicious together!
Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies: A traditional Christmas cookie recipe
Variety is great when it comes to Christmas cookies. After all, a plate full of the same thing, while it may be delicious, is not what people expect to see over the holidays. I always make a batch of these Peppermint Bark Cookies and include them with a variety of other Christmas cookies like Eggnog Thumbprints, Italian Christmas Cookies, and more!
People will hang peppermint candy canes on our tree, drink peppermint hot cocoa, and make peppermint flavored adult beverages over the Christmas season. Making these Peppermint Bark Cookies a tradition over the holiday season made sense to me!
What you need to make this recipe
The items listed below are needed to make this recipe. Things you may not have on hand and will need, or suggestions of what I use to make the process easier. This is not a complete list of ingredients.
Peppermint Bark: this is white chocolate with crushed peppermint in it. I like the little squares that are made just for cookies. I have used this brand also.
Cocoa Powder: I think the cocoa powder adds to the crackle-ness of this cookie. The top will sort of "crackle" and not be smooth.
Hand Mixer: Sure, you can stir by hand, but a hand mixer makes it a whole lot quicker and easier. Creaming butter and sugar by hand will take time.
Mixing Bowls: This is a set of different sizes. I love the ones with lids because they double as a storage bowl also!
Baking Sheet: A large baking sheet is my favorite. I like to bake more than a dozen cookies at a time to save on baking time.
Parchment Paper: Always a must when baking cookies. This keeps your baking sheet clean and prevents cookies from sticking.
Cookie Scoop: I like to use a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop to get uniform sized cookies.
Variations to Peppermint Bark Cookies
There are so many different things you can do to make this Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookie recipe your own! Below are some suggestions.
- Stir in some mini chocolate chips with the peppermint bark to add a double chocolate flavor.
- Add ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- User a Dark Cocoa Powder for extra dark chocolate cookies
- Substitute crushed candy canes for the peppermint bark
- Use a large cookie scoop for super-sized cookies. They will need to bake longer and you will get half the number of cookies when doing this.
Tips for the best results with this recipe
This recipe is super easy, however, below are some tips that will help you to be sure to get the best results with these cookies.
Peppermint Bark on top: If you like the look of pieces of peppermint bark on top, then add a few broken pieces to the top of the cookie the last 2 minutes of baking time. By then the cookie will have spread out enough for you to have room to add a few pieces.
Cool the cookies: Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before moving to the cooling rack and cool 30 minutes before storing. These cookies can be fragile when straight out of the oven.
Store in an air-tight container: These cookies will dry out if they are not stored correctly. I have stored these in an air-tight container on the counter for 5 days without a texture change. If they will be stored longer than 5 days, they should be put in the freezer.
Peppermint Bark Cookies are great for shipping!
Many people like to ship cookies to friends or family. Because these cookies are a sturdy cookie, they are great to include in a Christmas care package.
When shipping cookies, I love to use these cookie tins. If I am shipping different types of cookies, I always place a layer of wax paper between the cookies to keep them separate. I also love to fill these cookie tins and use them as hostess gifts!
Other Christmas Cookies to make
It just isn't Christmas if you don't have a variety of cookies to make! A tray full of festive cookies is always a welcome gift and of course, the family loves to see these on the table for those holiday gatherings also!
Poinsettia Ball Cookies are not only easy but are so pretty on the cookie tray! These nutmeg flavored balls are decorated with candied green and red cherries for that holiday look.
Chewy Mocha Toffee Chip Cookies may not look like the holidays, but they are absolutely delicious (one of my very favorite cookies) and disappear in a heartbeat!
These Santa's Swirl Cookies are a colorful slice and bake cookie with festive holiday colors!
Snowman Cookies are extra special to me. My children's last name is Snow and I always called them my little snowmen! These are fun and very holiday. The kids will love to make them.
Peppermint Meltaways will absolutely melt in your mouth and are loved by all peppermint fans.
If you love old fashioned soft cookies, these Sour Cream Drop Cookies are just what you are looking for. Frost and decorate them with holiday jimmies.
Candy Cane Cookies - peppermint flavored red and white cookie dough twisted into a candy cane shape.
Did you make these Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies?
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Don't miss my top 25 Christmas Cookies on Grumpy's Honeybunch!
Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies
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Ingredients
- ½ cup room temperature butter
- 1-½ cups brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1-½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-¾ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1-½ cups peppermint bark chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar with a hand mixer until completely blended. Add one egg at a time until well blended.
- Stir in the vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until completely blended. Fold in the Peppermint Bark Baking Bits.
- Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet with parchment paper about 3 inches apart.
- Bake for 12 minutes or until cookies give only slightly to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Amanda
Thank you so much for posting this recipe!! I haven't been able to find it since that one year when they sold the peppermint bark bits!! fwiw for others, this year, I found this recipe too late and everyone was sold out of peppermint bark. So, I substituted with cinnamon chips in the fashion of chocolate chips and then seasoned with sea salt as suggested by someone else. Truly fantastic flavor. Neighbors and my family were raving.
Parsley Sage
One of my all time favorite types of cookies given a lovely Christmasy reboot 🙂 Love it!
Rachel Ring
I assume that these Peppermint Baking Chips are like chocolate chips and you therefore avoid the sharp shards of broken Peppermints in your cookies!? LOVE this, I'll be shopping soon 🙂
Jeff @ Cheeseburger
This is definitely going to my go to cookie recipe list.
bellini
The closest Trader Joe's would be in Vancouver but that would never stop me from making these tasty and crisp cookies.
Jersey Girl Cooks
Great cookie! I love everything about Trader Joe's. The sea salt is a nice addition....salt tastes great on deserts.
Stacy
I DO love sweet and salty and I will definitely sprinkle a little sea salt when I make these! I have been invited to a cookie exchange next week and these would be perfect. I am living Dubai right now without access to Trader Joe's but I was thinking I could make my peppermint bark early this year. And if it's not too early: Merry Christmas!
Peggy Clyde
What a great looking cookie. I always have broken candy canes. Maybe they could be crushed and added to these cookies also. Thanks.