These peppermint bark cookies are a holiday favorite in cookie form. Rich chocolatey shortbread dipped in sweet white chocolate with crushed candy cane. The hardest decision you’ll make is whether to gift them or keep them for yourself.
I didn’t grow up eating peppermint bark. I don’t think I knew what it was until I was in high school. But, its a very popular holiday treat. In case you were sheltered like me, it is often a mix of dark and white chocolate and candy cane or peppermint bits. While the candy is fantastic on it’s own, I wanted to try and create some peppermint bark cookies! Most things are better in cookie form if you ask me.
I decided to go with a chocolate shortbread base. I just used Dutch process cocoa, not dark chocolate like actual peppermint bark, but these cookies still have a great rich chocolatey base. Then they are dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with crushed candy cane. They are delicious. They are probably a little less minty than peppermint bark on it’s own but still definitely very reminiscent of the original.
Baking Tips & Notes
Like most shortbread (or sugar cookies honestly), these peppermint bark cookies do require a little bit of chilling. Don’t skip this step as it really will make a big difference in how the cookies bake. They only require an hour, but you could refrigerate them overnight or even about 24 hours. Just make sure your dough is wrapped well so it doesn’t dry out.
The first time I made these peppermint bark cookies, I chilled the dough and rolled them out like you would a roll out sugar cookie. I also tried them as a slice and bake, like many of my other shortbread cookie recipes, and the result was the same. So, whichever you find easier or more enjoyable is what you should do. The taste will not change. Rolling them out could be great if you wanted to make them into something festive like snowflakes.
Peppermint Bark Cookies Key Ingredients
- Candy Canes – I have used crushed candy canes and Andes peppermint crunch on these and both worked well. Candy canes will be more like actual peppermint bark, but the peppermint crunch candy was easier as it’s already in small pieces. A mix of both could work too!
- Cocoa Powder – I would recommend using Dutch process cocoa powder over natural cocoa powder for a richer chocolate flavor. I have also used King Arthur’s Triple cocoa which worked beautifully as well.
- White Chocolate – Skip white chocolate chips and get a good quality white chocolate bar. I usually buy Lindt or Ghirardelli. White chocolate chips have ingredients to help them hold their shape in heat which makes them a little more difficult to melt.
Ingredients
Cookie
- 227 g Unsalted butter 1 cup, room temperature
- 120 g Powdered sugar 1 cup, sifted
- ¾ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Vanilla
- 35 g Dutch process cocoa sifted
- 210 g AP flour ~1 ¾ cup, sifted
Topping
- 6-8 oz White chocolate
- 3-4 Peppermint candy canes crushed
Instructions
- Add butter and sugar into bowl and cream together either by stand or hand mixer. The butter and sugar should be smooth and creamy.
- Add in vanilla and salt and mix in well.
- Sift in cocoa powder and mix into the butter mixture.
- Sift in the flour and mix on low until the dough just starts to come together and look crumbly, Switch to a spatula to finish mixing the dough together.
- Transfer dough to parchment paper or plastic cling wrap, shape into disk (if rolling out and using cookie cutters) or a log (if slicing and baking) and refrigerate for about an hour. Dough can be chilled for longer, however it will need to sit out for about 10 minutes before rolling out.
- For rolling out: After dough has chilled, place either on a lightly floured countertop or between parchment sheets and roll out to ¼ inch thickness. Cookies can be rolled out thicker but it will affect bake time.
- Use a cookie cutter (I used a round 2½ inch) and cut out your cookies. Gather and reroll out scraps to use up dough. If dough gets too warm, place back in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
- For slice and bake: Slice the dough into cookies that are about ¼ inch thick.
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Place all cookies on a parchment lined sheet and chill in the fridge or freezer while your oven preheats.
- Bake cookies on center rack for about 12 minutes. Cookies will still be soft in center. Leave on cookie sheet for 5 minutes after baking then transfer to a wire rack.
- Once cookies have cooled, melt white chocolate either over a double boiler or in the microwave. If using the microwave, use 20 second increments and stir in between to make sure the chocolate doesn't seize.
- Either dip the entire top of cookie into the white chocolate or use an offset spatula or knife to spread over half/all of the cookie. Sprinkle candy cane over chocolate while it's still warm.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Enjoy!
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