White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies: A Classic Holiday Treat
I absolutely love making White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies when the holidays roll around! The smell of peppermint fills my kitchen and makes everything feel so festive. These cookies taste like Christmas in every bite.
The white chocolate melts in your mouth. The peppermint gives you that cool, refreshing flavor. My family asks for these cookies every single December. They’re soft in the middle and crispy on the edges.
I make them for cookie swaps, Christmas parties, and cozy nights at home. They disappear SO fast! Want to know the best part? They’re super easy to make. You’ll love baking these during the holiday season.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You probably have most of these ingredients in your kitchen right now! Just grab a few holiday extras. See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
- Unsalted Butter: Makes your cookies soft and gives them that rich, buttery taste we all love.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create those perfect crispy edges on your cookies.
- Large Egg: Holds everything together and makes your cookies nice and moist inside.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Makes everything taste better and works perfectly with chocolate and peppermint.
- All-Purpose Flour: This is what gives your cookies their shape and keeps them together.
- White Chocolate Chips: Melts into sweet, creamy pockets of yumminess in every single bite.
- Peppermint Pieces: Gives you that fresh minty taste and makes your cookies look festive.
How to Make White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Ready to bake? These cookies are really simple to make. Just follow along with me!
Step 1: Preheat Your Oven
Turn your oven to 350°F and put parchment paper on your baking sheets. This gets everything ready, so your cookies bake evenly.
Step 2: Prepare the Peppermint
Chop up your peppermint into small pieces. You want about 1/3 cup total. These will coat the tops of your cookies later!
Step 3: Cream Wet Ingredients
Put 1 cup softened butter and 1 cup sugar in your bowl. Mix them together until fluffy. Then add your egg and vanilla. Keep mixing!
Step 4: Mix in Dry Ingredients
Now add 2½ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix it all up, but don’t overmix or your cookies will be tough.
Step 5: Fold in Mix-Ins
Time to add 1 cup white chocolate chips! Gently fold them in so they’re spread out evenly. Every cookie will have chocolate. Yum!
Step 6: Shape and Coat Cookies
Roll your dough into 18 balls. Make them about 1.5 to 2 inches big. Dip the tops in your crushed peppermint and press down gently.
Step 7: Bake the Cookies
Put your cookies on the baking sheets and bake for 10 to 11 minutes. The edges should be set, but the middles still look soft.
Let cookies sit on the sheet for 1 to 2 minutes. Then move them to your cooling rack. Wait 10 minutes and then ENJOY!
Tips for the Best White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Use soft butter that’s been sitting out so it mixes better and makes fluffier cookies.
- Don’t bake too long or they’ll get hard! Take them out when they still look a little soft.
- Press that peppermint on firmly so it doesn’t fall off when you’re baking them.
- Chill your dough for a bit if it gets too sticky to roll into balls easily.
- Buy good white chocolate because it really does make your cookies taste way better!
Variations and Substitutions
Want to change things up a bit? Here are some fun ideas you can try with this recipe!
- Dark Chocolate Substitute: Swap white chocolate for dark chocolate chips if you want a richer chocolate taste instead.
- Candy Cane Option: Use crushed candy canes instead! They taste the same and look super pretty and festive.
- Extract Alternative: Add peppermint extract to your dough for an even stronger minty flavor throughout the cookies.
- Gluten-Free Version: Use gluten-free flour instead! Just use the same amount as regular flour for easy swapping.
If you’re looking for more holiday cookies, try Orange Cranberry Cookies or White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies, too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these cookies ahead of time?
Yes! Make your dough two days early and keep it in the fridge. Or freeze the dough balls for three months.
How should I store these cookies?
Put cooled cookies in a container with a lid. Keep them at room temperature, and they’ll stay fresh for five days.
Can I freeze baked cookies?
You sure can! Let them cool completely first. Freeze them for up to three months and thaw on the counter later.
Why are my cookies spreading too much?
Your butter might be too soft. Try putting your dough in the fridge for thirty minutes before you bake them.
Can I use milk chocolate instead?
Yes! Milk chocolate works great, too. Your cookies will just taste a little different but still delicious and sweet.
How do I prevent peppermint from falling off?
Press those pieces on firmly! Then, put the cookies peppermint side up on your sheet when you bake them.
Can I make smaller or larger cookies?
Of course! Just watch your baking time. Small cookies bake faster, and big cookies need a few extra minutes.
What if I don’t have peppermint pieces?
No worries! Just crush up some candy canes or peppermint candies. They work just as well and taste the same.
White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies: A Classic Holiday Treat
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup peppermint pieces, crushed
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper right now.
- Chop peppermint pieces into small bits until you have one-third cup of crushed peppermint pieces.
- Cream softened butter and sugar in your big bowl until the mixture is light and super fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until everything is mixed together smoothly in your bowl now.
- Add flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients and mix until combined but not too much.
- Gently fold white chocolate chips into the dough, so they’re spread out evenly in all your dough.
- Roll the dough into 18 balls that are about 1.5 to 2 inches around each one.
- Dip the top of each ball into crushed peppermint and press gently so the pieces stick on really well.
- Put coated dough balls on your prepared baking sheets with some space between each cookie ball.
- Bake for 10 minutes until edges are set, but centers still look a little bit soft.
- Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 1 minute before you move them to the rack carefully.
- Move cookies to your wire cooling rack and let them cool for 10 minutes before eating them.
- Serve them warm or at room temperature and enjoy these tasty holiday cookies with everyone!
Notes
- Butter should be soft and at room temperature so it mixes better and makes great cookies.
- Cookies look a little underdone when you take them out, but they firm up as they cool.
- Press peppermint pieces firmly onto dough so they don’t fall off while cookies are baking hot.
- Store leftover cookies in a container with a lid at room temperature for up to five days.
- Cookie dough balls can be frozen for three months and baked straight from the freezer easily.
