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Family-friendly meals made easy!
Make everyday family moments count, with easy recipes that everyone will love. Join our email community to receive tested recipes and tips.
Make everyday family moments count, with easy recipes that everyone will love. Join our email community to receive tested recipes and tips.
These easy holiday peppermint cookies are dressed up for the season and perfect for Christmas baking. Made with sugar cookie dough, crushed peppermint candy, and melted vanilla baking chips, these festive peppermint cookies are sweet, minty, and full of crunch. With peppermint flavor in both the cookie dough and coating, these cookies truly live up to their name, Double Peppermint Crunch Cookies.
Here’s a look at what you’ll need to make these peppermint cookies.
Refrigerated Pillsbury™ Sugar Cookie Dough: Using our pre-made dough is a time-saving shortcut that helps these cookies come together in a snap.
All-Purpose Flour: A small amount of flour firms up the dough so the cookies don’t spread too much while baking.
Peppermint Candies: Classic peppermint hard candies add crunch, bright mint flavor, and that classic holiday look. Look for peppermint candies only—spearmint or wintergreen will not work here.
White Vanilla Baking Chips: White baking chips melt into a smooth, creamy coating. Don’t substitute with white candy melts which don’t have the same texture or flavor.
Oil: A bit of oil helps thin the melted chocolate for easier dipping and a smooth, shiny coating once set. Coconut oil works best, but any neutral oil like canola or another vegetable oil will also work.
Peppermint Extract: Adds a mint flavor boost so it comes through in every bite.
Wondering how easy it is to make these cookies? Look below for a preview. Follow the recipe for more details.
Mix the flour and half the crushed candies into the dough.
Form the dough into 24 small balls, and bake until barely golden at the edges.
Melt the white baking chips and the oil until smooth and shiny; stir in peppermint extract.
Dip the cookies into the white coating, sprinkle with more peppermint candies, and let set. Enjoy!
We doubt you’ll have any, but here’s how to store leftovers.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If stacking, separate the layers with a piece of parchment paper to prevent the peppermint coating from smearing.
We don’t recommend storing these cookies in the refrigerator as the candy can become too moist and begin to dissolve.
Adjust oven racks so two shelves are positioned near the center of the oven, leaving enough space between them for air to circulate evenly around both baking sheets. Heat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for nonstick baking sheets). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in flour and half (1/3 cup) of the crushed candies, until well mixed. (DO NOT EAT RAW COOKIE DOUGH AFTER COMBINING WITH FLOUR.)
Shape dough into 24 equal balls, about 1 tablespoon each, and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are light golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
In a medium microwavable bowl, microwave chips and oil uncovered on High 1 minute to 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Add peppermint extract and stir to combine.
Dip half of each cookie into melted chip mixture, allowing excess to drip off, and place on parchment paper. Sprinkle dipped half of each cookie with remaining (1/3 cup) crushed candies. Let stand about 20 minutes or until set.
The round, swirled red and white peppermint hard candies you’re used to seeing are usually called starlights—you may see them called peppermint starlights or starlight peppermint candies. They have a great crunch and a strong peppermint flavor! If you can’t find them, feel free to substitute with classic candy canes instead. Just crush enough to make 2/3 cup and use as directed.
This recipe was developed and tested with both baking sheets in the oven at the same time, and in most ovens, they should bake evenly without needing to rotate the pans. However, if your oven tends to bake unevenly or has noticeable hot spots, you can rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking by switching the top and bottom pans and turning each sheet 180 degrees to promote more even browning and baking.
