Peppermint Bark Cookies

These Christmas cookies capture everything we love about a classic confection in a chewier, fudgier package. Learn how to make peppermint bark cookies here.

👥 14 Servings👤 Jesse Szewczyk📖 bonappetit

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🥘 Ingredients

Check off ingredients as you prepare them:

🍳 Cookware

●skillet
●oven
●saucepan
●bowl
●whisk
●spatula
●baking sheet
●pan

📝 Preparation Steps

Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 350°. Place 3 full-size or 6 mini candy canes in a resealable plastic bag; seal bag and coarsely crush candy with a rolling pin or a skillet. Set candy canes aside.

full-size or 6 mini candy canes3

Heat ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium, stirring constantly, until it foams, then browns, about ⏱️ 4 minutes. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl and add ½ cup (packed; 100 g) dark brown sugar, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, and 1 Tbsp. water; whisk vigorously until sugarsare dissolved and mixture is smooth and elastic, about ⏱️ 2 minutes. Add 1 large egg, 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract, and ½ tsp. peppermint extract and whisk until smooth, about ⏱️ 1 minute. Add 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (45 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, ½ tsp. baking powder, and ½ tsp. baking soda and mix with a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms and no pockets of dry flour remain. Let dough sit, uncovered, at room temperature ⏱️ 15 minutes. (This will allow it to stiffen up slightly, making rolling it into balls easier.)

large egg1. vanilla extract1 Tbsp½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter½ cup (packed; 100 g) dark brown sugar½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour1½ cup (45 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt1

Using a #30 cookie scoop (about 2 Tbsp.) and working one at a time, scoop out portions of dough and roll into smooth balls. Divide between 2 parchment-paper-lined baking sheets, spacing at least 2" apart (about 7 per sheet).

Bake cookies, rotating pans top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until puffed slightly and cracks have formed, 8–⏱️ 10 minutes. Let cookies cool on baking sheets ⏱️ 2 minutes. (They should be very warm but not piping hot.)

While cookies are baking, cut or break one 4-oz. white chocolate bar into irregular angular shards that will fit nicely in the centers of cookies (about 1x1").

4-oz. white chocolate bar1

Gently press chocolate pieces into centers of cookies (they should sit almost flush with tops of cookies; you can use 2 pieces in a cookie if shards are small), then return to oven and bake just until tops of chocolate pieces are barely melted, about ⏱️ 30 seconds. Immediately sprinkle reserved candy canes on top. Let cookies sit on baking sheets at room temperature ⏱️ 4 hours to allow chocolate to harden. (Or, chill ⏱️ 30 minutes to speed up the process.) Do Ahead: Cookies can be baked 4 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

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