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The edges should look firm when these cookies come out of the oven, even if the centers still feel soft. That little window matters: leave them on the hot baking sheet for five minutes, and they finish setting without drying out. I use the same cue for these White Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Chocolate Cookies every time.

The dough gets a short chill before baking, which makes it easier to portion and helps the cookies hold their shape. Once they’re completely cool, half of each cookie gets dipped in smooth white chocolate and finished with crushed peppermint candies. You get a tender cocoa cookie, a crisp coating, and a bright peppermint crunch in each bite.

The 30-Minute Chill Is What Keeps Soft-Butter Dough in Shape

This dough starts with softened butter, which creams easily with the sugars but is also warm enough to make a soft dough. Refrigerating it before baking gives the butter time to firm up again. That helps the cookies bake into rounds instead of spreading too quickly across the pan.

The chill also makes the dough less sticky to portion. You can scoop more consistent cookies without working extra flour into the dough, which would change their texture. Keep the dough covered while it rests so its surface doesn’t dry out.

Thirty minutes is enough to firm the dough while keeping it easy to scoop. If the dough goes into the oven warm and loose, the cookies may spread more and bake unevenly. This pause is especially useful here because the cookies need a sturdy shape to hold their half-dipped coating neatly.

Why the Peppermint Extract and Crushed Candy Aren’t Interchangeable

• Unsweetened cocoa powder gives the dough its chocolate flavor without adding sweetness. Use cocoa powder rather than a sweetened drink mix, which would change the balance of the dough.
• Flour gives the cookies structure. Spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off; scooping straight from the bag can pack in extra flour and make the cookies dry.
• Butter and sugars create the creamy base and balance the cocoa. The butter should be softened so it can cream smoothly with the granulated and packed light brown sugars.
• Egg and extracts bind and flavor the dough. A room-temperature egg blends into the creamed butter more evenly, while vanilla rounds out the cocoa and peppermint extract brings mint through the cookie itself.
• White chocolate makes the coating. Finely chopped pieces melt more evenly in the microwave than large chunks, so the coating is easier to dip into while smooth.
• Crushed peppermint candies provide the crisp, sweet topping. Their crunch is different from the peppermint extract’s flavor in the dough; both are doing their own job.

How to Bake and Dip the Cookies Without Rushing the Cooling

Mix the cocoa dough until it just comes together

Heat the oven to 350°F and line two 13×18-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with both sugars on medium speed until creamy, about two minutes, then beat in the egg and both extracts. Add the dry mixture on low and stop as soon as no dry streaks remain; overmixing after the flour goes in can make cookies tougher.

Chill, then portion evenly

Cover the dough and refrigerate it for 30 minutes. Scoop it into 24 portions, about two tablespoons each, and arrange 12 on each prepared baking sheet. Leave about two inches between portions so the cookies have room to spread. If the dough feels sticky, work promptly rather than adding extra flour.

Bake until the edges look firm

Bake for 10–12 minutes, switching the sheets and rotating them halfway through. The tops should look set and the edges should be firm when you take the cookies out. Don’t wait for the centers to feel completely hard; they continue setting on the hot baking sheets. Let them sit there for five minutes before transferring them to wire racks.

Dip only after the cookies are completely cool

Let the cookies cool completely on the wire racks before you start the coating. Put the finely chopped white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it at 50% power in 20-second intervals, stirring between each one, until smooth. Dip half of each cookie, let the extra chocolate drip back into the bowl, then sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies. Set the cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets and leave the coating at room temperature until firm, about 30–45 minutes.

Three Simple Ways to Change the Peppermint-Chocolate Finish

Questions That Come Up When Making These Peppermint Cookies

White Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Chocolate Cookies

White chocolate dipped peppermint chocolate cookies pair rich cocoa cookies with a smooth white chocolate coating and crushed peppermint candies. Chill the dough before baking, then dip each completely cooled cookie for a crisp, festive finish.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Chilling and cooling 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 52 minutes mins

Servings: 24 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 250

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the cookies

• 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• 0.5 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 0.5 tsp baking soda
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter softened
• 0.75 cup granulated sugar
• 0.5 cup light brown sugar packed
• 1 egg large, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 0.5 tsp peppermint extract

For the coating

• 12 oz white chocolate finely chopped
• 0.5 cup peppermint candies crushed

Equipment

• 2 13x18-inch rimmed baking sheet
• 1 electric mixer
• 1 microwave

Method

 

Make the cookies

1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Line two 13x18-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
4. In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
5. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until combined.
6. Add the flour mixture and mix on low just until no dry streaks remain.
7. Cover the dough and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.
8. Scoop the dough into 24 portions, about 2 tablespoons each, and arrange 12 on each prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
9. Bake for 10–12 minutes, switching and rotating the sheets halfway through, until the tops look set and the edges are firm.
10. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
11. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Dip the cookies

1. Melt the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl at 50% power in 20-second intervals, stirring between intervals, until smooth.
2. Dip half of each cooled cookie into the melted white chocolate and let the excess drip back into the bowl.
3. Immediately sprinkle the cookies with crushed peppermint candies.
4. Set the cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets and let the coating firm at room temperature for 30–45 minutes.

Notes

For the neatest coating, make sure the cookies are completely cool before dipping. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; these cookies freeze well. For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.