Whip up a batch of these Candy Cane Brownie Cookies for this holiday season. The chewy edges paired with that peppermint flavor will put you in cookie heaven. These delicious cookies are perfect for a simple holiday treat!
It's the perfect time of year to have the oven going all the time. What I love about this simple holiday cookie recipe is that it's the perfect hybrid of a brownie and a cookie, all in one. They are a Crumbl copycat and even better than the original in my opinion.
Not only do they taste amazing, but they look great sitting on the cookie tray, too! If you're in the mood for a festive brownie cookie recipe, you really can't top this one.
My favorite thing about these cakey cookies is that they're great for snacking and sharing at cookie swaps.
I'm obsessed with the minty flavor, and I've made these Christmas cookies a staple in my kitchen during the Christmas cookie season.
Be sure to check out my Christmas Cookie Fudge Recipe for another fan favorite this time of year. Or make a show-stopping Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cheesecake!
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Ingredients
Chocolate Cookies
- Sugar - I use white granulated sugar.
- Flour - All-purpose flour is fine.
- Cocoa powder - Choose one you enjoy that isn't very bitter.
- Brown sugar - Combined with white sugar it gives a nice warm flavor.
- Baking soda - Always check that it is active.
- Salt - Adding salt enhances all the other flavors.
- Salted butter - If you use unsalted butter add an extra pinch of salt.
- Egg - Egg is the binder in this recipe, I don't think you can omit it.
- Peppermint extract - For the best flavor make sure it says peppermint and not mint extract.
- Vanilla extract - Vanilla enhances the other flavors.
Peppermint Buttercream
- Powdered sugar - Powdered or confectioner sugar works best for icing.
- Salted butter - The added salt balances the sweetness.
- Milk - Use milk to thin the frosting.
- Peppermint extract
Ganache
- Chocolate chips - We use semi-sweet chocolate chips but other varieties such as dark chocolate chips work as well.
- Heavy cream - Adding cream keeps the consistency soft.
Topping
- Candy canes - You can also crush up another shape of peppermint candies.
How To Make Peppermint Brownie Cookies
It is easier to make fudgy peppermint brownie cookies than you think. All you need is a few bowls and a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
Step One: Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly.
Step Two: Add the wet ingredients and mix until a thick batter forms.
Step Three: Scoop the brownie batter onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. I use a medium-sized cookie scoop.
Step Four: Bake and cool the cookies. Once they are cool enough to touch gently press the tops down to flatten them. This way you have a flat surface for the icing and ganache.
Step Five: Mix up the buttercream and ganache. Spread the cookies with icing, let rest for a few minutes to set, and then spread with ganache. Sprinkle on the crushed candy canes.
Top Tip
Make sure your butter is the temperature specified in the recipe. In this recipe, I use melted butter in the cookies and very soft butter in the frosting.
Variations
While these chewy brownie cookies are pretty simple as is, have fun with the options on how you can change and alter them.
Add espresso powder - Kick up the flavor of these easy brownie cookies by adding a pop of caffeine!
Have fun with a cookie cutter - Peppermint cookies like this are cute any way you make them, but fun cookie cutters are never a bad idea. You can make round cookies, shaped cookies, or a mixture of the two.
Add dark chocolate chunks - Or any type of chocolate chunks. This is a fun way to add more chocolate flavor to these fudgy brownie cookies. You've got options from milk chocolate to white chocolate, too.
Add different toppings - There are options to coat the top of these cookies. You can dip half of each cookie into melted white chocolate or only sprinkle on crushed peppermint candies.
You also don't have to put anything on the top of the cookies to be able to put all the focus on the fudgy centers. It's totally up to you!
Common Questions
What is the best way to crush peppermint candy?
To sprinkle on some crushed peppermints, you will need to crush the candies first. (don't forget that you can also use crushed candy canes!)
Put the candies into a sealable plastic bag, and then crush them using a meat mallet or a rolling pin. You can also add the candies to the food processor to break them up.
What if I don't want to add peppermint candies to the cookies?
That's totally fine! Some people don't care to have a crunch on their cookies, and this is where you can pivot.
Adding a touch of peppermint extract is a simple fix to be sure that the flavor still stands out in these peppermint brownies, or you can crush up peppermint bark chocolate and use that instead.
The great thing about making these fudgy chocolate cookies is that there are numerous ways to have that peppermint flavor throughout the entire cookie. It doesn't have to be crushed peppermint or nothing at all.
Why are my cookies not the same size?
If you're rolling the cookie dough balls by hand, it can be really hard to eyeball them and have them be the same size. The best way that I've learned throughout the years to get uniform-size cookies is to use a cookie scoop.
That way, you can scoop out the exact amount of dough that is going to be similar in size for each cookie.
​How do I know when the cookies are done baking?
There are two ways to be sure that you don't overbake your cookies. The first is to let your nose be your guide. When I'm baking a batch of cookies, I always know that the second I start to smell the cookies, they're very close to being done baking.
The second way (and the more accurate way) is to visually look at the cookies. The edges of the cookies should be firm and dark, indicating that they're cooked. The middle of the cookie shouldn't be jiggly at all, and the shine on top of the cookies should be dull.
How do I let cookies cool?
If you try and eat the cookies before they are done cooling, you risk burning your mouth. You also risk the cookies crumbling and falling apart because they haven't quite firmed yet from the hot heat in the oven.
Move the cookies from the prepared baking sheet to a cooling rack to let them cool down a bit. This will help to give that chewy cookie texture and also help them firm up to be able to eat and enjoy.
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📖 Recipe
Candy Cane Brownie Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup flour
- â…“ cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- â…“ cup salted butter very soft or melted
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Peppermint Buttercream
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon salted butter very soft
- 1-2 teaspoon milk
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
Ganache
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream
Topping
- 2 tablespoon candy canes crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl stir together the flour, sugars, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and butter. Mix until smooth.
- Scoop 18 cookies, rolling each in powdered sugar before placing them on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, until barely set. Press down while warm so they are flat across the tops.
Buttercream
- Stir together the butter and powdered sugar. Add the extract. Add milk, a few drops at a time, until a spreadable consistency.
Ganache
- Put the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds. Stir. Repeat until 75% melted. Stir until all the chips melt.
Assembly
- Spread buttercream on each cookie.
- Top with ganache.
- Sprinkle with candy canes.
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