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If you love chocolate and peppermint – this recipe is for you. I personally am not a huge peppermint lover, and a chocolate peppermint combination has never been on my go to list. However, my husband LOVES the Ghirardelli Chocolate Peppermint Bark Squares and I swear we buy 50 bags every holiday season. We even go after the holiday to scrounge up all the remaining bags that were not purchased. Not exaggerating one bit either.
So I hoped that maybe if I came up with a Chocolate and Peppermint sugar cookie recipe to keep at home my husband would stop spending all our savings on the Ghirardelli chocolate peppermint squares. So far it hasn’t worked, BUT the good news for you is that I am sharing this recipe with you!
This chocolate recipe differs from the Black Magic on the site because we will use only 100% cocoa (or dutch cocoa). I opted to try and capture all the Ghirardelli flavor with this recipe, so I used Ghirardelli 100% cocoa powder. You can opt to use your preferred cocoa of course!
Q & A
Can I use peppermint extract vs. peppermint chocolates in this recipe?
You could, but I designed this recipe to use thinly chopped peppermint chocolates so that the peppermint would be more subtle in each bite. If you chose to omit the finely chopped peppermint chocolates, do so and sub 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract with 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract.
Do I have to finely chop the peppermint chocolate?
If you plan to use this as a roll out sugar recipe as it is intended for, then yes. Leaving larger pieces of the peppermint chocolate will make it difficult to cut clean shapes from the cookie cutters. So the thinner/smaller the peppermint chocolate pieces are, the easier time you will have.
Can I sub the Ghirardelli chocolate peppermint bark with another chocolate peppermint brand?
Of course! Andes would be another great option, and probably a bit more affordable this time of year.
Do I have to use a kitchen scale?
My answer is the same as on all my other recipe – I 100% HIGHLY recommend using a kitchen scale. Why? Because baking is literally a science experiment in your kitchen, and in order to achieve the absolute best results of the recipe you are following, then you NEED to utilize the kitchen scale. But if you still doubt me, I have provided the volume measurements for your convenience.
Tools For The Job
parchment paper
knife for chopping chocolate
Spatula
Chocolate & Peppermint Sugar Cookies
Yields: Approximately 15 cookies, 3” diameter @ ?” thickness
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chill Time: Minimum 2 hours, up to 24 hours (refrigerator)
Bake Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: Approximately 3 – 3 ½ hours
Ingredients
375 g (2 ½ cups) all purpose flour
227 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
120 g (1 cup, very lightly packed) light brown sugar
60 g (¾ cup) 100% cocoa powder (or dutch cocoa powder)
1 egg, room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
84 g (7 squares) of Ghirardelli Chocolate Peppermint Bark, or preferred peppermint chocolate
Directions
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together on medium speed until light in color – approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Scape down bowl, add egg and mix on medium until just combined. Scape down bowl, add vanilla extract and mix on medium until just combined.
In a separate bowl, use fine mesh strainer and sift in cocoa powder. Add flour, baking powder and salt, and mix together thoroughly. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and turn mixer on low. Once most of the ingredients are combined, turn mixer on medium and mix until dough begins to pull away from bowl.
On a sheet of parchment paper, finely chop peppermint chocolate. Add to dough and use a spatula to fold in chocolate.
Place dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll to desired thickness. Place in refrigerator for minimum 2 hours, but no more than 24 hours. You may also freeze the dough by wrapping twice in plastic wrap. Frozen dough can be kept for a few months.
Remove dough from refrigerator and allow to sit on counter for about 10 minutes before beginning to cut shapes. Preheat oven to 375 F. Cut shapes and place on baking sheet lined with silicone baking mat. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Allow cookies to completely cool before handling.
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