Chocolate and peppermint have this magical ability to turn a simple shortbread into a full-on holiday moment. These Peppermint Chocolate Shortbread Cookies are buttery, crisp, and deeply chocolatey, with a refreshing minty crunch that feels festive without any extra fuss.
Shortbread cookies are my love language: nothing says ‘I care’ more than a crisp, buttery, melt-in-the-mouth cookie that makes you forget you even promised to share. And here we have the sweetest holiday shortbread moment: buttery edges, peppermint sparkle, and just enough chocolate to keep things interesting.
These will look particularly great right next to some Chocolate Thumb Print Cookies, and a pile of Hazelnut Linzer Cookies.
About The Ingredients
The complete recipe is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card, here are some notes and information on the key ingredients in the recipe, their rule and substitutions when possible.
- Pepper Mint Candy. I used the classic star hard candy, and you can also use a candy cane, as long as you enjoy eating it, and it is not a soft candy. (soft candy will become a sticky mush). BTW, look at the package nutrition label for weigh reference (we’re using 15g).
- Pepper Mint Extract. The best way to add the intense minty fresh flavor of pepper mint. If you are not a fan, or not sure, then reduce it by half (1/2 teaspoon), or skip it. I tested both options, and found that the crushed pepper mint provides a sweet “hint” of the flavor.
- Chocolate. This recipe uses both melted chocolate and cocoa powder for extra-rich chocolate flavor that perfectly balances the peppermint. If you prefer a lighter chocolate taste, replace 2–3 tablespoons of the cocoa (15–22g) with cornstarch.
Make It
Below are step by step images for a visual cue, and my tips, tricks and notes for the perfect results.
- Use a rolling pin to crush the candy cane inside a plastic bag: start with pounding the rolling pin to break the candy, then roll the bag to smash the candy into a fine powder.
- The crushed candy does melt into the dough, it gives the cookies, a rough surface. (Personally I like the homey and not perfect look.)
- When you mix the flour and cocoa powder with the creamed mixture, it will take some time for the mixture to turn into a smooth dough. At first it will look crumbly and dry, but keep mixing, it will come together.
- You can shape the cookies using two methods: roll the dough into 1/4-inch thick then use a cookie cutter to cut it. Or, roll each half of the dough into an 8-inch log, cover it with parchment paper, or plastic paper and freeze for 10 minutes, so the dough won’t go flat. Then slice into 1/4-1/2-inch thick, place over the baking pan and bake.
- If the dough is very sticky, refrigerate it to solidify the butter for about 10-15 minutes.
- Bigger and thicker cookies need longer baking time, unless you have a preference to softer, less crumbly cookies.
Yield and Storing
This recipe makes for about 30 small slice and bake cookies, or 12-15 cut out cookies using 2-inch cookie cutters.
Store the cookies at room temperature for up to five days, or freeze in an airtight container (or a freeze bag) for up to three weeks.
Chocolate Peppermint Shortbread Cookies (no chill)
Buttery chocolate shortbread with a cool peppermint crunch. Crisp, delicate, and perfectly festive with deep cocoa flavor and refreshing mint in every bite.
Servings 18 Cookies
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookies
- 3/4 cup (170g) Unsalted butter, soften
- 1/4 Cup (50g) Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Peppermint extract
- 1 Tablespoon (15g) Finely crushed peppermint candy
- 1/4 Cup (40g) Semi-sweet melted chocolate (40 g / 1.5 oz)
- 1 1/2 Cup (180g) All-Purpose Flour
- 1/3 Cup (30g) Cocoa powder
Chocolate dip
- 1/2 Cup (85) Semi-sweet chocolate chip
- 1 tsp Vegetable shortening
- Peppermint candy, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the peppermint candies in a ziplock bag and crush it using a rolling pin.
- Cream butter (170g), sugar (50g), crushed candy (15g), and peppermint extract until you have a cohesive mixture.
- Pour in the melted chocolate (40g) and mix to fully incorporate.
- Add the flour (180g) and cocoa powder (30g), mixing until the dough comes together. It should feel soft and smooth, not sticky, and press easily into a cohesive mass.The mixture will go from being crumbly and dry to a soft, hydrated dough.
- Press the mixture into a large piece of dough, then divide it to two.
- Roll each piece between two pieces of parchment paper into a 1/4-inch thick.
- Use your choice of cookie cutter to cut the dough and gently lift it and place over the prepared cookie pan.
- Use a tooth pick to prick the surface of the cookies.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes depending on the size and thickness of the cookies.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool before filling and decorating.
Chocolate glaze
- Place the chopped chocolate in a medium bowl and melt it in the microwave using 30 second increments. Mix in the vegetable oil.
- Dip the chilled cookies in the chocolate glaze, and sprinkle with crushed candy.
Notes
- Store for up to five days at room temperature, or freeze in a freeze bag for up to three weeks.
- For a slice and bake cookies (up to 30 1.5-inch cookies), roll each half into an 8-inch log, cover then freeze for 10 minutes. Use a sharp knife to slice the logs into 1/4-1/2 inch cookies. Place over a cookie pan lined with parchment paper and bake.
- These cookies have an intense chocolate flavor, for a milder flavor replace 2-3 tablespoons of the cocoa powder with cornstarch.
- The pepper mint extract give the cookies a deep minty flavor, you can reduce it to 1/2 teaspoon or remove it. The crushed candy gives a very mild flavor, more like a “hint of” pepper mint.
- The bigger, and thicker the cookies the longer they need to bake. Sliced and baked cookies were baked over the middle oven rack for 15 minutes. The cut out cookies were baked 22 minutes. (I tried for 18 minutes and they were soft and not so crumbly).
