Peppermint Brownie Cookies
Fudgy brownie cookies with a crisp, crackly top, infused with peppermint and sprinkled with crushed candy canes.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped, 225g
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 85g
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 165g
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50g
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 90g
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 25g
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes 40g
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the chopped chocolate and butter. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring well after each, until the mixture is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on high speed. Continue for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture is pale, thick, and ribbon-like.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low. Slowly pour in the slightly cooled chocolate-butter mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Add the vanilla and peppermint extracts and mix briefly.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and espresso powder to the bowl. Mix on low speed only until the dry ingredients are just combined and no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- The batter will be soft. Working quickly, use a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop to drop mounds of batter onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies should have crackly tops and set edges, but the centers will still be soft.
- Remove the baking sheets from the oven. Immediately sprinkle the crushed peppermint candies over the hot cookies.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
For the best crackly tops, scoop and bake the dough as soon as it is mixed. Letting the batter sit can cause it to deflate.
Finely chopping the chocolate helps it melt quickly and evenly with the butter.
The espresso powder enhances the chocolate flavor but can be omitted if you don't have it.
This recipe contains raw eggs in the batter. Handle the raw batter safely and wash hands and surfaces after contact.