Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies

You are going to love these peppermint hot chocolate cookies for this holiday season!

Picture this: you're sitting by the tree in your fuzziest Christmas socks. You have a steaming hot, cup of rich hot chocolate, topped with big fluffy marshmallows and sprinkled with peppermint bits.

Sounds dreamy, right? Well these peppermint hot chocolate cookies capture that dream perfectly, in my opinion!

The chocolate sugar cookies have a rich chocolate flavor. The marshmallow buttercream is like having those fluffy marshmallows on top of your hot chocolate, but better. And the crushed peppermint bits around the edges add the perfect touch of minty-ness!

What are peppermint hot chocolate cookies?

I wanted to develop a recipe for a cookie that captured the essence of a warming cup of peppermint hot chocolate. So in these peppermint hot chocolate cookies, I include flavors of rich chocolate, textures of fluffy and gooey marshmallow, and the feeing of cool peppermint. The best way to get all those delicious elements all together? This awesome, over-the-top sandwich cookie!

These cookies have two crisp, rich chocolate cookies, sandwiched together by a fluffy marshmallow buttercream. Then, the edges are rolled in finely crushed peppermint for a touch of minty flavor.

I love this cookies recipe because it's super simple and requires no chill time, yet they are very rich and delicious!

Ingredients

Here's everything you'll need to make Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies:

For the cookies:

• all-purpose flour
• unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• baking powder
• baking soda
• salt
• granulated sugar
• unsalted butter
• egg

For the marshmallow buttercream:

• unsalted butter
• marshmallow fluff- jar, such as jet puff brand
• powdered sugar
• vanilla extract
• salt
• Crushed peppermint, for rolling- Crush peppermints or candy canes in a plastic bag by hitting them with a rolling pin or a pan, or pulse in a food processor until you get fine bis of peppermint.

How to make peppermint hot chocolate cookies

First, preheat the oven to 375ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Now, make the chocolate sugar cookie dough by sifting together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then, using an electric mixer, cream together room temperature butter and granulated sugar, until it becomes light and fluffy. This will take about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine with the butter and sugar.

With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture and continue beating on low speed until the dough is well combined.

Scoop the cookies using a small cookie scoop, and place the dough balls onto your prepared baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart.

Now, this part is a little unconventional, but works wonders to evenly shape and flatten the cookies to the perfect shape and size. Dip the bottom of a glass into some granulated sugar, and then flatten the balls of dough to about 1/4 inch thick. You may need to carefully remove the dough from the bottom of the glass with a metal spatula, incase it gets stuck.

Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, until the cookies become firm. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cookies bake, make the marshmallow buttercream!

To make the marshmallow buttercream, cream together the room temperature butter and the powdered sugar, until it becomes creamy. Now add the marshmallow fluff, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Mix everything until it's just combined.

Once the cookies have cooled completely, pipe a good amount - about 2-3 tablespoons - of the marshmallow buttercream onto the underside of one cookie. Close the sandwich by pressing another cookie on top, then roll the edges in the crushed peppermint.

Recipe tips:

• Peppermint lovers: if you really love peppermint, add a few drops of peppermint extract to the marshmallow buttercream
• Non-peppermint lovers: don't like peppermint? Leave it out! Rolling these peppermint hot chocolate cookies in crushed peppermint is totally optional. Hot chocolate cookies sound just as good to me!
• Make ahead: this dough can be made ahead and chilled, wrapped in plastic wrap for up to one week. You can also freeze the dough for up to one month; just let it thaw before making the recipe!

If you make these, I would really appreciate if you left a comment and a rating below! Your support helps me continue to be able to bring you free recipes and content! You can also tag me on Instagram @lalaskitchentable if you make one of my recipes- I love to see what you’re making! 🙂

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies

Inspired by the flavors of hot chocolate, these Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies have two chocolate sugar cookies sandwiched together with a marshmallow buttercream and rolled in crushed candy cane.

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (plus more for flattening cookies)
• 10 tbsp unsalted butter ((1 1/4 sticks))
• 1 egg (room temperature)

Marshmallow Buttercream

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 7 ounces marshmallow fluff
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• crushed peppermint (for rolling)

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream sugar and butter until light an fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg; beat to combine. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture; continue beating until dough is combined.

4. Using a cookie scoop, drop dough onto prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Dip bottom of a glass into sugar; press to flatten cookies to about 1/8 inch thick.

5. Bake about 10-12 minutes, until cookies are firm. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks to cool completely.

Marshmallow Buttercream

1. Add butter to the bowl of an electric stand mixer; beat until creamy. Add powdered sugar; mix until light and fluffy. Add marshmallow fluff, and vanilla; briefly beat once more to combine.

2. Add marshmallow buttercream to a piping bag; pipe about 2-3 tablespoons of filling onto the underside of one cookie. Close the sandwich by gently pressing another cookie on top, then roll the sides in crushed peppermint.

3. Filed cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge.