White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Ingredient Notes

This recipe uses a similar cookie dough base as my Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies.

A few tweaks turn them into white chocolate peppermint cookies:

• This dough has less granulated sugar than some of my other recipes.
• Peppermint extract adds a consistent bite while crushed candy canes add a bit of crunch to the cookie. Small bits of peppermint will soften when baked, so I sprinkle a bit more on top after baking along with a white chocolate drizzle.
• An optional drizzle of melted white chocolate gives these a fun, cheerful finish!

Recipe Tips for Baking Perfect Cookies

The full instructions for this recipe are in the card at the bottom of this post, but I answer common questions in this section.

Smooth Dough. If you see chunks of butter when you cream the butter and sugar, the butter wasn't quite the correct temperature. Allow the batter to sit for 10 minutes and mix again. Don’t proceed until it's completely mixed.

Use a cookie scoop. I use a #40 medium cookie dropper (a little over a tablespoon). I scoop up a slightly rounded mound which translates to cookies that are about 3 inches in diameter. I get many questions about what a slightly rounded scoop looks like, so I’ve included a photo above.

If you're not a peppermint fan, omit the peppermint extract. We tested these versions side by side. According to my little taste testers, “They are different, but I don’t know that I’d notice if they weren’t side by side.”

Don’t overmix the dough. A stand mixer or hand mixer work equally well for this recipe, but overmixed cookies won’t rise as well. The dough is quite thick. Don’t be surprised if you find folding in the candy canes and white chocolate chips to be a bit challenging.

Do NOT chill the dough. When room temp, the butter and fats and leavening are perfect as is. I've honestly tested this so many times, using all kinds of methods and different lengths of time. My conclusion is that there's absolutely no need to chill this cookie dough as long as the butter was kept at room temperature.

Pro Tip: The secret to success is to place an additional 3-4 chips and to sprinkle more crushed candy canes on top of cookies as they come out of the oven. Sprinkle them on organically and then gently press so they stay put.

Tips for the Best Texture and Shape

• Soft butter. Room temperature butter means that you can push a finger into it, but it's still solid (you can pick it up and move it easily). Too cold makes dense cookies.
• Parchment paper. Keep your cookies round by using a silicone mat (or parchment paper). Slide the mat from the cookie sheet to a cooling rack. Let them cool for several minutes, until the edges have hardened. Remove cookies from the mat.
• Weigh your flour. Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake. If you don't have a scale with grams, fluff your flour with a spoon. Sprinkle flour into your measuring cup and use a knife to level it off.
• Add nuts if desired. You can totally add nuts to this recipe for some extra crunch. I would suggest macadamia, pecans, or walnuts.
• Don't crush the candy canes too fine: A mix of small shards + peppermint "dust" gives the best flavor and texture contrast.
• Want perfectly round cookies? Immediately from the oven, use a large glass or 3 inch circle cutter and gently do a little swirl until the cookies are perfectly round.

Freezing and Storage

To freeze the cookie dough, roll out into a log and secure tightly with plastic wrap. Place in a sealable plastic bag and freeze. To bake, I slice rather than scoop the dough and put them in the oven that way.

To store baked cookies, put layers in a container with wax paper or parchment paper between layers. Store in a cool, dry place at room temperature. Cookies that are loosely wrapped in plastic wrap may get crispier over time, while an airtight container often softens them.