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    Home » Cookies

    Frosted Peppermint Brownie Cookies

    By Mike Johnson ⁠— November 29, 2022 (Updated December 12, 2024) — 5 Comments

    5 from 4 votes

    Say hello to your new favorite holiday cookie: Frosted Peppermint Brownie Cookies! They're perfectly chewy & fudgy, and topped with a smooth peppermint cream cheese frosting.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Leave a Comment

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     Frosted Peppermint Brownie Cookies with peppermint cream cheese frosting and crushed candy canes on top

    Frosted Peppermint Brownie Cookies

    It's no secret that made-from-scratch brownie recipes are some of my favorite desserts. My ultimate fudge brownies are consistently one of the top recipes every month, and I've even written an entire brownie cookbook, so you can trust me when I say I know a thing or two about brownies and that these frosted peppermint brownie cookies are life-changing and about to become one of your staple holiday cookie recipes.

    You might recognize the brownie cookie base as it’s actually a twist on my popular fudgy brownie crinkle cookies. The process of making the cookies is identical; however, a few slight ingredient changes gives us a thicker, slightly fudgier cookie. (And who doesn’t like that?!)

    Frosted peppermint brownie cookie with a bite missing

    To turn the festive dial up a notch, I add two special ingredients to the brownie cookie: peppermint extract and espresso powder. These are what give the cookies their intense chocolate & peppermint flavor. Always be careful using peppermint extract; that stuff is scary potent. (I learned the hard way). A little goes a long way. And make sure you are using peppermint extract, not mint extract. The latter tastes like spearmint toothpaste (and trust me, it’s not good.)

    For the espresso powder— if you can’t find this stuff in stores, you can use instant coffee instead (which is found in nearly all major grocery stores). You’d need a little more instant coffee since it isn’t as strong or rich as espresso powder, which is why I recommend just picking up a little jar of espresso powder. You can find espresso powder in some grocery stores if you’re lucky, or do what I do & order it on Amazon. Whatever you do, don’t use ground coffee…

    Close up of top of frosted peppermint brownie cookie with peppermint cream cheese frosting on top and a bite missing

    If you’re looking for cookie recipes for your holiday potluck party or to give to your friends and family this Christmas season, I highly recommend these Frosted Peppermint Brownie Cookies.

    I mean… what’s better (and more festive) than a fudgy brownie cookie with peppermint cream cheese frosting, and crushed candy canes on top?! Not much, guys. Not much.

    Close up of frosted peppermint brownie cookie with bite missing showing fudgy texture

    *Originally posted December 16, 2018*

    Frosted Peppermint Brownie Cookies with peppermint cream cheese frosting and crushed candy canes on top
    Print Recipe
    5 from 4 votes

    Frosted Peppermint Brownie Cookies

    Say hello to your new favorite holiday cookie: Frosted Peppermint Brownie Cookies! They're perfectly chewy & fudgy, and topped with a smooth peppermint cream cheese frosting.
    Prep Time40 minutes mins
    Cook Time12 minutes mins
    Total Time55 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Brownie Crinkle Cookies, Chocolate Peppermint, Cookies
    Servings: 12 cookies
    Calories: 418kcal
    Author: Mike Johnson

    Ingredients

    • 170 g 70% cacao dark chocolate chopped
    • 127 g unsalted butter
    • 125 g granulated sugar
    • 110 g dark brown sugar
    • 2 large eggs (≈ 100g)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
    • 125 g all-purpose flour
    • 15 g unsweetened natural or Dutch process cocoa powder
    • ½ teaspoon espresso powder
    • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • Peppermint cream cheese frosting (one batch)
    • Garnish: crushed peppermint candy
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, then set them aside.
    • Place the butter and chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of gently simmering water to create a double boiler. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is fully melted. Then remove the bowl from the heat and set it aside.
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl using an electric hand mixer, whisk together the granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract for 5-6 minutes on medium-high speed; the mixture should resemble an extremely thick, pale yellow pancake batter.
    • With the mixer on, pour in the slightly cooled chocolate mixture and mix until smooth, about 2 minutes. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt, and use a rubber spatula to gently fold until just combined.
    • Using a large (3-tablespoon) spring-loaded cookie scoop, drop 6 cookies on each prepared pan. Make sure to leave plenty of space between each cookie as they will spread when they bake.
    • Bake for 12-13 minutes. The cookies will be soft so allow them to cool on the baking trays for at least 10 minutes before carefully removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Once the cookies are cool, place the peppermint cream cheese frosting in a piping bag fitted with an open star tip (Wilton 1M). Frost with each cookie, then sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy. Cover and store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 cookie | Calories: 418kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 146mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 500IU | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 3mg
    Did you try this recipe?Tag @mikebakesnyc and use the hashtag #mikebakesnyc!

    Filed Under

    BrowniesCookiesHolidaysWinterChocolateMint
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    Comments

      5 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

      Rate this Recipe + Leave a Review Cancel reply

      If you made this recipe, I'd love for you to leave a rating + review below to let me know how you liked it! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave those below too!

      Thanks,
      Mike

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Yadilka Maldonado

      December 09, 2023 at 12:14 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is a keeper. Everyone loved it! It has the perfect balance of flavors between the chocolate intensity and the peppermint notes

      Reply
      • Mike Johnson

        December 11, 2023 at 4:01 pm

        So glad you enjoyed them, Yadilka!

        Reply
    2. Miranda

      December 12, 2021 at 4:17 pm

      These are a game-changer! Definitely entering the yearly rotation.

      Reply
    3. A M Holloway

      December 22, 2018 at 2:16 am

      Looks delicious! I must try these!

      Reply
      • Michael Johnson

        February 09, 2019 at 4:17 am

        Yes definitely!

        Reply

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    I’m the recipe developer, food photographer, and 3x cookbook author behind Mike Bakes NYC. More about me!

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