Frosted Peppermint Brownie Cookies are made with fudgy chocolate cookies, a rich swirl of peppermint frosting and a sprinkling of crushed peppermints. These chocolate peppermint cookies make the perfect decadent holiday treat.

These luscious peppermint cookies will add a festive flair to your dessert table. Cookies are a must have dessert during this season like these extra puffy Peanut Butter Marshmallow Stuffed Cookies or these super sour Lemon Cookies. The holidays at our house would be incomplete without these Peanut Blossoms Cookies.

A peppermint brownie cookie that is leaned against another cookie with bites taken.

Fudgy Brownie Cookies

The air is a bit chilly outside and we have been in full baking swing around here! My oven may just keel over because I have been baking non-stop to have all of those special holiday treats prepared. There are just so many favorites that I have to make them all (don’t want any of those treats feeling neglected). Anyone else baking like a mad person right now?

While I was thinking about all of the different kinds of treats I wanted to make for Christmas this year, I started to wonder why peppermint is a holiday thing? And why is it weird to eat peppermint desserts at other times of the year?

In case you are curious, too, you can read about it here!

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

These peppermint swirl cookies are seriously the chocolatiest cookies evaaaa! They are like your favorite homemade brownie but in cookie form.

Topping them with creamy peppermint frosting and little crunchies of soft peppermint candies just brings them to a whole new level! If you love that peppermint and chocolate combination then you are going to love them. And they are so cute for the holidays, cute enough to bring to gatherings or give as special gifts.

An up close frosted peppermint brownie cookie.

Technically you could make these year round (shh, I won’t tell anyone).

These peppermint Christmas cookies aren’t topped with just plain ol’ crushed candy canes! I love to use those extra soft peppermint candies, you know the ones that are like jumbo sized pillow mints. I love that they are softer and easy to bite into which I prefer with the gooey texture of these cookies. Of course, if you like that hard crunch of the candy canes you can top these with crushed candy canes or peppermint sticks.

These chocolatey brownie cookies will stand out on your cookie tray and will probably be the first ones to disappear (at least this is what happens at my house). and are perfectly festive

Ok, I have a confession. I do not own a set of special cake decorating tools. No piping bags and no piping tips. I know, I know, how do I get by without them? I have always just been able to make do with the poor man’s version, which is just a plastic zip bag with a little corner cut off. You can do this, too! No need for special tools.

Brownie Cookies Ingredients

Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder.
Granulated Sugar: White granulated sugar.
Butter: Melted butter.
Oil: Vegetable oil or canola oil can be used.
Egg: One large egg is all you need.
Extract: You will need both vanilla and peppermint extract for these cookies.
Flour: All-purpose flour will do perfectly here.
Baking Powder: Make sure it is still active.
Baking Soda: Make sure it is still active.
Salt: I like sea salt or kosher salt.
Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet miniature chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Peppermint Candies: These are the soft, pillow mint type mints (I use Bob’s). Or use candy canes. You will want to smash them up to be able to sprinkle them over the frosting.

All of the ingredients needed to make brownie cookies.

Peppermint Frosting Ingredients

Cream Cheese: I use full fat cream cheese, softened.
Butter: Soften your butter at room temperature before making this frosting.
Peppermint Extract: Make sure to use peppermint extract and not peppermint flavoring.
Vanilla Extract: Don’t use peppermint flavoring, make sure it’s real vanilla extract.
Powdered Sugar: If it’s lumpy you can run it through the sifter.
Food Gel: A little red food gel will add a signature stripe to the frosting. This is not pictured below in ingredient photo.

All of the ingredients needed to make peppermint frosting.

How to Make Peppermint Cookies

Prep oven and baking sheets. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
Combine dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Combine wet ingredients. In a separate large bowl, mix the melted butter, oil, egg, and vanilla extract.
Add dry to wet. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stopping as soon as it’s combined.
Extra chocolate. Fold in chocolate chips.
Scoop dough. Using a tablespoon sized cookie scoop, place scooped dough onto prepared baking trays.
Bake cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cookies will still be soft, but do not over bake since they start to harden as they cool.
Make mint frosting. Put cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or mix with hand mixer). Beat until creamy and well mixed. Add in powdered sugar, vanilla, and peppermint extract, combine until light and fluffy.
Cool and decorate. Allow to cool completely before frosting and sprinkling on broken up peppermint candies.

All of the steps needed to make frosted peppermint brownie cookies.

Peppermint Brownie Cookies Tips and Variations

Don’t over mix batter. Make sure not to over blend the batter when you are mixing the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Just mix until well incorporated and you don’t see any more flour streaks.
Don’t over bake cookies. The cookies will still be a little soft when you pull them out of the oven, but they will harden up as they cool. If you over bake them they will end up hard.
Cool cookies. Cookies need to be completely cooled before adding frosting or it will just melt right off.
Even more mint. Add a teaspoon of peppermint extract to the chocolate cookie batter to make these extra peppermint chocolate cookies or add an extra teaspoon of peppermint extract to the frosting.
Not a lot of spread. These cookies don’t spread a lot so you will want to flatten them a little before cooking.

Storage Instructions for Peppermint Cookies

How to Refrigerate Peppermint Cookies: Place cookies in an airtight container in a single layer. The cookies should last about days in the fridge.
How to Store at Room Temperature: Since these cookies have a peppermint cream cheese frosting, I don’t recommend storing them at room temperature.
How to Freeze Brownie Cookies: Let the cooked cookies cool off completely before wrapping each individual cookie with plastic wrap (do not add frosting). Put wrapped cookies into an airtight freezer-safe container or zip bag. Make sure to label with the recipe name and date. The cookies should last about 1 month in the freezer.
How to Freeze Brownie Cookie Dough: Using a tablespoon sized dough scoop, scoop dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Flatten slightly if desired. Freeze completely. Transfer frozen cookies into an airtight freezer safe container or zip bag. Frozen dough will last about 6 weeks in freezer.
To Cook Frozen Brownie Cookie Dough: Place frozen cookies onto a parchment lined baking sheet and let thaw completely. Bake as directed.
How to Thaw Frozen Brownie Cookies: Thaw the frozen cookies at room temperature until they are completely thawed. Let the dough come up to room temperature before using. Frost once thawed.

Frosted peppermint brownie cookies next to a metal cup of peppermints and a bottle of milk.

Try these other holiday favorites!

Apple Cinnamon Bread (our most popular recipe!)
No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Cranberry Orange Bread
Skillet Pumpkin Apple Crustless Pie
Spice Cake

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