Chocolate Peppermint Chip Cookies

Soft, chewy, rich chocolate cookies loaded with Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips. Add these to your holiday cookie list!

These chocolate peppermint chip cookies are soft, chewy, and loaded with Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips. They start with my favorite double chocolate cookie dough, so every bite is rich and dark with little bursts of cool peppermint. Set them on your holiday cookie tray next to a batch of peppermint shortbread cookies and they hold their own.

I've always been a fan of Andes Candies, so these baking chips caught my eye right away. I paired them with the same double chocolate dough I use for my peanut butter candy cookies.

What Are Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips?

Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips are a seasonal product from Andes, the same brand behind those little green after-dinner mints. They are white chocolate based, with bits of red speckled peppermint candy. They soften into the cookie as it bakes but still leave that signature candy cane crunch.

I prefer them to other peppermint chips. They have the mintiest flavor, and the white chocolate adds richness. That combination is what makes them work so well in a dark chocolate cookie.

One thing to know: they show up in the baking aisle in fall and early winter, and they tend to sell out. Grab a bag when you see one.

The Double Chocolate Dough

This dough gets its deep flavor two ways: cocoa powder in the dry mix and melted bittersweet chocolate stirred into the butter. I also add a spoon of espresso powder, which sharpens the chocolate without tasting like coffee, but you can always leave that out if you prefer. Either way the base stays dark and rich, which is what balances the cool peppermint.

How to Make Chocolate Peppermint Chip Cookies

To make these cookies, you will first need to melt the chocolate and then combine it with melted butter. Next, sift together all the dry ingredients except for the sugar and set the mixture aside.

Then, whisk together the sugar, espresso powder, vanilla and eggs. Add the chocolate mixture to the sugar mixture and then fold in the dry ingredients. Finally, mix in the peppermint chips and chocolate chips.

To keep the cookies from spreading too much, you should chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. Then, scoop out tablespoon sized balls and bake them in a 350F oven for about 8-9 minutes. 

Baking Tips

Watch the color, not the clock. Dark cookies don't brown the way plain dough does, so pull them when the edges look set and the centers are still slightly soft. They firm up as they cool.

Don't skip the chill. Thirty minutes in the fridge keeps the cookies thick and chewy. If you bake the dough warm, the bake time will be less by a minute or two and you should expect flatter cookies.

Let them rest on the pan. Give the cookies about 3 minutes on the hot sheet before moving them, so they set enough to lift without breaking.

Storage, Make Ahead and Freezing

Baked cookies last at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week. 

This dough freezes well, which makes it an easy cookie to prep ahead for a busy holiday stretch. Scoop the dough into balls and freeze them on a sheet pan until firm, about 30 minutes. Move the firm dough balls to a labeled freezer bag, press out the air, and lay it flat. The dough keeps for up to 3 months.

Bake them straight from the freezer and add a minute or two of bake time in the oven.

For the full method, including how to freeze the baked cookies, see my guide on how to freeze cookie dough.

Substitutions For Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips

• Chopped Peppermint Bark: Chop up Ghirardelli peppermint bark squares or bars into small, chip-sized pieces. See my guide on how to chop chocolate for tips. 
• Chocolate Chips and Crushed Candy Canes: Mix semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips with about ¼ cup of finely crushed candy canes or hard peppermint candies.
• Chopped Andes Mints: Use classic Andes Crème de Menthe thins chopped into bits. This won't have the same crunchy texture mixed in but will still have that rich peppermint flavor.
• Mint Baking Chips: Use any brand of mint baking chips if you are just going for a mint double chocolate chip cookie.