Peppermint bark brownie cookies

Chocolate mint is one of my all time favorite flavors. And combined with a brownie and a cookie, I don't think it could get any better. These cookies are incredibly fudgy, with white chocolate and crushed peppermint in every bite, making them reminiscent of one of my favorite winter treats - peppermint bark.

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The first step for making these cookies is to make your homemade white chocolate bark with crushed peppermint sticks. I melted my chocolate in the oven right on a parchment lined cookie sheet, but you can also do this step in the microwave with short intervals mixing every 15 seconds. The reason I like melting the chocolate in the oven for this recipe in particular is because then all you need to do is spread the melted chocolate, I used a small offset spatula, and sprinkle on your crushed candy canes and let it set and then no additional bowls are dirtied. If you only have white chocolate chips on hand (rather than chopped chocolate) the oven method won't work and I'd instead suggest going the microwave route! And if you want to skip the oven for this step you can absolutely use the microwave witch bar chocolate too.

I originally published this recipe a few years ago but made some recent changes to it to help with the structure and reliability of the recipe. With the original recipe, I found that I was having trouble with spreading and that the cookie wasn't getting that signature brownie shine I loved. Aside from some small quantity changes to the ingredients (mainly increasing the flour and cocoa powder), the biggest change is actually with shaping the dough. After scooping, the dough will take a short chill in the fridge. Then right before you bake, you'll roll the scoops between your palms to create a perfectly smooth exterior to the scoops and press them into thick disks and then they'll head into the oven. I actually almost discarded a batch of these cookies because I baked them first without reshaping the scoop. Then I tried this method and not only did the cookie look beautiful but it was perfectly fudgy and delicious. Do not skip this step in the process!

I used Spangler brand mini candy canes, but you could also use full sized candy canes from that brand or any other. From the same brand, it would be about three full sized candy canes - and I've shared the gram measurement so you can compare for whatever peppermint stick brand you choose to use.

I used a hand mixer for this recipe, though you can absolutely achieve a great end result with whisk. I just found that the hand mixer made the process a bit easier and does help especially in the stage of whisking the eggs together with both sugars to help create the shiny brownie like appearance.

For a chocolate forward recipe like this, the quality of your chocolate is really important. I love to splurge on butter typically for a cookie (and really whenever possible!) but in this case, the cocoa powder, and white and semisweet chocolate are the ingredients that will impact your cookie taste and texture the most. I used Ghirardelli brand white chocolate, Valrhona brand cocoa powder, and Guittard brand semisweet chocolate. I did one round of this recipe with Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate and I will say I liked the Guittard brand better and it did lead to a shinier cookie so probably the most important splurge is on the semisweet chocolate as it will have an impact on the cookie texture.

For the best results, I highly recommend using the gram measurements provided

Ingredients:

Peppermint bark

• 1 cup (6 oz) white chocolate, chopped

• 8 (34g) mini candy canes

Brownie cookie batter

• 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter

• 1 cup (6oz) semisweet chocolate, chopped

• 3/4 cup (144g) granulated sugar

• 1/3 cup (64g) light brown sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

• 1/2 cup (52g) dutch process cocoa powder

• 1 cup (120g) all purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Prep time: About 30 minutes

Chill time: 1 hour (half for peppermint bark, half for the dough)

Bake time: 10-12 minutes

Servings: 14 cookies

Equipment:

• Cookie sheets

• Parchment paper

• Nonstick, heavy bottom pot

• Hand mixer (can use stand mixer or whisk instead)

• Spatula (or large spoon)

• Cookie scoop (3 tablespoons, # 20)

• Additional equipment: large bowl, plastic bag, heavy tool or rolling pin, large round cookie cutter or small bowl (for shaping your cookie)

Cooking instructions:

First, make your peppermint bark.

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Spread your white chocolate evenly across a lined cookie sheet, I used parchment paper. Shape it into a rectangle in a single layer, with the chocolate pieces touching. Note: if you only have chocolate chips, the oven method won't work and you'll need to instead melt your chocolate in the microwave and then spread onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.

While your oven preheats, add your peppermint sticks into a plastic bag and use a heavy tool, like a rolling pin or meat tenderizer, to crush your peppermint sticks. I like them to be close to a powder with some variation in size, but this is baker's choice!

Place your cookie sheet into the oven for about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and use a spoon or flat tool, like an offset spatula, to spread your melted white chocolate. If it isn't fully melted, just place your pan back into the oven for a few additional minutes. Once your white chocolate is spread smooth, sprinkle your crushed peppermint sticks evenly across your white chocolate. Place your white chocolate into the fridge to set.

Wait about 30 minutes while your white chocolate sets, then chop into large pieces and place back into the fridge.

Then, make your brownie cookie batter.

Finely chop your semisweet chocolate and set aside. Into your nonstick pot and over a low heat, add in your butter. Once your butter is more than halfway melted, add in your semisweet chocolate. Use a rubber spatula or spoon to stir your butter and chocolate until everything is melted together and smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Into a large bowl, add in both sugars and your eggs. Use your hand mixer (or whisk) at a medium speed to combine until your sugar and egg mixture lightens in color - this should take about two minutes.

Into your egg and sugar mixture, pour in your butter and chocolate and use your hand mixer at a medium speed to mix until fully combined, being sure to reach down to the bottom of your bowl (I recommend pausing, using your spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of your bowl and then do another mix).

Add in your peppermint extract and mix again until fully incorporated.

Then you'll add in your dry ingredients - cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt. I recommend sifting in your cocoa powder and flour to ensure there are no clumps. Use your spatula or a large spoon to fold your dry ingredients in. Move slowly here and be sure to only mix as much as necessary. Once your dry ingredients are about halfway incorporated, pause.

Grab your chopped peppermint bark, setting aside some of your larger pieces to top your cookies with later on.

Add in most of your chopped white chocolate peppermint bar to your cookie dough mixture. Continue to fold your dough together until your white chocolate pieces are dispersed throughout and your batter has just formed. It should be the texture of a thick brownie batter.

Use a cookie scoop or large spoon to portion out your dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. It should make about 14 cookies, 3 tablespoons per cookie. Place your scooped dough, uncovered, into the fridge to chill for up to 30 minutes or until firm.

When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

You'll bake one tray of cookies at a time. For each tray, right before baking you'll roll each cookie scoop in your palms until completely smooth and a little shiny on the outside, and then lightly press into a thick disk shape and space out onto your parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake your cookies for about 10-12 minutes. While baking, at around 8 minutes, remove your cookies from the oven, add extra peppermint bark to the tops of your partially baked cookies, and place your sheet back into the oven to let your cookies finish baking. You'll know they're done when you see the shiny top but the cookies are still soft in the center. Note: Right when you remove them from the oven, I recommend gently shaping (or "scooting") your cookies using a round cookie cutter or bowl slightly larger than the size of your cookie - this will ensure they are perfectly round and thick in the center.

Repeat these steps for each sheet of cookies (I usually do two rounds with 7 cookies on each, but if your cookie sheets are smaller you may need to do more rounds).

Allow your brownie cookies to cool - knowing that they will be gooey and soft for the first hour or so out of the oven as they set and cool, and then perfectly fudgy later on!

You can store your brownie cookies at room temperature or in the fridge for about 3 to 5 days in an airtight container, though they'll be freshest for the first two days. I recommend popping the cookies into the microwave for about 10 seconds to refresh if you're enjoying them after the day they were baked. You can also store the fully baked cookies in the freezer to eat any time!

Carb and serving info:

Carbs for full recipe: 584

Carbs per serving (1 of 14): 42

Carbs from semisweet chocolate: 108

Carbs from white chocolate: 108

Note: Carb information is calculated based on the specific ingredients I used to cook with to help guide my own insulin to carb ratio when dosing before I eat my home cooked recipes.