Peppermint Bark Cookies (Printable Version)
Moist chocolate cookies stacked with creamy white chocolate buttercream, ganache, and crushed peppermint candies for the ultimate holiday indulgence.
# Ingredients:
→ Cookies mix
01 -
1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
02 -
2 tsp corn starch
03 -
1 cup salted butter, melted
04 -
¾ cups light brown sugar
05 -
2 eggs at room temperature
06 -
1 ¾ cups sugar, white
07 -
1 tsp baking soda
08 -
½ tsp kosher salt
09 -
2 tsp vanilla flavoring
10 -
1 cup cocoa powder, dark chocolate
→ Buttercream (white chocolate)
11 -
2 tbsp heavy cream at room temperature
12 -
4 oz Ghirardelli white baking chocolate bar
13 -
1 tsp peppermint flavoring
14 -
½ cup salted butter, softened
15 -
½ tsp kosher salt
16 -
1 tsp vanilla flavor
17 -
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
→ Ganache layer
18 -
¾ cup heavy cream
19 -
½ tsp vanilla flavor
20 -
8 oz bittersweet chocolate bar, Ghirardelli preferred
21 -
½ tsp peppermint flavoring (optional)
→ Candy topping
22 -
1 cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candy
# Steps:
01 -
Start by tossing your softened butter, brown and white sugars, and a splash of vanilla into your stand mixer's bowl. Blend them on medium speed for 60 seconds. Next, crack both eggs into it and blend on low until it's all smooth. Toss in the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt, and mix everything until combined.
02 -
Put a sheet of parchment on your cookie tray. Scoop out dough balls (about 2 tablespoons each) and line them up with some space between. Pop the tray into the fridge to rest for 30 minutes, which will help the flavors develop and stop the cookies from spreading too much.
03 -
Warm your oven up to 350°F. If the dough has been chilling for longer than 45 minutes, leave it on the counter for 5 minutes before baking. Spread the chilled dough balls out on another parchment-lined tray, keeping them about 2 inches apart. Bake for around 9-10 minutes, just until the edges firm up.
04 -
Let the cookies cool right on the tray for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a cooling rack so they can chill down completely.
05 -
Melt the white chocolate in your microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring each time till smooth. Let it sit till room temperature. Blend the softened butter, powdered sugar, and both peppermint and vanilla flavorings using a stand mixer or hand mixer. Stir in the cooled chocolate. Add heavy cream a spoonful at a time until it's smooth and spreadable.
06 -
Break the chocolate bars into chunks and place in a heat-resistant bowl. Pour cream into a small saucepan and warm over medium heat until just bubbling. Pour the hot cream onto the chocolate. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then stir with a whisk. Add the vanilla and peppermint flavor (if you want) and mix until shiny and smooth. Cool it for about 15-30 minutes until it's spreadable.
07 -
Once the cookies, buttercream, and ganache are all ready, spread 1-2 tablespoons of the buttercream on each cookie. Cover with the ganache, leaving a tiny bit of white around the edge. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candy on top. Enjoy right away!
# Notes:
01 -
Ganache takes about 30 minutes to set, or chill in the fridge to make it faster.
02 -
Use Hershey's Special Dark cocoa if you'd like a super-rich chocolate flavor, but other natural cocoa powders work fine too.
03 -
Ready-made crushed peppermint candies are great if you need to prep early, since candy canes can get sticky quickly.