Richly chocolatey Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are soft and gooey on the inside, crispy around the edges, and a pure joy to share. This recipe includes a dairy-free and a sugar-free option to change it up according to dietary needs.
Deeply rich warm chocolate married with refreshing cool peppermint is a most glorious match in these gooey, chewy double chocolate peppermint cookies!
Gooey, chewy yet perfectly crispy, these gluten-free double chocolate peppermint cookies are everything I look for in a Christmas cookie.
While jam packed with holiday cheer, these cookies come together super easily, just like regular chocolate chip cookies!
Ideal for holiday cookie exchanges, these cookies are a lovely treat for anyone who adores the combination of chocolate and peppermint.
Let’s chat about the ingredients!
Ingredients for Double Chocolate Chip Cookies:
Butter: The magically flavorful fat portion of the recipe. You’ll need one full stick plus one tablespoon of butter for these cookies.
If you’re dairy-free, replace the butter with vegan “butter” spread or softened (not melted) coconut oil.
Do you have just one stick of butter? No worries! You can replace the additional tablespoon with regular milk or coconut milk
Brown Sugar: In order to sweeten these glorious cookies, I use brown sugar (both light and dark work). If you prefer, you can swap the brown sugar for your favorite sugar-free sweetener (to make them sugar-free), maple sugar or coconut sugar.
Egg: Used to fluff up the cookies and keep them held together, we need an egg to make these dreamboats a reality.
Vanilla Extract & Peppermint Extract: Flavor boosters! We use vanilla extract to add that rich warming effect and the peppermint extract is responsible for the peppermint flavor of the cookies.
While both extracts are optional, I do recommend them for adding rich flavor. The candy canes do add a peppermint essence to the cookies but they don’t taste very peppermint-y without the peppermint extract. If you’re wild about the flavor of peppermint, increase the amount of extract to ½ teaspoon.
Gluten-Free Flour: In order to make the cookies gluten-free, I use a gluten-free flour blend (Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour is my go-to)!
Raw Cacao Powder: The ingredient that’s responsible for making these a double chocolate affair, cacao powder adds that chocolate richness to the cookies. You can use any unsweetened cocoa powder you have on hand, but I love using raw cacao powder because I find it has a less bitter, creamier flavor.
Baking Soda & Sea Salt: Used for leavening, baking soda is a crucial ingredient. It ensures the cookies spread nicely and evenly without turning into puddles. Sea salt is used to bring out all of the flavors of the cookies.
Chocolate Chips: Adding pockets of gooey deliciousness, chocolate chips ramp up the fun level 100%.
Candy Canes: We crush up candy canes to give the cookies an added peppermint crunch. I also love the aesthetic the candy canes bring to the cookies. If you don’t love candy canes, you can skip them and stick with just the peppermint extract.
How about we bake a batch?!
How to Make Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies:
Add the butter and brown sugar to a stand mixer (or mixing bowl if using an electric hand mixer) and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy.
On high speed, beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together until combined.
With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and beat until combined. Add the chocolate chips and beat on high speed until combined.
If the dough is very sticky, cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hours (or up to 3 days) in the refrigerator, or until the dough is easy to handle.
Note: I find I don’t need to chill the dough as long as I use butter that is just barely softened and still slightly chilly from being in the refrigerator.
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Scoop spoonfuls of dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and if desired, press a few chocolate chips into the top. I like to form disc shapes out of the dough to make the cookies look neater.
Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes or until the edges appear set and the centers still look soft.
Immediately sprinkle the cookies with crushed candy canes (this allows the candy canes to stick to the cookies). Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet before serving.
Enjoy!
Recipe Adaptations:
- Replace the butter with softened (not melted) coconut oil for a dairy-free option.
- For a paleo version, follow my Paleo Double Chocolate Chip Cookies and add ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract.
- Use coconut sugar, maple sugar, or sugar-free granulated sweetener instead of the brown sugar to change up the sweetener.
- Increase the amount of peppermint extract to up to 1 teaspoon depending on your peppermint tolerance 😉
- If you aren’t gluten-free, replace the gluten-free flour with regular all-purpose flour.
That’s it!
I see these cookies as being a marvelous fit for any holiday occasion and they are particularly marvelous for cookie exchanges!
Let me know how you like these glorious rich and cool double chocolate peppermint cookies!
More Holiday Cookie Recipes:
- Paleo Russian Tea Cakes
- Keto Pecan Snowball Cookies
- Make-Ahead 3-Ingredient Paleo Shortbread
- Keto Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons
- Maple Pecan Gluten-Free Shortbread
- Keto Snickerdoodles
Ooey gooey ultra soft and chewy chocolate peppermint lumps of joy!
If you make these cookies, feel free to snap a photo and share it on Instagram tagging me @The.Roasted.Root!
Ingredients
- 12 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed**
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract, optional
- 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- ⅔ cup raw cacao powder
- 1 ⅓ cups chocolate chips
- 2 candy canes, crushed
Instructions
- Add the butter and brown sugar to a stand mixer (or mixing bowl if using an electric hand mixer) and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy. Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula and add beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again as needed with a rubber spatula.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together until well combined. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and beat until combined. Add the chocolate chips and beat on high speed until combined. If the dough is very sticky, cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days) in the refrigerator, or until the dough is easy to handle.
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop spoonfuls of dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and if desired, press a few chocolate chips into the top. I like to form disc shapes out of the dough to make the cookies look neater.
- Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes or until the edges appear set and the centers still look soft. Immediately sprinkle the cookies with crushed candy canes (this allows the candy canes to stick to the cookies). Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheet before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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Laurie
Thursday 7th of December 2023
I'm sorry but I'm confused on all the butter. Could you clarify please, thanks
Julia
Friday 8th of December 2023
Hi Laurie! My apologies for the confusion - It's 12 Tablespoons of butter, which is 1 1/2 sticks of butter. I orginally had it at 9 tablespoons of butter but after re-testing the recipe, I decided it needed more butter. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Diana
Saturday 24th of December 2022
A new family favorite Christmas cookie! My guys love peppermint and chocolate all year round, but especially at Christmas. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Shirley
Monday 6th of December 2021
What a festive cookie, and I love those flavors!
Julia
Tuesday 7th of December 2021
They're just so chocolatey!! xoxo