White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are the perfect holiday cookie recipe! Made with sweet white chocolate chips, crushed candy cane pieces, and peppermint extract … these festive cookies are soft, chewy, sweet, and buttery. They are a true must make this Christmas season!

If you love these cookies, you’ve gotta try my triple chocolate peppermint cookies too.

white chocolate peppermint cookies on a tray

Soft, Chewy, & Festive Christmas Cookie

My favorite dessert category is always cookies! Truly nothing is better than the shareable, soft, and chewy treats.

But I especially feel this way around Christmas time – the most wonderful time of the year!

In the month of December cookies are being baked constantly! There are cookie exchanges, baking with your grandma, cookie platter gifts, holiday parties and so much more.

And these white chocolate candy cane cookies will be your way to shine through it all this year. These cookies are truly a show stopper sweet!

They have the most scrumptious combination of crunchy candy cane pieces and sweet white chocolate chips. It is without a doubt the perfect holiday cookie recipe!

Not to mention the chewy, crispy edges and soft, melt-in-your mouth middles. Ugh, I’m drooling!

If there is one dessert you try out this holiday season, let it be peppermint chocolate cookies.

white chocolate chip candy can cookie with a bite taken out

Ingredients

The base of these festive cookies is a basic cookie dough made with the classic, simple ingredients!

And fun mix-ins like peppermint extract, rich white chocolate chips, and candy cane pieces bring the best Christmas flare.

Ingredient Notes

  • Butter: The base of these holiday cookies is butter! It provides that rich and delicious flavor we all know and love. Add 1/2 cup unsalted butter.
  • Sugar: The sugar of choice here is light brown sugar. It gives the best chewy and moist texture! 1 cup is all you need.
  • Flour: Add 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour to the cookie dough.
  • Egg: You will need 1 egg for moisture and binding.
  • Vanilla Extract: 2 tsp vanilla extract gives these cookies that classic taste.
  • Peppermint Extract: Peppermint extract is a very important ingredient here! A little bit goes a very long way. 1/4 tsp is all you need.
  • White Chocolate Chips: I love love love white chocolate chips. They are just so rich, sweet, and delicious. The best addition to any sweet treat. Add 1/3 cup!
  • Candy Canes: Candy canes are such a fun and tasty cookie mix-in. You will need 1/4 cup crushed.
  • Baking Powder: 1/4 tsp of baking powder gives these cookies the perfect texture.
  • Salt: Lastly, add 1/2 tsp to balance out and enhance the flavors.

Substitutions & Additions

I don’t recommend making too many substitutions to the base of this cookie recipe, but you could swap in or use additional mix-ins.

Chocolate: The white chocolate chips here could be replaced with any chocolate of your choice. Milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate chips would be great. You could even add a melted chocolate drizzle!

Peppermint Candies: Crushed candy canes are used here, but I think any type of peppermint candy would work.

Mix-Ins: Some extra mix-in ideas are Oreos, peppermint patties, or maybe a frosting on top!

peppermint white chocolate cookie ingredients

Kitchen Tools

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How To Make This Recipe

These peppermint white chocolate chip cookies are quite easy to make! You can prepare the dough in one bowl with no hand mixer and it only needs to chill for 30 minutes.

It is the perfect recipe to make for cookie exchanges and festive parties this holiday season!

Step By Step Instructions

Step 1: Set the oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2: Add the melted butter and light brown sugar to a large bowl.  Combine evenly.

Step 3: Next mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract.  Combine until smooth.

cookie dough wet ingredients

Step 4: Then to the wet ingredients add the dry ingredients – all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine until a cookie dough forms.

peppermint cookie dough

Step 5: Stir in the white chocolate chips and crushed candy canes. 

Step 6: Place the cookie dough in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

peppermint cookie dough with candy cane pieces on white chocolate chips
peppermint white chocolate cookie dough

Step 7: Then take about tablespoons sized scoops of the cookie dough and roll into cookie dough balls.  You should be able to make 14 cookies.

Step 8: Place the balls onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and top with an extra sprinkle of crushed candy canes.  Place about 1-2 inches apart as the cookies will spread a bit.

cooke dough balls with crushed candy canes on top

Step 9: Bake for 15 minutes.

Step 10: Remove the cookies from the oven. These cookies do spread a bit and the melted candy sometimes misshapes them, therefore I recommend using the curve of a fork to form them back into a circular shape when they are fresh and warm out of the oven.

Step 11: Let cool slightly and enjoy!

overhead shot of white chocolate peppermint cookies

Expert Tips

If you love peppermint flavor, add extra peppermint extract.

Chill the cookie dough. It is a vital step!

Make sure to line the sheet pan with parchment paper. It is the best way to prevent sticking and makes for minimal mess!

Use the fork method to shape the cookies as soon as they are removed from the oven. Simply use the inside curve of a fork to shape cookies into a circle.

Allow the cookies to cool and set on the baking sheet for a few minutes. If you try to move them too soon, they may fall apart!

tray of white chocolate chip candy cane cookies

Frequently Asked Questions

What candy canes should I use?

You can use any type of candy canes you’d like. Here are the ones I used!

How should I crush the candy canes?

I find crushing candy canes in a plastic bag is the easiest method.

Simply unwrap the candy canes and place them in a bag. Then smash the candy canes through the bag with a spoon until they are crushed to your desired size.

How to best store this recipe?

Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will last for about 3-5 days!

You could move to the refrigerator for longer storage.

Can I freeze these peppermint white chocolate cookies?

Yes! Simply transfer to a freezer safe container and place in the freezer.

Just be careful when eating from the freezer. The candy pieces will be frozen so I do recommend heating up!

holiday cookie with a bite taken out

Love this recipe? Check out some more similar recipes below…

Cookie Recipes

Christmas Treats

Connect With Me!

If you make these Christmas cookies or any of my other recipes, I would absolutely love to know! Tag me @wellnessbykay on Instagram so I can see and share your recreations.

cookies with white chocolate chips and candy cane pieces

Love this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating! I love to see and it helps me continue to develop delicious recipes for this blog.

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White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

  • Author: Kayla Berman
  • Prep Time: 15 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 Minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 14 Cookies 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baked

Description

White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are the perfect holiday cookie recipe! Made with sweet white chocolate chips, crushed candy cane pieces, and peppermint extract … these festive cookies are soft, chewy, sweet, and buttery. They are a true must make this Christmas season!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
  • 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup crushed candy canes

Instructions

  1. Set the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Add the melted butter and light brown sugar to a large bowl.  Combine evenly.
  3. Next mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract.  Combine until smooth.
  4. Then to the wet ingredients add the dry ingredients – all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine until a cookie dough forms.
  5. Stir in the white chocolate chips and crushed candy canes. 
  6. Place the cookie dough in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
  7. Then take about tablespoons sized scoops of the cookie dough and roll into cookie dough balls.  You should be able to make 14 cookies.
  8. Place the balls onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and top with an extra sprinkle of crushed candy canes.  Place about 1-2 inches apart as the cookies will spread a bit.
  9. Bake for 15 minutes.
  10. Remove the cookies from the oven. These cookies do spread a bit and the melted candy sometimes misshapes them, therefore I recommend using the curve of a fork to form them back into a circular shape when they are fresh and warm out of the oven.
  11. Let cool slightly and enjoy!

Keywords: white chocolate peppermint cookies, peppermint white chocolate cookies, white chocolate chip peppermint cookies