Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are ultra-fudgy, packed with peppermint bark and chocolate, and so easy to make!
Easy Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
These Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are a holiday lifesaver—easy to make and packed with so much flavor!
The secret? Brownie mix and pudding mix! They deliver a rich chocolate flavor, soft and chewy centers, and perfectly crisp edges.
Loaded with peppermint bark, milk chocolate chips, and white chocolate chips, these cookies are a must-make for the holidays!
Ingredients
- Cream Cheese: Use brick-style, full-fat for the best texture. Soften for smooth mixing.
- Butter: Room temperature works best. Avoid melting.
- Egg: Adds richness and structure to the cookies.
- Vanilla Extract: Boosts cookie flavor.
- Peppermint Extract: Optional for a stronger peppermint flavor. Skip mint extract—it tastes more like toothpaste.
- Chocolate Pudding Mix: Makes the cookies softer with a stronger chocolate flavor.
- Fudge Brownie Mix: For a rich, brownie-like cookie base and keeps this recipe simple!
- Peppermint Bark: Chop into chocolate-chip-sized pieces.
- Chocolate Chips: Add sweetness and creaminess.
How To Make Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Prep oven: Preheat to 350℉ and line a sheet pan with a baking mat.
- Soften butter and cream cheese: Let them sit out or pop in the microwave if needed.
- Mix wet ingredients: Beat cream cheese, butter, egg, and extracts.
- Add dry ingredients: Mix in pudding and brownie mix.
- Stir in mix-ins: Gently mix through the add-ins.
- Shape cookies: Roll into balls, flatten, and place on the pan.
- Bake: Bake 10 to 14 minutes and enjoy!
Tips For Success
- Use A Mixer: Use a hand or stand mixer since the Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Dough is thick and hard to mix by hand.
- Chilling Dough: If the dough is sticky, chill it for 30 minutes up to an hour to make it easier to handle.
- Shape Dough: Shape into flat discs, not balls, as the cookies don’t spread much.
- Lined Baking Tray: Use a baking mat to keep the bottoms from browning too fast.
Storage
Storing Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Microwave for 8–10 seconds to reheat.
- Freeze Dough: Freeze dough balls, then bake from frozen, adding 1–3 minutes to bake time.
More Christmas Treats
- Peppermint Sugar Cookies with a cream cheese frosting
- Peppermint Bark Muddy Buddies a fun snack mix
- Christmas Snack Mix coated in white chocolate
- Christmas Punch with soda and juice
- Christmas Popcorn with red and green M&Ms
Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Quick, simple, and full of peppermint goodness, there Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are the perfect seasonal treat!
Equipment
- Sheet pan with silicone baking mat
- Mixers
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese full-fat, room temperature
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract optional
- 1 (3.9-ounce) package chocolate instant pudding mix
- 1 (17.8-ounce) package fudge brownie mix see note 1
- 3/4 cup coarsely chopped peppermint bark
- 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup white chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a large sheet pan with a silicone baking mat and set aside. To bring the cream cheese and butter to room temperature, you can leave them out for 1 hour or microwave the unwrapped cream cheese in 5–10 second increments until soft. For the butter, microwave it for 5 seconds, flip it, and then microwave for another 5 seconds. Be careful not to melt or overly soften either ingredient.
- In a large bowl fitted to a stand mixer (or use electric hand mixers), cream together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and optional peppermint extract. Beat until mostly smooth.
- Add in the dry pudding mix and brownie mix. Beat to combine. The dough is thick, just keep mixing and it will all come together.
- Stir in coarsely chopped peppermint bark, chocolate chips, and optional white chocolate chips. Cover dough tightly and chill for 1 hour.
- Measure each cookie dough ball to be a full, packed 2 tablespoons of dough. Knead the dough ball to get the chocolate chips to stick in and then roll it into a ball. Slightly flatten balls to about 1/2-inch thick. You should get about 26-28 cookies from this batter. Place 6–8 cookies on the prepared cookie sheet, giving cookies ample room to spread.
- Bake each batch for 10–14 minutes. Remove from the oven. Sometimes the edges have a tendency to leak out; simply use the back of a metal spatula to press the edges in towards the center of the cookie right out of the oven. If desired, add some additional chocolate chips or chopped peppermint bark on top of the cookies. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough until all the cookies are baked.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Betty Crocker Delights Triple Chunk Supreme Brownie Mix is my favorite for this recipe!
Storage: These cookies are best fresh and warm but can be stored:
- Room Temperature: Keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They soften over time.
- Freezing Dough: Freeze unbaked dough balls and bake straight from frozen, adding 1–3 minutes to the bake time.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 54kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 43mg | Potassium: 13mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 70IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Correction: Chocolate fudge pudding mix, not brownie pudding mix. Sorry, late Saturday night/early Sunday morning for Mrs. Claus here. 🙂
This looks so good! Chelsea, what brand of brownie pudding do you use? I didn’t see that flavor on my grocery store’s pudding/Jello aisle.
Hey Kathy!! I just use the store brand, I’ve found it at Kroger stores (Smith’s) Hope that is helpful! Regular chocolate pudding will work too as long as the ounces are the same. Enjoy and happy holidays!
Do you have this recipe using everything from scratch – i.e brownie mix and pudding mix?
I live in Brazil and we don’t have mixes like that – would love love to make these cookies… please help!
I’m so sorry, I don’t! I wish I did; here’s a chocolate cookie recipe that is similar! https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/chocolate-cookies/
These are exactly the recipe I’m looking for. Once they are made, how should they be stored? Do they need to be refrigerated because of the cream cheese? Thank you!
I can’t wait to make these later in the week! I’m prepping lots of cookie dough for holiday dessert trays for my neighbors. Any chance these can be refrigerated over night? Have you tried doing this before? Thanks!
Super upset. Added all my ingredients and it says 3.9 oz of pudding mix and I’m pretty sure it should be 1.4 oz. I’m going to save the mix bc I used an entire box of brownie mix and all that. If you know how I can fix it, please let me know.
No it’s right 🙂 1, 3.9 ounce box! It’s super thick!
These are amazing and SO easy to make. A big hit at holiday parties.
Question- do you think if I make the batter about an hour ahead of cooking it will mess with the consistency and shape of the cookies? We have our family cookie baking party and the more prep I can do before going, the better!
These cookies were AMAZING. Making another batch for neighbors and family this weekend!
For those without a stand mixer: I started making this recipe before realizing I needed a stand mixer, which I didn’t have. My hand mixer seriously flopped, but I was determined to make these! I ended up using a fork and a lot of arm strength for mixing the first part and toward the end when the brownie mix was added to the batter, I used my hands. All in all, the batter mixed very well and cookies turned out delicious! So, an alternative for those currently w/o a stand mixer!
Oh my gosh you are amazing! Also what a win, win, hahaha you get delicious cookies and a little workout! Haha! I’m so glad you enjoyed! Thanks Shana! 🙂
I can’t find chocolate fudge pudding mix! I’ve looked at two stores. They have either chocolate pudding mix or sugar free chocolate fudge pudding mix. Have you ever made it with one of those?
The chocolate pudding mix will work! I’d stay away from sugar free 🙂
Curious if this would work with the dark chocolate peppermint bark?
Also, is milk chocolate vs semi-sweet for the chips important?
Sure! 🙂 And you can use milk or semi-sweet; it won’t change the structure of the cookies — just flavor (so if you prefer semi-sweet definitely use that!)