White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies Recipe for the Holidays

It’s the most wonderful time of the year — which means holiday music and these irresistible White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies.

Peppermint treats studded with white chocolate chips and finished with crushed candy canes are a holiday classic.

All season I’m snacking on these cookies as well as favorites like Fudgy Crinkle Cookies, Santa’s Trash Cookies, and Sheet Pan Christmas Cookies. All.the.cookies!

Overhead view of large white chocolate peppermint cookies drizzled with white chocolate and topped with crushed candy canes, surrounded by candy cane pieces, white chocolate chips, and a small bowl of peppermint bark on a light pink surface.

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Table Talk with Tawnie

I have a soft spot for big, gourmet cookies. This White Chocolate Peppermint Cookie recipe is adapted from my Kroll’s Kookie base with a few tweaks to make it festive. They’re perfect for holiday gifts, parties, or a cozy night in. Each cookie is loaded with peppermint flavor from chopped peppermint bark and peppermint extract, plus white chocolate chips for sweetness. I like to finish them with a drizzle of melted white chocolate and a sprinkle of crushed candy cane for a festive look.

My favorite things about these cookies:

Thick, ultra-soft centers
Freezer-friendly
Delicious peppermint and white chocolate combination
No chill time needed
Perfectly festive for the holidays
Slightly underbaked, chewy centers

Side view of a thick, chewy white chocolate peppermint cookie broken in half to show the melty white chocolate and peppermint pieces inside.

Ingredient Notes

(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)

Overhead view of prepped ingredients for white chocolate peppermint cookies, including cubed butter, brown and granulated sugar, an egg and egg yolk, chopped peppermint bark, white chocolate chips, vanilla and peppermint extracts, cake flour, all-purpose flour, and small bowls of salt, cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder.

Peppermint bark: Use your favorite brand — store-bought or homemade both work well. Chopping and briefly freezing the pieces helps them hold shape in the dough.
White chocolate chips: Any quality brand is fine.
Peppermint extract: Adds a bright, minty kick — a favorite for holiday baking.
Candy canes: I use crushed candy canes only as a garnish, not in the dough.
All-purpose flour: Spoon and level for accurate measuring; don’t scoop directly from the bag.
Cake flour: Makes for a lighter, more tender cookie when used with all-purpose flour.
Butter: The recipe uses cold, unsalted butter — this helps the cookies keep their tall, bakery-style shape without chilling the dough.

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Close-up of a single white chocolate peppermint cookie topped with white chocolate drizzle and crushed candy canes on a light pink surface.

Step by Step Directions

Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for exact measurements and full instructions.

Large white mixing bowl filled with whisked dry ingredients for cookie dough, surrounded by peppermint pieces, a whisk, and a kitchen towel on a pink surface.

Mix dry ingredients

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Side-by-side images showing a stand mixer bowl: on the left, cubed butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar before mixing; on the right, the mixture creamed until light and fluffy.

Cream butter & sugars

Cream the cold cubed butter with brown and granulated sugars until smooth, about 1–2 minutes.

Side-by-side images showing eggs and vanilla added to the creamed butter mixture on the left, and the mixture fully combined and smooth on the right.

Add wet ingredients

Mix in the egg, egg yolk, peppermint extract, and vanilla until combined, scraping the bowl as needed.

Four side-by-side images showing the cookie dough mixing process: adding dry ingredients to the wet mixture, creaming the dough until smooth, adding white chocolate chips and chopped peppermint bark, and the fully mixed peppermint cookie dough in the mixer bowl.

Add dry ingredients & mix-ins

Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. Fold in most of the white chocolate chips and the chopped peppermint bark, saving a few pieces to garnish if desired.

Roll. Bake. Garnish.

Roll the dough into large balls and place on a prepared baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for about 10–11 minutes. Once cooled, drizzle with melted white chocolate and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

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Close-up of a white chocolate peppermint cookie with a large bite taken out, showing the soft, chewy interior studded with white chocolate chips and peppermint pieces.

Expert Tips

Freeze chocolate pieces: Chilling the peppermint bark and white chips briefly before folding them in helps the cookies retain height as they bake.
No chilling required: These cookies are designed to bake without refrigeration and still keep their shape.
Let cookies rest: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet at least 15 minutes before transferring to a rack. They firm up as they cool and taste great the next day.
Smaller cookies: If you make smaller sizes, reduce the baking time accordingly.
Make cake flour at home: If you can’t find cake flour, mix 14 tbsp all-purpose flour with 2 tbsp cornstarch, sift twice — this yields about 1 cup.
Dough balls: Leave the dough in rounded balls — don’t flatten before baking for the signature tall cookie.

Overhead view of two large white chocolate peppermint cookies on a scalloped white platter, each drizzled with white chocolate and topped with crushed candy canes. A small pink bowl filled with chopped peppermint bark sits beside the cookies, with scattered candy cane pieces and a striped kitchen towel adding festive detail around the tray.

FAQs

How do I store these cookies?

Store baked cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5–7 days, or freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.

How do I prep my baking sheet?

Either parchment paper or silicone baking mats work well.

Can I use a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer?

Yes. A hand mixer will work, though mixing may be slightly more challenging at first because the butter is cold.

Can I make these gluten free?

Yes — replace the flours with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour that includes xanthan gum for best results.

Close-up of Christmas sugar cookies with red and green sprinkles stacked on a wire rack, showing their soft, chewy texture and lightly sugared tops.

’tis the season!

Holiday Cookie Series

The Holiday Cookie Series is full of festive cookie ideas — something for every sweet tooth this season.

White chocolate peppermint cookies on a plate with a stacked peppermint bark square, candy canes, and crushed peppermint scattered around.

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Before You Begin! If you make this recipe, please leave a review and rating — feedback helps keep these recipes coming.

4.96 from 23 reviews

White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Total: 20 mins

Servings: 6 large cookies

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Soft, giant, chewy cookies filled with peppermint and white chocolate — a festive holiday favorite.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
3/4 cup cake flour
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
8 Tbsp unsalted butter (cold, cut into cubes)
1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, divided
7 oz peppermint bark, chopped
Candy canes, crushed for garnish

Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating — it helps a lot.

Instructions

Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl combine all-purpose flour, cake flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Cream butter & sugars: In a stand mixer, cream the cold cubed butter with brown and granulated sugars until smooth, about 1–2 minutes.
Mix in wet ingredients: Add the egg, egg yolk, peppermint extract, and vanilla; mix until combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
Add dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry mixture, mixing just until incorporated — avoid overmixing.
Add chips & bark: Fold in about 1 cup of the white chocolate chips and the chopped peppermint bark, reserving a few pieces for topping if you like.
Roll into balls: Divide the dough into 6 large balls (or make smaller cookies and adjust baking time).
Bake: Bake at 400°F for 10–11 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the sheet, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Garnish & enjoy: Melt the remaining white chocolate chips and drizzle over cooled cookies. Sprinkle with crushed candy cane and additional peppermint bark if desired.

Notes

Peppermint bark: Any type works. Freezing the bark before mixing helps the cookie keep its shape.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freezing is fine for longer storage.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1 large cookie
Calories: 716 kcal
Carbohydrates: 94 g
Protein: 9 g
Fat: 42 g
Saturated Fat: 29 g

Nutritional information is an estimate and should be used as a guideline only.

This recipe was originally posted in November 2021 and updated with new photos and tips in November 2025.

📸 Photography by Creating Kaitlin