• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Purely Kaylie

  • About
    • About Kaylie
    • Press
  • Recipes
  • Shop
    • Recipe eBook
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Sweets » Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

    Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

    Published: Dec 17, 2021 by Kaylie Grace · 8 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    This post may contain affiliate links. Read the affiliate disclosure here. 

    Vegan chocolate peppermint cookies are one of the BEST holiday desserts! These double chocolate cookies are soft, chewy, rich, and flavored with a hint of peppermint extract. They’re loaded with chocolate chips, then topped with melted chocolate and crunchy bits of crushed candy canes. The easy recipe is gluten-free friendly, made with one bowl, and ready in 30 minutes. Everyone loves these classic Christmas cookies!

    vegan chocolate peppermint cookies with crushed candy canes

    ‘Tis the season for Christmas cookies! I am so excited to bring you one of my favorite holiday desserts: vegan chocolate peppermint cookies. There’s a lot going on at once here, but it all comes together in one delicious winter treat. And it tastes JUST like Christmastime. 🙂

    Imagine a soft and chewy double chocolate cookie loaded with chocolate chips, crunchy bits of candy canes, a whole lotta cocoa, and a hint of peppermint extract. They are gooey, rich, sweet, minty, and a little bit sticky due to the candy canes on top. Pair ’em with Vegan Hot Chocolate and you are guaranteed to be Santa’s favorite stop this Christmas!

    These chocolate peppermint cookies are:

    • Vegan, dairy-free, and can be gluten-free
    • Soft and chewy with crunchy bits of candy cane on top
    • An easy one bowl cookie recipe
    • Rich and chocolatey with a hint of peppermint flavor
    • Made in 30 minutes with pantry staples
    • Perfect for Christmas, gifting, and holiday parties!
    vegan chocolate peppermint cookies on a cooling rack with a bite taken out of the middle

    Ingredients for these vegan Christmas cookies

    • Flour: These classic Christmas cookies are made with all-purpose flour, otherwise known as plain flour. If you follow a gluten-free diet, replace it with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour (such as the Bob’s Red Mill brand).
    • Cocoa: Natural cocoa powder should be used instead of dutch-processed cocoa powder. Pro tip: Hershey’s regular cocoa powder is the natural variety!
    • Vegan butter: Vegan butter from a tub is superior to vegan butter sticks. You can still use stick butter, but I highly suggest tub butter for the best results.
    • Sugar: We’ll use a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar to sweeten the cookies. They are both required for a sweet, chewy, and moist texture.
    • Chocolate chips: Chocolate chips are not only packed inside the peppermint cookies, but they are also melted and drizzled on top.
    • Almond milk: Almond milk adds moisture. If you only have another variety of plant-based milk at home, feel free to use that kind instead. You will get similar results using any nut milk.
    • Vanilla extract: A dash of vanilla provides a warm, sweet flavor.
    • Peppermint extract: This extract has an intense flavor, so only about ½ to 1 teaspoon is needed. I recommend using ¾ teaspoon.
    • Candy canes: Crushed candy canes provide a sticky-sweet crunch, extra peppermint flavor, and a festive Christmas appearance. Be sure to stick with traditional peppermint candy canes instead of the unique or fruity-flavored ones.
    • Baking soda: Baking soda reacts with natural cocoa powder to help the cookies rise while baking.
    • Salt: A pinch of salt is needed to balance the sweet candy canes and rich chocolate flavors.
    small bowls filled with ingredients for vegan chocolate peppermint cookies

    How to make vegan chocolate peppermint cookies

    For the full ingredient measurements and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to view the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

    First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

    Next, add vegan butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar to a large bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes on medium speed). Then, add almond milk, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Cream together once more just to combine.

    After, add the flour, cocoa, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Mix together just until the flour is evenly incorporated. Toss in the chocolate chips and combine.

    a photo collage of the steps for baking vegan chocolate peppermint cookie dough in a glass pyrex bowl

    Scoop the cookie dough and roll into 13-15 balls, then transfer to the baking sheets. Bake the cookies on the middle rack in the oven, one tray at a time, for 12-13 minutes. Remove cookies from the oven when the edges are beginning to firm but the center appears slightly underbaked. The cookies will de-puff and firm up while cooling on the baking sheets outside of the oven.

    Lastly, add the chocolate chips and coconut oil to a small bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir together, then microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies, then sprinkle crushed candy canes on top. Enjoy!

    a photo collage of the steps for baking vegan chocolate peppermint cookies

    Tips for perfecting this Christmas dessert

    Use natural cocoa powder. Make sure you are using traditional cocoa (instead of dutch process cocoa) for these vegan chocolate peppermint cookies. How do you know which variety you are using? Check the ingredients label! If the ingredients list “dutch processed cocoa” or “cocoa processed with alkali,” it is incorrect. The label should simply list “cocoa” instead. You can read more about this in my Vegan Double Chocolate Chip Cookies post.

    Use vegan tub butter. When it comes to baking cookies, I always recommend using vegan butter from a tub instead of vegan butter sticks. You can still create this cookie recipe with stick butter, but tub butter provides the best results!

    Check the peppermint extract. You can find both peppermint extract and peppermint flavor in the grocery store. The former is much stronger than the latter. Therefore, if you are using peppermint flavoring, I recommend increasing the amount to 1 + ½ teaspoons.

    Measure the flour correctly. It is important to accurately measure the flour when baking cookies. Too much flour will lead to cakey cookies, while too little flour will cause them to spread thin. Flour should be gently spooned into the measuring cup, then leveled off with a flat object (such as the back of a knife). Do not scoop or pack flour into the measuring cup.

    Bake cookies on the middle rack. Cookies bake *perfectly* on the middle rack, while the upper and lower racks tend to cause uneven baking. I suggest baking these chocolate peppermint cookies on sheet at a time for this reason.

    Cookies are done while they still appear underbaked. In order to achieve a soft and chewy texture, remove the cookies while the edges begin to firm but the center appears underbaked. The cookies will de-puff and firm up while cooling on the baking sheet.

    three vegan chocolate peppermint cookies on a cooling cookie rack

    How to store these vegan holiday cookies

    Store the cookies inside a tightly sealed container in order to keep them fresh. For the best cookie experience, they should be enjoyed within 3 days of baking. However, for long-term storage, you can place them inside the freezer.

    If you choose to freeze these chocolate peppermint cookies, I recommend placing a piece of parchment paper between each cookie. This prevents them from sticking together once frozen. Frozen cookies last for up to 3 months.

    vegan chocolate peppermint cookies with a bite taken out of the middle
    vegan chocolate peppermint cookies stacked and sliced in half

    More vegan Christmas cookies

    • Vegan Hot Chocolate Cookies
    • Vegan Sugar Cookies (Soft & Chewy!)
    • Vegan Peanut Butter Blossoms

    More vegan desserts for Christmas

    • Frosted Gingerbread Cookie Bars (Vegan)
    • Chocolate Gingerbread Truffles
    • Peppermint Mocha Donuts
    • No-Bake Pecan Pie Bars (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

    If you try these Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, please let me know your thoughts by leaving a rating and comment below! Ready for more? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Instagram and YouTube!

    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    vegan chocolate peppermint cookies with crushed candy canes

    Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

    ★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews
    • Author: Kaylie Grace
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 10 minutes
    • Total Time: 25 minutes
    • Yield: 15 cookies 1x
    • Category: Dessert
    • Method: Bake
    • Cuisine: American
    • Diet: Vegan
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Vegan chocolate peppermint cookies are perfect for Christmas! These double chocolate cookies are flavored with a hint of peppermint extract, cocoa, chocolate chips, and crushed candy canes. They’re easy to make, made with one bowl, and ready in 30 minutes. Everyone loves these vegan holiday cookies! #vegancookies #peppermint #christmascookies #cookies #holidaydesserts #christmasdesserts #christmasrecipes #holidaybaking #candycanes #vegandessert


    Ingredients

    Units Scale

    Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

    • ½ cup vegan butter, slightly softened from a tub*
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
    • ¼ cup almond milk
    • 2 tsp vanilla extract
    • ¾ tsp peppermint extract**
    • 1 and ¼ cups all-purpose flour (or GF baking flour)
    • ½ cup natural cocoa powder, not dutch-processed***
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • ½ tsp salt
    • 1 cup vegan chocolate chips

    Drizzle

    • ⅓ cup vegan chocolate chips
    • 2 tsp coconut oil (optional)
    • ¼ cup crushed candy canes

    Instructions

    1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
    2. Wet ingredients: In a large bowl, add vegan butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar. Using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes on medium speed). Add almond milk, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract to the bowl. Cream together once more just to combine.
    3. Dry ingredients: Add all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Mix together until the flour is evenly incorporated. Add chocolate chips and mix together again.
    4. Scoop and bake: Scoop the cookie dough and roll into 13-15 balls, then transfer to the baking sheets. Bake the cookies on the middle rack in the oven, one tray at a time, for 12-13 minutes. Remove cookies from the oven when the edges begin to firm but the center appears slightly underbaked. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet outside of the oven.
    5. Decorate: Add chocolate chips and coconut oil to a small bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir together, then microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Drizzle melted chocolate over the cookies. Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top. Rest cookies until the chocolate sets or enjoy immediately!

    Notes

    • *Vegan Butter: When it comes to baking cookies, I always recommend using vegan butter from a tub instead of vegan butter sticks. You can still create this cookie recipe with stick butter, but tub butter provides the best results.
    • **Peppermint Extract: If you are using peppermint flavor instead of peppermint extract, increase to 1 + ½ teaspoons.
    • **Cocoa powder: Be sure to use regular cocoa powder. If the ingredient label says “dutch processed cocoa” or “cocoa processed with alkali” it is incorrect. The ingredients should simply list “cocoa” instead.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 cookie
    • Calories: 255
    • Sugar: 24g
    • Fat: 11.5g
    • Saturated Fat: 5g
    • Carbohydrates: 38g
    • Protein: 3g

    Keywords: vegan chocolate peppermint cookies, vegan christmas cookies

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @purelykaylie on Instagram and hashtag it #purelykaylie

    This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use, trust, and love!

    More Healthy vegan dessert recipes

    • Sugar Cookie Truffles
    • Edible Sugar Cookie Dough (Vegan & Gluten-Free)
    • Vegan Pecan Pie Bars
    • Protein Truffles

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Kelly

      December 20, 2022 at 12:07 am

      These look great! Do you use salted or unsalted vegan butter?

      Reply
      • Kaylie Grace

        December 21, 2022 at 4:07 am

        Hey, Kelly! I prefer using salted butter 🙂 I use the earth balance brand!

        Reply
    2. Francesca

      December 11, 2022 at 12:37 pm

      This is the second recipe of yours that I’ve made. This one is also a winner. The cookies look perfect and I haven’t even decorated them yet. If you’ve ever considered putting together a vegan cookie cookbook, you absolutely should.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kaylie Grace

        December 11, 2022 at 3:13 pm

        Thank you so much, Francesca! I would absolutely love to create a cookie cookbook one day 🙂

        Reply
    3. Noel Goodwin

      December 21, 2021 at 9:59 pm

      These are amazing! I will absolutely make them again. Thank you, Kaylie!!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kaylie Grace

        December 25, 2021 at 9:22 pm

        Yay! I’m so glad you loved them, Noel! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Debbie

      December 18, 2021 at 7:02 am

      Love this recipe! One question, how much cornstarch should I use?

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kaylie Grace

        December 18, 2021 at 9:22 am

        Debbie, thanks so much for your comment! Cornstarch wasn’t supposed to be written in the blog post and that’s why it wasn’t listed in the recipe card ingredients. I have removed it from the blog post. Thank you for catching that! 🙂

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hello, I’m Kaylie!

    Welcome to the Purely Kaylie kitchen! I share plant-based recipes with simple, healthy ingredients. Whether you’re vegan or not, take a look around. There’s something here for everyone to enjoy! About Kaylie →

    Let’s Be Friends!

    • Email
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Popular Recipes

    a pile of vegan chocolate chip cookies

    Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

    vegan sugar cookies on white parchment paper with a bite taken out of the center cookie

    Vegan Sugar Cookies (Soft & Chewy!)

    a white bowl filled with chocolate oatmeal and topped with banana, chocolate chips, coconut flakes, and cacao nibs

    Chocolate Oatmeal

    a dozen vegan double chocolate chip cookies laying on white parchment paper

    Vegan Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

    an overhead photo of an oatmeal smoothie with peanut butter

    Peanut Butter Oatmeal Smoothie

    vegan moroccan stew inside two bowls beside fresh cilantro, green lentils, cinnamon, and sliced sweet potato

    Vegan Moroccan Stew

    Dessert Recipes

    a bowl of Christmas sugar cookie truffles with a bite taken out of one

    Sugar Cookie Truffles

    scoops of vegan edible sugar cookie dough stacked in a white bowl

    Edible Sugar Cookie Dough (Vegan & Gluten-Free)

    a stack of two vegan pecan pie bars with shortbread crust and sticky pecan topping

    Vegan Pecan Pie Bars

    chocolate protein truffles in a white bowl

    Protein Truffles

    a stack of vegan homemade payday candy bars

    Homemade PayDay Bars

    a sliced loaf of vegan pumpkin bread on a wire cooling rack

    Vegan Pumpkin Bread

    Breakfast Recipes

    homemade chocolate coconut granola in a ceramic bowl with almond milk and a spoon

    Chocolate Coconut Granola

    an almond butter oatmeal bowl with granola and almonds on top

    Almond Butter Oatmeal

    vegan peppermint mocha donuts with chocolate frosting and candy canes on top

    Peppermint Mocha Donuts

    vegan vanilla overnight oats with yogurt and chia seeds inside a jar

    Vanilla Overnight Oats

    vegan apple cinnamon overnight oats in a jar with chia seeds and yogurt

    Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats

    a jar of vegan cookie dough overnight oats with chocolate chips

    Cookie Dough Overnight Oats

    Copyright© 2023 · purelykaylie.com · Privacy Policy · Terms · Disclaimer