Irresistibly Fudgy Double Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies: Your Ultimate Holiday Treat

Get ready to embrace the festive spirit with these incredibly rich, wonderfully chewy, and delightfully minty Double Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies. More than just a simple holiday treat, these cookies boast an extra-fudgy texture thanks to a special, unexpected ingredient that will leave everyone craving more. Perfect for cookie exchanges, holiday parties, or a cozy night in, they bring together the classic flavors of chocolate and peppermint in an unforgettable way.

The Quintessential Christmas Cookie Experience

When the holiday season arrives, my thoughts invariably turn to one thing: Christmas cookies! While advent calendars and twinkling lights certainly set the mood, nothing quite captures the essence of December like a freshly baked batch of festive cookies. And no Christmas cookie collection is truly complete without that signature peppermint touch. This year, I embarked on a mission to create the ultimate chocolate and peppermint fusion, and these Double Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies are the delicious result. They deliver a generous dose of decadent chocolate perfectly balanced with just the right hint of refreshing Christmas mint.

Why These Fudgy Cookies Will Be Your New Favorite

Prepare for Santa to make a special detour through your kitchen to find more of these! Each cookie is a masterpiece, featuring extra chocolate chips generously nestled within a rich, profoundly fudgy chocolate base. The crowning glory, a delightful peppermint kiss, melts gently into the warm cookie, releasing a bright, cool mint flavor that perfectly accentuates and elevates the deep chocolate notes. The combination is simply irresistible, making these cookies an instant classic for any holiday gathering.

The Secret to Ultimate Fudginess and Holiday Cheer

The magic behind the extraordinary fudgy texture of these cookies lies in two key additions: an extra egg yolk and a hint of brandy. The additional egg yolk contributes significantly to the richness and chewiness, ensuring each cookie is perfectly dense and moist. Meanwhile, the brandy, much like coffee, doesn’t impart an alcoholic taste but rather deepens and enhances the complex chocolate flavor. This subtle boost makes the chocolate taste even more robust and luxurious, adding an extra layer of holiday cheer without being overtly boozy.

Kid-Friendly Indulgence with an Adult Twist Option

Rest assured, the small amount of brandy used in this recipe only works to enhance the chocolate, making these cookies 100% kid-approved. The alcohol evaporates during baking, leaving behind only its delicious essence. However, if you’re baking solely for an adult gathering and desire a more pronounced depth, feel free to add an extra teaspoon of brandy next time. Beyond flavor, the brandy also contributes additional moisture, further boosting that coveted fudgy texture. This makes it a multi-purpose secret weapon in achieving baking perfection!

Tips for Baking Perfect Double Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies

Achieving perfect cookies is an art, and these Double Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies offer a unique tip for success: chilling the dough. While you can certainly bake them immediately, refrigerating the batter for at least 2 hours will make a significant difference. Chilling helps the dough firm up, making it much easier to roll into perfectly round, uniform balls. This not only results in more photogenic cookies but also helps them hold their shape better during baking, preventing excessive spreading. If you opt to skip the chilling step, be mindful to reduce your baking time by a minute or two, as the warmer dough will bake faster.

Baking Beyond the Holidays

These Double Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies are destined to be the showstopper at your next cookie exchange, the most talked-about treat in the office, and the one recipe you’ll find yourself making long after the New Year rings in. Their delightful combination of rich chocolate and cool peppermint is surprisingly versatile and enjoyable throughout the winter months, not just for Christmas. They make fantastic homemade gifts, a comforting snack on a cold day, or a delightful dessert to share with loved ones.

Recipe: Double Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies

Double Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies

by

Chef Lindsey

These Double Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookies are rich and fudgy. A secret, unexpected ingredient gives them an extra fudgy texture!

Prep:

20 minutes
mins

Cook:

8 minutes
mins

Chill Time:

2 hours
hrs

Servings:

16
Cookies

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Ingredients

• 16 Hershey’s Peppermint Kisses
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter slightly softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon brandy
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup Dutch processed cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Whisk thoroughly to ensure the cocoa powder is evenly distributed throughout the dry mixture. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, extra egg yolk, brandy, and vanilla extract until well combined.
• Gradually add the sifted flour mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the flour mixture (approximately four additions). Once the flour and milk are incorporated, stir in the semi-sweet chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
• At this stage, you may choose to refrigerate the cookie batter for at least 2 hours. While not strictly necessary for baking, chilling the dough will make it significantly easier to roll into neat, uniform balls and can help prevent excessive spreading during baking.
• Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the dough and roll it into a smooth ball. Place the cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart on a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Bake for 8-11 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are set but the centers still appear slightly glossy and a little soft. This ensures a fudgy interior. If using unchilled dough, reduce baking time by 1-2 minutes.
• Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for approximately 10 minutes before gently pressing a Hershey’s Peppermint Kiss into the center of each warm cookie. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

This recipe yields 16 generously sized cookies. For a larger batch of smaller cookies, roll the dough into 1-inch balls, which should make approximately 32 cookies. Remember to decrease the baking time accordingly and monitor them closely to prevent overbaking.

Nutrition

Calories: 214kcal |
Carbohydrates: 30g |
Protein: 3g |
Fat: 10g |
Saturated Fat: 6g |
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g |
Monounsaturated Fat: 2g |
Trans Fat: 1g |
Cholesterol: 39mg |
Sodium: 54mg |
Potassium: 75mg |
Fiber: 2g |
Sugar: 17g |
Vitamin A: 213IU |
Calcium: 27mg |
Iron: 1mg

Course:
Dessert

Cuisine:
American

Calories:
214

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