These rich and fudgy Peppermint Brownie Cookies are like two favorite desserts in one. They start with a brownie mix, and your favorite peppermint bark, and are the perfect blend of peppermint and chocolate flavors, all wrapped up in a super easy holiday cookie!
Our favorite brownie cookies get a seasonal twist, thanks to the addition of peppermint bark, and candy cane pieces. They’re like a delicious brownie all wrapped up in a hand held, clean to eat cookie. Extra fudgy, extra chewy, and topped with minty chocolate and candy canes! What more could you ask for? Every time I make these, my kids and their friends destroy the whole batch in one afternoon.
These peppermint cookies will be the favorite cookie at your annual holiday cookie swap! They’re fudgy, minty, chocolatey cookies that everyone will love!
The Best Peppermint Bark Brownie Cookies
- Like a Brownie – These cookies literally start with a brownie mix, and they have all the great characteristics of your favorite brownie, fudgy centers, chewy edges, ultra chocolatey.
- Festive Peppermint Twist – The addition of candy cane pieces and pieces of peppermint bark on top of the cookies gives them a nice minty flavor, and puts you in the right mood with the holiday spirit.
- So easy – Did I mention these start with a brownie mix? These are a great dessert for busy bakers, and young chefs, with less than 10 ingredients, and ready to enjoy in less than 1 hour, no chilling required.
Ingredients for Peppermint Bark Cookies
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Peppermint Brownie Cookie Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- dry brownie mix – not prepared, mix with the ingredients as listed, do not prepare it following the directions on the box
- eggs
- all purpose flour
- vegetable oil
- water
- vanilla extract
- mini chocolate chips – keep the cookies extra fudgy, and helps with the crackly tops
- peppermint bark – you can grab peppermint bark from the store, or use leftovers from a homemade batch. I used Ghiradelli Peppermint Bark Squares
- Crushed Candy Cane – a sprinkle of crushed peppermint for an extra festive topping
How to make Peppermint Brownie Cookies
- Mix together all the ingredients for the brownies in a large bowl. You’ll need the dry brownie mix, eggs, flour, water, and vanilla and stir them all together until you have a nice sticky dough. Mix in the chocolate chips until mixed into the batter evenly.
- Scoop the brownie batter into 1.5 inch to 2 inch sized cookies (I measured mine out to be 35 grams each) and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place them at least 2 inches apart as the cookies will spread when baking.
- Bake the cookies until the tops are crinkly, and no longer shiny. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes.
- Add peppermint bark squares on top of the baked cookies, whole or chopped into small pieces. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy. Melt extra chocolate in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl and drizzle additional melted chocolate on top of the cookies, if desired. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips and Tricks:
- Don’t use a Betty Crocker Brownie Mix. I normally love this mix for brownies, but it doesn’t have baking soda in it, and your cookies will end up flat.
- Extra Minty – Add a touch of peppermint extract (1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp) to the brownie mix to make the brownie cookie base have a nice peppermint flavor too.
- Extra Chocolate – Add 1/2 cup of extra chocolate chips to the brownie cookie batter. You can use white chocolate chips, or milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate.
- Line your cookie sheet – Bake the cookies on a baking sheet lined with silicone liners, or parchment paper to prevent them from sticking to the pan, and to keep the bottoms from browning too quickly.
- Don’t overbake these cookies – Pull them out of the oven when they look slightly undercooked, because they will keep cooking as they cool on the cookie sheet. This ensures fudge cookie centers.
Peppermint Bark Brownie Cookies FAQ:
How to store leftover Brownie Cookies?
Let the cookies cool completely to room temperature so the chocolate on top will set. You can store any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Microwave any leftover cookies for about 10 seconds if you want to enjoy them warm again.
Can these cookies be frozen?
You can stash these cookies in your freezer for your cookie trays, or for a rainy day when you need something sweet. Place the cookies on a baking sheet and place it in the freezer for an hour to flash freeze them. When frozen transfer them to a plastic freezer bag, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When the cravings strikes you can defrost the needed cookies at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
These fudgy and rich Peppermint Brownie Mix Cookies are the perfect treat for the Christmas cookie season. They’re loaded with peppermint bark, and lots of chocolate in a super easy cookie – that is perfect for the busy holiday season!
Peppermint Bark Brownie Cookies
Ingredients
- 18.25 oz box brownie mix (dry mix) **
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 TBS water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips (divided)
- 20 Peppermint Bark Squares
- 2 TBS crushed candy cane pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the brownie mix, eggs, flour, vegetable oil, water, and vanilla extract to a large bowl and stir them together until combined. The batter will be sticky.
- Fold in 1/2 cup of the mini chocolate chips.
- Scoop the dough in 1.5 to 2 TBS portions and roll them into balls. Place them onto the prepared baking pan, at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies in the oven for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the tops are cracked, and no longer shiny.
- Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then top them each with Peppermint Bark squares, or chopped pieces.
- Sprinkle the tops with crushed candy cane pieces.
- Let the cookies cool for another 10 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer them to the cooling rack.
- Melt the remaining chocolate chips in a small bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds. Stir as much as you can. Microwave in additional 15 second increments until you can stir them smooth and the chocolate is melted all the way.
- Transfer the melted chocolate into a ziplock bag, and snip the tip off with scissors. Drizzle the top over the cookies if desired.
- Enjoy the messy cookies warm, or let them cool until the chocolate is set, then enjoy.
The drizzle of Chocolate keeps the peppermint square on or do you need to put a little Chocolate underneath to keep it stuck?
It will melt from the heat of the cookie. You wait a couple minutes to let the cookie cool a bit, but it’s still enough to melt and keep the square on.