Vegan Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies

These vegan chocolate chip peppermint cookies are soft, chewy, and perfect for the holidays! Packed with cocoa powder, vegan chocolate chips, and peppermint extract, these mint-chocolate cookies truly embody the festive flavor and require just 15 minutes of hands-on prep! Plus, they’re dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan!

Soft and Chewy Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

As Christmas inches closer, we are currently living our best ‘Hallmark Movie’ lives. We’re decorating merrily, enjoying vegan eggnog and vegan Mexican hot chocolate daily, and baking LOTS (and lots!) of Christmas cookies! Along with vegan triple ginger cookies, raspberry thumbprint cookies, and sugar cookies, our collection wouldn’t be complete without these double chocolate chip peppermint cookies!

With both cocoa powder AND vegan chocolate chips, these double chocolate peppermint cookies are the ultimate indulgence for choccie lovers. You can even take it one step further with an optional half-dipped chocolate topping or even melted vegan mallows for ‘hot chocolate’ peppermint cookies! Of course, the addition of peppermint extract is the cherry on top!

Even better, this recipe requires just a couple of bowls, a fairly inexpensive pantry and baking staples (most of which you probably already have), and 30 minutes to prepare. Did we mention that the texture is perfect too?! These vegan chocolate mint cookies are slightly crisp outside with a soft, moist, and slightly chewy. You’d never guess that they’re vegan!

Want to enjoy more peppermint chocolate treats? Why not add some peppermint extract to thick Mexican hot chocolate,  fudgy vegan brownies, or even whip up a quick and simple vegan chocolate peppermint pie?!

The Ingredients

This vegan chocolate peppermint cookies recipe is made up entirely of baking and pantry staples, including:

• Vegan chocolate: Use your favorite vegan chocolate chips or chunks (milk or dark/semisweet chocolate).
• Flax eggs: A flax meal and water combination creates the egg replacement for this mint chocolate chip cookie recipe.
• Sugar: We use a combination of brown sugar (make sure it’s vegan) and regular sugar to create the perfect moist and slightly chewy consistency without too much spread. If you substitute the sugars, the texture and spread of the vegan chocolate chip peppermint cookies will be affected.
• Vegan butter: Use softened, unsalted vegan butter. Solid coconut oil may also work, but may affect the cookie texture.
• All-purpose flour: Measure it using the spoon and level method.
• Cocoa powder: We used regular cocoa powder, but feel free to use cacao powder or even a combination of cocoa powder and Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
• Baking soda: Will help the vegan chocolate peppermint cookies to achieve the correct consistency.
• Vanilla extract: Use natural vanilla for the best flavor.
• Peppermint extract: Feel free to adjust the amount slightly to taste. If you use peppermint flavoring instead of extract/oil, you’ll need to add more, as it’s naturally milder.
• Salt: Just a small amount of salt enhances the flavor of these chocolate peppermint chip cookies.

Optional add-ins & Recipe Variations

There are several ways you can adapt this double chocolate peppermint cookies recipe, including.

• Instant coffee: All you need is ½ tbsp to enhance the chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee. Add more if you want peppermint mocha cookies. You can also use espresso powder, though you won’t need as much, as the flavor is stronger.
• Crushed candy canes: (Optional) or peppermint candies. Press a few pieces into the top of the cookies before baking, or sprinkle over after, especially if using a melted vegan chocolate coating for delicious candy cane chocolate chip cookies.
• Mini vegan marshmallows: Use 2-3 vegan mini mallows or half a regular one over the top of the cookies when baking for ‘hot chocolate’ peppermint cookies.
• Vegan chocolate coating: You can optionally make chocolate-dipped mint chocolate cookies by combining melted vegan chocolate (white, milk, or dark) with a teaspoon of coconut oil. Then dip the cookies halfway, sprinkle with any toppings (like crushed peppermint candy) and leave to set.

How to Make Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies?

1) First, preheat the oven to 375F/190C. Meanwhile, mix the flax meal and water for a minute in a small bowl. Then leave to rest in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to thicken.

2) Then, cream the vegan butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer or in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Begin at a low speed, then increase until the mixture is well combined and fluffy.

Be careful not to overbeat the vegan butter and sugar as you’ll end up losing the extra air.

3) Next, add the vanilla, peppermint, flax eggs, flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder and mix either with a machine or by hand, with a spatula until smooth.

Don’t overwork the gluten as it can lead to tough, flat cookies. Instead, the cookie dough needs to be ‘just’ smooth.

4) Add the vegan chocolate chips and fold them into the mixture.

5) Then, using either a small cookie/ice-cream scooper or a tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop the dough onto a lightly oiled or parchment paper-lined baking sheet with an inch of space between.

6) Bake for around 10 minutes until the edges are firm, but the middle is still fairly soft. Leave to cool on the tray for at least 15 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (they’ll fully set in this time)—then enjoy!

Enjoy the cookies alone, along with a mug of Mexican hot chocolate, homemade cashew milk or your favorite vegan milk, as part of a cookie spread, or even crumbled over other desserts, like a vegan ice-cream sundae, vegan milkshake, vegan banana cheesecake, and more!

How to Make Ahead and Store?

If you want to make these double chocolate chip peppermint cookies ahead, you have a couple of options. The first is to prepare the dough and store it, wrapped tightly, in the refrigerator overnight. Alternatively, you can scoop the cookies onto your baking tray, flash freeze (for about 30 minutes), then transfer them to a Ziplock/Stasher bag and store for 3 months!

Bake the cookies from frozen. Adding an extra couple of minutes (or so) to the baking time.

To store the baked chocolate chip mint cookies, allow them to cool entirely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days (or 7 in the refrigerator). You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. They require just a few minutes to thaw before eating (yay!) and can even be microwaved for a few seconds if preferred.

FAQs

• Can I make these peppermint chocolate chip cookies gluten-free? You could substitute the AP flour for a GF all-purpose flour instead. Though, the texture may vary slightly.
• Do you need to chill the cookie dough? No, these cookies don’t spread too much, so it’s not necessary. Though chilling can lead to slightly better tasting (as the flavors meld), chewier cookies. So feel free to do so if preferred.
• Can I make these refined sugar-free? Technically, yes (for example, using coconut sugar). Though we don’t recommend it as it will affect the texture and spread of the cookies. The brown sugar is also acidic, needed for the baking soda.
• Can I ship the vegan chocolate peppermint cookies? That should work fine, but omit any chocolate coating which could melt while en route. Ship the cookies on the day you bake them (so the recipient has longer to enjoy them). Place the cookies either in cellophane bags OR in a cookie tin (but make sure to pack tightly so they won’t be moving around lots). Then place them within a larger well-padded mailing box and write FRAGILE on the top.

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• Make larger cookies: Feel free to use a larger scoop to make bigger cookies. Just increase the baking time by several minutes.
• Use a combination of vegan chocolate: Combine vegan chocolate chips with either chocolate chunks or a chopped chocolate bar (bonus if it’s a peppermint flavor) for different textures and chocolate flavors in the double chocolate chip peppermint cookies.
• Use high–quality chocolate: It’ll make the double chocolate chip mint cookies taste the best they can be and does make a difference. We recommend Guittard/Ghirardelli if they’re within your budget.
• To gift the cookies: Add a few to a cookie tin or a cellophane gift bag. Then wrap with a ribbon and optionally with a tag. You can also ship the cookies (read FAQs above for method).

More Vegan Christmas Cookies and Treats

• Raspberry jam thumbprint cookies
• Triple ginger cookies
• Chocolate peanut butter bark
• Candied rosemary walnuts
• Vegan chocolate crinkle cookies
• Vegan snickerdoodles

You’d also like our vegan gingerbread cake and vegan fruit cake.