These Gluten-Free Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are simple to prepare, fudgy and so delicious. Combining the classic combination of chocolate and peppermint, they are perfect for your festive baking and for the chocolate lover in your life!
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Why we love this recipe:
A favourite, classic combination is chocolate and peppermint. These Gluten-Free Chocolate Peppermint Cookies have a delicious fudgy, chocolate base and are studded with white chocolate chips and crushed candy canes.
You will love these cookies because:
- They are so simple to prepare – melt your butter and chocolate and mix through the other ingredients.
- You can make them any size you wish – we have prepared a larger cookie, but they work just as well when made smaller.
- They are perfect for the festive season – and are a fun way to use candy canes.
- They can be baked in advance – they retain great texture for 4-5 days, making them ideal to have on hand for family and friends.
Ingredients in this recipe:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
Dark chocolate – use good quality chocolate. We use one that has 70% cocoa solids.
Butter – I use unsalted butter but you could also use lightly salted.
Light brown sugar – adds a delicious caramel flavour to the cookies.
Eggs – we use large, free-range eggs.
Cocoa powder – we use Dutch-processed cocoa powder. It adds a rich chocolate flavour to the cookies.
Gluten-free plain/all-purpose flour – our gluten-free flour blends contain either xanthan or guar gum to stabilise and provide structure to our recipes. If your flour blend already contains either of these gums, there is no need to add more. If you do not require the recipe to be gluten-free, you can use regular flour.
White chocolate chips – you could also use dark or milk, or a combination.
Candy canes – for our peppermint element. Ensure they are well crushed – you want to avoid large pieces that could hurt or damage a tooth!
Step by step instructions:
Start by preheating your oven and preparing your baking trays.
- In a large bowl, melt your butter and dark chocolate. Allow it to cool slighly.
- Mix through your sugar and eggs, followed by the rest of the ingredients.
- Allow the mixture to chill for 10 minutes before using an ice cream scoop to scoop out your cookie dough into balls. Allow space between the cookies.
- Bake in your preheated oven and allow to cool on the tray slightly before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Tips for success and FAQs:
Our Gluten-Free Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are full of rich, chocolate flavour. For the best results, use good quality dark chocolate, white chocolate chips and Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
We chill the cookie dough for 10 minutes, however, if it is a hot day, you may need to chill the mixture for 30 minutes.
They are best enjoyed within 4-5 days of baking. Cool them completely and store them in an airtight container, at room temperature, with a sheet of baking paper to separate the cookies from sticking together.
I use a small food processor, but you can also put the candy canes in a sealed zip lock bag, and crush them with a rolling pin. Ensure that no large pieces of candy cane remain before adding them to the cookies.
More delicious recipes for you to try:
After some more festive sweet treats to make? Try one of these simple ideas:
- Candy Cane Chocolate Bark
- Cranberry Pistachio Bark
- Gluten-Free Pecan Snowball Cookies
- Easy Rocky Road
- Gluten-Free Fruit Mince Pies
Enjoy these delicious and simple to prepare Gluten-Free Chocolate Peppermint Cookies! Be sure to let me know in the comments below when you have given them a try.
Alex xx
Gluten-Free Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Recipe Measurements:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (125 g) unsalted butter
- 50 g (1.7 oz) dark cooking chocolate See Note 1
- 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
- 2 large eggs – beaten – at room temperature
- ¼ cup (30 g) Dutch-process cocoa See Note 2
- 1 ¼ cup (190 g) plain/all-purpose flour See Note 3
- 100 g (3.5 oz) white chocolate chips
- 125 g (4.5 oz) candy canes – about 10 medium, divided See Note 4
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 Degrees C (350 F).Prepare two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
- Put the chocolate and butter into a large bowl and place over a pan of barely simmering water. Melt chocolate and butter then remove from the heat. (Alternatively – melt together in a microwave, being careful not to burn.)Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the sugar and beaten eggs.
- Sift in the flour and cocoa and add the chocolate chips and half of the crushed candy canes.Chill the mixture in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Using an ice cream scoop (about 3 tbsp/2 oz), scoop out the cookie mixture – 6 per tray – leaving space for the cookies to spread slightly.
- Sprinkle with half of the remaining crushed candy canes, and bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven, and sprinkle with the remaining crushed candy canes.Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for 5 minutes, before gently removing them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- I use dark chocolate that contains 70% cocoa solids. Use good quality chocolate for the best flavour.
- I use Plaistowe Dutch Processed Cocoa, available in supermarkets. It gives a lovely rich, chocolatey colour and deep flavour.
- Our gluten-free flour blends contain either xanthan or guar gum to stabilise and provide structure to our recipes. If your flour blend already contains either of these gums, there is no need to add more. If you do not require the recipe to be gluten-free, you can use regular flour.
- Ensure your candy canes are gluten-free.
- Please note, the nutritional information is based on one cookie. The nutritional information is an estimate only.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Paula
Could you let us know your gluten free flour blend, i can’t find it in your recipe. Thanks.
Alexandra
Hi Paula,
We use a commercial blend of gluten-free flour. Depending on your location, we like Orgran, Well Good and Bob’s Red Mill 1 for 1.
Hope that helps! Thanks, Alex
Katrina
Hi Alex! I made these over the holidays with my daughter and they were a hit! She had so much fun smashing the candy canes with the rolling pin and decorating them with me. We added almonds to half the batch as her granddad loves them. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Alexandra
Hi Katrina, thank you for your fantastic feedback on the GF Chocolate Peppermint Cookies. I am so pleased that you and your daughter enjoyed making them. So thoughtful of you to add some almonds for granddad. 🙂
Michelle
I made these over the holidays for a friend who is gluten-free and she loved them. She asked me for another batch just days after I gave her the first one!
Alexandra
Hi Michelle, thank you for your feedback on the GF Chocolate Peppermint Cookies. I am so pleased to hear how much your friend enjoyed them. 🙂