Peppermint Mocha Crinkle Cookies with Chocolate Chips
The confectioners’ sugar starts as a thick white coat on each dough ball, then the oven pulls the dark chocolate surface open into crisp-looking cracks. I wanted that contrast without…
Tip: save now, cook later.The confectioners’ sugar starts as a thick white coat on each dough ball, then the oven pulls the dark chocolate surface open into crisp-looking cracks. I wanted that contrast without a dry cookie or a peppermint flavor that takes over the cocoa, so these peppermint mocha crinkle cookies with chocolate chips keep the mint gentle and tuck semisweet chocolate into every bite. The espresso powder deepens the chocolate flavor without adding coffee to the dough.
The dough comes together with a whisk, but it’s soft before chilling and much easier to handle once it’s firm. I give it at least two hours in the refrigerator, then roll the portions generously in confectioners’ sugar. That chill-and-coat combination gives you cookies with soft centers, chocolate chips, and a snowy crinkle top.
Kitchen Note
Don’t rush the chill: the dough should feel firm before you start portioning it. Two hours is the minimum, and you can leave it covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Save these peppermint mocha crinkle cookies for a chocolatey bake with a cool hint of mint and a snowy, crackled top.
Why a thin sugar coat vanishes instead of making crinkle tops
The pale cracks aren’t just a pretty finish; they’re the contrast that makes a crinkle cookie look like one. As the dough bakes and expands, its dark surface splits. A generous layer of confectioners’ sugar stays visible across those ridges, while a skimpy dusting can disappear into the dough and leave the cookies looking more like plain chocolate rounds.
Coat each ball until you can’t see much of the dark dough underneath. Keep the sugar in a shallow bowl and turn the dough around in it so the coating reaches the sides, not only the top. The sugar will look almost excessive before baking, but that’s what gives the finished cookies their snowy finish. Leave about two inches between portions on the sheet so the expanding cookies have room to crack rather than run into each other.
What cocoa, espresso, and peppermint each contribute
- Unsweetened cocoa powder — This gives the cookies their deep chocolate base. A fresh, fragrant cocoa makes a difference here; an everyday grocery-store cocoa works well, too. Dutch-process cocoa will make the chocolate taste a little smoother and the color darker, while keeping to unsweetened cocoa preserves the balance with the sugar.
- Instant espresso powder — A small amount rounds out the cocoa rather than making these taste like coffee. Use a fine powder that blends into the dry ingredients. If you don’t have it, leave it out instead of adding brewed coffee, which would add liquid and change the dough.
- Neutral oil — Canola or vegetable oil keeps the dough easy to mix and brings no strong flavor of its own. Either works; a strongly flavored oil would compete with the mint and chocolate. Melted butter isn’t a straight swap here because it changes the dough’s texture, especially after chilling.
- Eggs — They bind this soft dough and help the cookies set as they bake. There isn’t a direct egg-free swap that preserves the same texture, so I wouldn’t replace them with a liquid substitute.
- Peppermint extract — Extract gives the mint flavor without adding moisture. Check the bottle as you measure; peppermint is distinctive, and a heavy pour can overpower the cocoa. Vanilla extract softens the mint and chocolate together, so keep it in the mix.
- Semisweet chocolate chips — The chips add distinct pockets of chocolate, and a standard bag works just fine. Chopped semisweet chocolate can stand in if that’s what’s in the pantry; the smaller shards will melt into the cookie more than chips do.
- Confectioners’ sugar — Its fine texture makes an even coating around the dough balls. Granulated sugar won’t give the same snowy finish, so this is one ingredient I wouldn’t swap.
From glossy dough to crackled cookies: the stages that matter
Whisk the cocoa mixture evenly
Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Break up any cocoa lumps before they reach the wet ingredients; dry streaks are harder to work out once the dough comes together. An even mixture helps the chocolate flavor and leavening distribute throughout the batch. Set the bowl aside while you mix the wet ingredients.
Bring the dough together without overworking it
In a large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and peppermint extract until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture just until no dry patches remain, then fold in the chocolate chips. The finished dough will be soft and thick, not firm enough to roll neatly yet. Stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears so the cookies don’t turn tough.
Chill, portion, and coat
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough until firm, at least two hours and up to 24 hours. Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon portions, roll each into a ball, and coat it generously in confectioners’ sugar. Arrange the portions about two inches apart on the prepared sheets.
Bake until the centers still look soft
Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 10 to 12 minutes. Look for cracks across the tops and edges that have set; the centers should still look soft when you pull the sheet from the oven. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Moving them too soon can break the soft cookies before they’ve had time to firm up.
Two ways to adjust the mint and make a gluten-free batch
Make the peppermint optional
Leave out the peppermint extract for a straight mocha-chocolate crinkle cookie. The dough still has vanilla, cocoa, espresso, and chocolate chips, so you’ll keep the rich chocolate character without the cooling mint finish.
Use a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend
Replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free measure-for-measure baking blend that includes xanthan gum. The cookies may bake up a little more tender, so handle them gently during the five-minute rest on the baking sheet.
Storage and Reheating
- Room temperature: Keep completely cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to four days. The sugar coating may soften a little as they sit.
- Freezer: Freeze cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to two months, with parchment between layers to protect the tops. Thaw at room temperature in the container.
- Reheating: These are good at room temperature, but you can warm one in the microwave for about five seconds to soften the chocolate chips. Longer heating can dry the cookie and make the chips too hot.
Questions that come up while baking these mocha crinkles
Peppermint Mocha Crinkle Cookies with Chocolate Chips
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Whisk the granulated sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract in a large bowl until smooth.
- Stir in the flour mixture just until combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon portions and roll each portion into a ball.
- Coat each dough ball generously in confectioners’ sugar.
- Arrange the dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
- Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are cracked and the edges are set while the centers still look soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.