Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies (vegan)
These delicious Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are loaded with rich chocolate chunks and peppermint extract. They are easy to make, made with wholesome ingredients, and plant-based.
Are you a holiday baker looking for a simple and healthier cookie recipe? The chocolatey goodness and peppermint flavor make these the perfect Christmas cookies! If you are looking for the best cookie recipe for the holidays, make these vegan double chocolate peppermint cookies.
My family loves it when the house smells like chocolate peppermint around the holidays. I love to make a platter of these chocolate peppermint cookies to bring to gatherings. They are the kind of cookie that you can feel good about eating.
Spotlight on These Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- They are irresistible. Nothing pairs better than peppermint and chocolate, am I right? These are the perfect holiday cookies with less guilt. They are rich, decadent, soft, and absolutely mouth-watering.
- They are wholesome. This recipe calls for coconut sugar as the sugar source which as you know is not processed and actually has nutrients. It also has no dairy such as butter and eggs.
- They are easy to make. While you do have the option to place the prepared dough in the fridge to chill, you can simply make these cookies in no time. No complicated steps or sifting is required.
- They are great for meal prep. Make these cookies and store them in the fridge or freezer for a healthy sweet treat that keeps on giving all season long. You can also freeze the dough to make another batch later.
- They are perfect for a Christmas cookie platter. I love putting a few of these chocolate cookies on cookie platters to give to neighbors and friends this time of year. They are gorgeous, and a great addition to a plate of holiday cookies.
The Ingredients
White flour: White flour bakes up a little nicer and fluffier which is why you will find a combination of white flour and almond flour in this recipe.
Almond flour: I love this unprocessed flour variety. It makes baking healthier and I am so thankful. I have not tried it, but I am sure you can swap out almond flour for oat flour if needed.
Coconut sugar: Again, you won’t get a coconut flavor using this sugar. It’s a healthier sugar alternative that works nicely for baking. I typically only use coconut sugar or maple syrup when cooking.
Cacao powder: This is what turns the cookies from vanilla to chocolate. You can use either raw cacao powder or cocoa powder. I always prefer cacao powder for my baking needs.
Baking powder and baking soda: You can’t have a nicely baked cookie without these ingredients. They help balance out all of the ingredients and create the perfect texture.
Plant-based milk: I like to use my homemade coconut, cashew, and almond milk made in my Almond Cow. Choose your favorite dairy-free milk for this recipe.
Coconut oil: This is the best oil and butter replacement when it comes to baking, in my opinion. You won’t taste a coconut flavor, however. You will want to use slightly melted coconut oil.
White vinegar: You will mix the plant-based milk with vinegar and allow it to sit for a few minutes to thicken up and form curds.
Flax egg: You simply take water and ground flaxseed, mix them together, allow the mixture to thicken, and you’ll have a vegan egg alternative. Pretty amazing, eh?
Peppermint extract: This is the ingredient that transforms these cookies from plain chocolate to holiday peppermint cookies! I love the addition of peppermint oil to these vegan chocolate peppermint cookies.
Dark chocolate bar: While you can use dark chocolate chips or your favorite vegan chocolate chips, I love the texture and look that chocolate chunks bring to these cookies. You take a large dark chocolate bar and use a knife to cut it into small chunks.
Frequently Asked Questions
You won’t find any dairy in this recipe. We sap out butter for coconut oil and eggs for a flaxegg. There is no milk, cream, or milk chocolate found in these healthier cookies, either. These are perfect for a vegan, dairy-free diet, and a plant-based diet.
No, you do not have to put the prepared cookie dough in the fridge to chill. However, I recommend it. I have baked both versions and I prefer the way the chilled dough cooks. The cookies are fluffier and the texture is slightly better. Even if you can chill the dough for 30 minutes to an hour, it will bake up nicer.
There is no processed cane sugar, no dairy, and no processed candy pieces in this recipe. While there is white flour, which is processed, this recipe calls for half white flour and half almond flour.
The Instructions
Note: I recommend placing the finished dough into the fridge to chill overnight or for at least one hour.
Step one: If you are skipping the above step, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Step two: Mix the vinegar and dairy-free milk in a small bowl and set it aside to thicken.
Step three: Mix the water and ground flax in a small bowl and set it aside to thicken.
Step four: In a medium bowl, combine the white flour, almond flour, cacao powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt with a whisk until all of the lumps are incorporated. You can sift these ingredients as well.
Step five: In a large bowl, add the coconut sugar and slightly melted but cooled coconut oil. Use an electric mixer or stand mixer to beat on low until well blended. Next, add the milk mixture, flax egg, and peppermint extract. Beat on low again until fully incorporated.
Step six: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl of the wet ingredients and continue blending on low speed until fully incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chunks with a spatula or wooden spoon.
Step seven: For best results, add plastic wrap to the bowl and place the bowl of dough into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes to an hour, or better yet overnight.
Step eight: When ready to bake, use a medium cookie scoop to make balls of dough. Place them onto the lined cookie sheet, spread apart. Optionally add a few additional chocolate chunks to the tops of each ball of dough. *It’s the melted chocolate on the top of the cookies that does it for me!
Step nine: Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes. 9 minutes was perfect for me. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, and then transfer them to a cooling rack until they become room temperature.
Storage
These cookies are soft, which makes them irresistible in my opinion. You can leave them on the counter in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Or, store them in the fridge so they harden up a bit and will last about 10 days.
You can freeze the dough by following these instructions: Use a cookie scoop to make balls of dough with the entire bowl of dough. Place them on a lined plate, spread apart, and freeze them for 24 hours. Next, transfer the balls of dough to a Ziplock freezer bag, use a permanent marker to write baking instructions on the bag, and store the airtight bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. *Note, you will need to increase the baking time by a few minutes if using frozen cookie dough.
Tips + Modifications
For a thicker, more fudgy texture, refrigerate your cookie dough for 20-30 minutes before baking.
To make them gluten-free, replace all-purpose flour with a reliable 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.
If your cookies look a bit underdone, that’s actually a good thing. They will harden as they cool.
More Delicious Vegan Holiday Cookies
White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Healthy Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Vegan Peanut Butter Sugar Cookies
Vanilla Peppermint Sugar Cookies
Easy No-Bake Chocolate Avalanche Cookies
Coconut Thumbprint Cookies with Orange Jam
Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies (vegan)
Equipment
- 1 electric mixer
- 1 baking tray, lined
- 1 medium mixing bowl
- 2 small bowls
Ingredients
- ¼ cup plant-based milk
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 3 tablespoons filtered water
- ¾ cup all-purpose white flour + 2 TBSN
- ½ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup cacao powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
- ½ cup chopped dark chocolate chunks
Instructions
- Note: For best results, chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes to 1 hour before cooking.
- If you are baking immediately and not chilling the dough, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Mix the vinegar and dairy-free milk in a small bowl and set it aside to thicken.
- Mix the water and ground flax in a small bowl and set it aside to thicken.
- In a medium bowl, combine the white flour, almond flour, cacao powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt with a whisk until all of the lumps are incorporated. You can sift these ingredients as well.
- In a large bowl, add the coconut sugar and slightly melted but cooled coconut oil. Use an electric mixer or stand mixer to beat on low until well blended. Next, add the milk mixture, flax egg, and peppermint extract. Beat on low again until fully incorporated.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl of the wet ingredients and continue blending on low speed until fully incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chunks with a spatula or wooden spoon.
- For best results, add plastic wrap to the bowl and place the bowl of dough into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes to an hour or better yet overnight.
- When ready to bake, use a medium cookie scoop to make balls of dough. Place them onto the lined cookie sheet, spread apart. Optionally add a few additional chocolate chunks to the tops of each ball of dough. *It's the melted chocolate on the top of the cookies that does it for me!
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes. For me 9 minutes was perfect. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack until they become room temperature.
