If you love my salted brownie cookies, then you will love this Peppermint Bark Brownie Crinkle Cookie version! They are decadent, fudgy peppermint-flavored cookies that have chocolate chips and bits of peppermint bark nestled into their shiny, crackly tops. They’re perfect for the chocolate-peppermint lover in your life that’s on your holiday baking gift list!
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Let’s Talk Peppermint Bark Brownie Crinkle Cookies
These decadent, fudgy peppermint bark brownie crinkle cookies are adapted from my Salted Brownie Cookies recipe.
I kept everything the same but reduced the amount of espresso powder. The peppermint extract replaces the vanilla extract to give the brownie cookies that signature peppermint flavor, while bits of peppermint bark (I got mine from Williams Sonoma) join the chocolate chips as a fun topping!
And the sea salt flakes were left out this time, so they didn’t take away from the bark.
The chocolate chips and peppermint bark gets added after you bake the cookies. They’ll both get soft, but won’t melt completely.
Recipe Ingredients
You will need the usual ingredients needed to make my brownie crinkle cookies: all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, salt, eggs, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, unsalted butter, and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
To turn them into these peppermint bark brownie cookies, you’ll need the following:
Peppermint Extract. Make sure you get the extract that says peppermint and not mint. The mint extract is the flavor from mint tea.
Peppermint Bark. I used Williams Sonoma original peppermint bark (in the classic red and white tin). You’ll need about 6 ounces broken into small pieces to place on top of the baked cookies.
Substitutions
Vanilla Extract. If you prefer to use only the peppermint bark as the peppermint flavor in these brownie cookies, you can omit the peppermint extract and just use vanilla extract in its place.
Peppermint Bark. You can use any brand of peppermint bark, but I highly recommend Williams Sonoma brand. They also have different flavors like salted peppermint bark, dark chocolate, peppermint bark covered pretzels, cookies, and truffles. Any of these can be broken up to use as a topping!
The Best Baking Tools
Below are the recommended baking tools needed to make this recipe.
Here’s How to Make Peppermint Bark Brownie Cookies!
This is just an overview of how to make these peppermint bark brownie crinkle cookies. For the full recipe, scroll on down to the recipe card.
Prep all of your ingredients. Measure everything out first, break up the bark, and then start making the batter. Once you mix up your batter, you immediately want to get them scooped onto the baking sheet and into the oven.
Please note that if you can only fit one tray of cookies into the oven to bake, it is totally okay to let the brownie cookie batter sit for the 8-10 minutes while the first set of cookies bake. You just do not want to refrigerate the batter to make for later.
Whisk the dry ingredients together. This only includes the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. And I do this in a separate small- to medium-size bowl, then set it aside. The unsweetened cocoa powder and espresso powder get added to the melted chocolate and butter mixture.
Begin to mix the wet ingredients. These are the eggs, egg yolk, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, and peppermint extract. I like to start doing this right before I move on to melting the chocolate chips and butter.
Melt the chocolate chips and butter. Have the semi-sweet chocolate chips and butter in the saucepan, on the stove top, ready to go. I also recommend having the cocoa powder and espresso powder set to the side nearby.
Melt the chocolate and butter together until it’s nice and smooth. This takes just 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat, then stir in the cocoa powder and espresso powder.
Scoop and bake. Like my salted brownie cookies recipe, I used a 1 1/2 tablespoon-size cookie scoop. The cookies get baked for 8-10 minutes at 350ºF on a parchment paper lined or silicone baking mat prepped baking sheet. Keep the cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart.
Top with semi-sweet chocolate chips and peppermint bark. I topped each cookie with 3-4 semi-sweet chocolate chips and 3-4 pieces of the peppermint bark.
Let cool, then enjoy! They should rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before you transfer them to a wire cooling rack. Use a spatula to transfer them over because they will be very soft!
How to Make Perfectly Round Cookies
Your peppermint bark brownie crinkle cookies will spread as they bake and they will not all be the same size. To make the same size cookies that are slightly thicker, following these steps:
- Immediately after your brownie cookies are done, remove them from the oven, but keep them on the hot baking sheet.
- Take a circle or round-shaped cookie cutter that is slightly bigger place the cookie within the cookie cutter. You can also use a mug or small bowl, just as long as it’s bigger than the cookie itself. The only downside to the mug or bowl is you can’t see the cookie.
- In a circular motion, move the cookie cutter around the cookie until it forms a perfect circle. This usually takes me about 5-8 seconds.
Use an oven mitt as you hold the baking sheet with whatever hand you won’t be using with the cookie cutter because the baking sheet will be VERY hot.
Recipe FAQs
Like my salted brownie cookies, this peppermint bark version will spread as they bake and will be on the thin side. To give them that thicker edge and all the same size, follow my tips above for perfectly round cookies.
I recommend baking the cookies and then freezing them only because this brownie cookie batter is really meant to be baked immediately after it’s done being mixed together.
Yes, but you’ll still be able to scoop it on to the baking sheets. When you scoop the batter onto the baking sheets, they’ll be like blobs.
A few things contribute to getting these signature cookie tops.
1. Having all of your ingredients measured and ready to go.
2. Bake your cookies immediately.
3. Bake them on the earlier side of the recommended baking times. My first set of cookies came out of the oven at the 9 minute mark. My second at the 8 minute mark.
Check Out These Other Holiday Cookies!
Peppermint Bark Brownie Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 2 Large Eggs, room temperature
- 1 Large Egg Yolk, room temperature
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 tsp Peppermint Extract
- 6 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, plus some for topping cookies
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1/2 tsp Espresso Powder, optional ingredient
- 6 oz Peppermint Bark
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the 2nd level mark (just above center) and preheat your oven to 350ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Set to the side.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set to the side.1 cup All-Purpose Flour, 1 tsp Baking Powder, 1/8 tsp Salt
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, egg yolk, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, and peppermint extract together on medium-high speed until fully combined and frothy.2 Large Eggs, 1 Large Egg Yolk, 1 cup Granulated Sugar, 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil, 1 tsp Peppermint Extract
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the semi-sweet chocolate chips and unsalted butter together over medium heat until fully melted and smooth. Remove from heat and immediately whisk or stir in the unsweetened cocoa powder and espresso powder.6 tbsp Unsalted Butter, 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, 1/2 tsp Espresso Powder
- Carefully pour the melted chocolate mixture into the wet ingredients and mix until the chocolate is just combined.
- Add in the whisked dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. You can also simply fold in the dry ingredients using a spatula. The batter will be on the thinner side, but still scoopable.
- Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon-size cookie scoop or 2 spoons, scoop the cookie dough out and place onto the baking sheets, leaving about 1 1/2 inches of space between them.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350ºF or until the tops of the cookies has a shiny, crackly top to them.
- Remove from the oven and top with some broken pieces of peppermint bark. You can also choose to use a round cookie cutter to shape them into perfectly round cookies. Do this immediately after they have come out of the oven while they're still soft. Visit my 'how do you make perfectly round cookies?' section of the blog post for all my cookie shaping tips.6 oz Peppermint Bark
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool almost completely—because they are really good still warm! Use a spatula to transfer the cookies because they will be very soft!
- Cookies are best kept in a sealed food container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information provided above is an estimate only and will vary based on specific ingredients used. See Nutritional Disclaimer for more info.
I love peppermint bark and I love brownies! These cookies are the perfect combination of the two! The recipe instructions were clear and easy to follow, and I really appreciated the circle cookie cutter shaping suggestion. Definitely give these a try; they’re delicious!
These cookies are delicious and very easy to follow recipe/bake. My only issue – the bark remained soft long after the cookies cooled. Any tips? Still delicious – just can’t put them in the cookie jar!
Hi! Thank you for making them! Yes, you can put the cookies in the refrigerator for a little bit which should help set the peppermint bark again.