Mini Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Mini Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are soft, chewy double chocolate cookies with cocoa, mini chocolate chips, and creamy peppermint frosting. These easy mini Christmas cookies are a festive holiday treat perfect for cookie exchanges, parties, and homemade gifts.

Chocolate and peppermint is one of my FAVORITE holiday flavor combinations, and these Mini Chocolate Peppermint Cookies pack plenty of both into one cute little bite-size treat! They’re basically tiny soft chocolate cookies loaded with mini chocolate chips and sandwiched around a creamy peppermint frosting.

Think double chocolate cookies meet peppermint candy in a fun mini sandwich cookie.

The chocolate cookies start with a simple homemade cookie dough made with brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, egg yolk, vanilla, flour, cocoa powder, and mini chocolate chips. The dough bakes into rich, soft cookies that are almost brownie-like. And did I mention they STAY soft?

Then there’s the peppermint frosting. It’s a simple homemade frosting made with powdered sugar, margarine, and peppermint extract. A little red food coloring gives it a fun pinkish-red color that’s perfect for Christmas.

Chocolate + peppermint + soft cookies + creamy frosting. YES please!

Because these are mini cookies, I use only about 1 teaspoon of dough for each one. After baking, they’re slightly bigger than a quarter. Sandwich two together with peppermint frosting, and you’ve got a cute bite-size Christmas cookie that’s perfect for holiday parties and cookie exchanges.

And since the recipe makes about 6 dozen cookie sandwiches, there’s plenty to share!

What I Love About This Recipe

• They’re soft and chewy. The chocolate cookies bake up soft and stay soft, which is one of my favorite things about this cookie dough. The cocoa gives them an almost brownie-like chocolate flavor and texture without turning them into dense brownies. They’re especially good paired with that smooth peppermint frosting in the middle.
• There’s LOTS of chocolate. These aren’t plain chocolate cookies. Unsweetened cocoa powder flavors the dough, then a full 12 ounces of mini chocolate chips gets mixed in too. You get cocoa and little bits of chocolate in every bite for a delicious double chocolate cookie.
• They’re the perfect mini Christmas cookie. The tiny sandwich-cookie size makes these fun for holiday dessert platters, Christmas parties, and cookie exchanges. Because they’re small, guests can grab one or two even when there are LOTS of other desserts around. The red peppermint frosting also gives them an easy festive touch.
• Chocolate and peppermint are made for each other. The rich cocoa and chocolate chips balance the cool peppermint extract in the frosting. They remind me a little of peppermint hot chocolate in cookie form. If you’re a fan of chocolate peppermint candy, candy canes, or mint chocolate desserts, these are definitely worth adding to your holiday baking list.
• They’re easy to customize. You can swap peppermint extract for mint extract, change the frosting color, add crushed candy cane pieces, or decorate the edges with mini chocolate chips. You can even experiment with white chocolate or dark chocolate. There are LOTS of ways to make these little cookies your own.

Equipment You May Need

• Large Mixing Bowl – You’ll need a large bowl for mixing the soft chocolate cookie dough.
• Electric Mixer – A hand mixer or stand mixer makes it easy to beat the peppermint frosting until smooth and fluffy.
• Large Baking Sheets – Since this recipe makes a lot of mini cookies, having several baking sheets will make the process go much faster.
• Parchment Paper – The baking sheets can be left ungreased, but parchment paper makes cleanup and cookie removal easier.
• Teaspoon or Small Cookie Scoop – Keeping the portions close to 1 teaspoon helps give you evenly sized mini cookies that are easier to pair into sandwiches.
• Wire Cooling Rack – Cool the chocolate cookies completely on wire racks before adding the peppermint frosting.
• Piping Bag – Optional, but a piping bag makes filling the mini sandwich cookies quick and gives them a neat finished look.
• Offset Spatula or Butter Knife – If you don’t want to pipe the frosting, simply spread it onto the cookies with a small spatula or knife.

(Full printable recipe card with full details is at bottom of post.)

Mini Chocolate Peppermint Cookies Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cookies

• Soft Margarine – Creates the base of the homemade cookie dough and helps give these chocolate cookies their soft texture.
• Granulated Sugar – Sweetens the cookies and works with the brown sugar to create their texture.
• Light Brown Sugar – Adds sweetness, moisture, and a subtle caramel-like flavor to the chocolate cookie dough.
• Egg – One large whole egg helps bind the dough together.
• Egg Yolk – The additional egg yolk adds richness and helps contribute to the soft, chewy texture.
• Vanilla Extract – Adds a little extra flavor and complements the chocolate and peppermint.
• All-Purpose Flour – Gives the homemade cookies their structure.
• Baking Powder – Helps give the cookies a little lift while baking.
• Salt – Balances the sweetness and enhances the chocolate flavor.
• Baking Soda – Helps with the texture and spread of the cookies.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Turns the basic cookie dough into rich chocolate cookies with an almost brownie-like flavor.
• Mini Chocolate Chips – A full 12 ounces of mini chocolate chips gives you little bits of chocolate throughout every mini cookie.

For the Peppermint Frosting

• Powdered Sugar – Sweetens the frosting and gives it structure.
• Soft Margarine – The creamy base of the easy homemade peppermint frosting.
• Peppermint Extract – Gives the frosting its cool peppermint flavor and turns these into festive chocolate peppermint cookies.
• Red Food Coloring – Adds a fun holiday color to the frosting. Add only a drop at a time until you reach the color you like.

How to Make Mini Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Step One: Prepare the Oven
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Step Two: Make the Chocolate Cookie Dough
Mix 1 cup margarine, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla in a large bowl until well mixed. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and unsweetened cocoa powder until combined. The dough will be soft and creamy, so don’t add additional flour.

Step Three: Add the Mini Chocolate Chips
Mix the mini chocolate chips into the cookie dough until combined and evenly distributed.

Step Four: Form the Mini Cookies
Drop about 1 teaspoon of dough for each cookie onto ungreased or parchment paper-lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between the cookies because they will spread while baking.

Step Five: Bake and Cool the Cookies
Bake the cookies at 375 degrees F for about 4 to 6 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Cool slightly on the baking sheets, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.

Step Six: Make the Peppermint Frosting
Beat the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup margarine, and peppermint extract in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stir in red food coloring one drop at a time until the frosting reaches your desired color.

Step Seven: Assemble the Cookie Sandwiches
Spread or pipe a little peppermint frosting over the bottom of half of the completely cooled chocolate cookies. Top each with another cookie to form a mini chocolate peppermint sandwich cookie.

(Full printable recipe card with full details is at bottom of post.)

Mini Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Variations

These easy holiday cookies are really adaptable, so have fun with them!

Candy Cane Cookies: Roll the exposed frosting around the edges in finely crushed candy cane pieces for extra peppermint flavor and Christmas crunch.

White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies: Add some mini white chocolate chips to the dough or drizzle melted white chocolate over the assembled cookies.

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Cookies: Try dark chocolate mini chips for a richer chocolate flavor.

Chocolate-Dipped Cookies: Dip part of each assembled sandwich cookie into melted chocolate and let it set before serving.

Mint Chocolate Cookies: Substitute mint extract for the peppermint extract and use green food coloring in the frosting.

Peppermint Chip Cookies: If you have peppermint baking chips, you could experiment with replacing some of the mini chocolate chips with peppermint chips.

Extra Chocolate Cookies: Press a few additional mini chocolate chips into the frosting around the edges of each sandwich.

Candy-Topped Cookies: Add crushed peppermint candy or candy cane pieces to the frosting before adding the top cookie.

Serving Suggestions

• Christmas Cookie Platter: Add these Mini Chocolate Peppermint Cookies to a big platter with your favorite Christmas cookies, candies, and fudge.
• Cookie Exchange: The recipe makes about 6 dozen mini sandwich cookies, making it a great option when you need a large batch for a holiday cookie exchange.
• Hot Chocolate: Serve the cookies with mugs of hot chocolate for a double dose of chocolate and peppermint holiday flavor.
• Coffee: These little chocolate sandwich cookies are also delicious with coffee or espresso.
• Holiday Party: Their mini size makes them perfect for dessert tables where guests want to sample several different treats.
• Homemade Gifts: Pack the cookies into decorative tins or holiday containers for an easy homemade Christmas gift.
• Ice Cream: Serve a few mini cookies alongside vanilla, chocolate, or peppermint ice cream for an easy holiday dessert.
• Milk: Chocolate cookies and a cold glass of milk. Simple and DELICIOUS.

Quick Tips for Best Results

• Don’t add more flour. The cookie dough is supposed to be soft and creamy. Adding extra flour can change the texture of the finished cookies.
• Keep the cookies small. About 1 teaspoon of dough per cookie gives you cute bite-size sandwich cookies.
• Leave room between cookies. The cookies spread a little, so leave about 2 inches between portions of dough.
• Watch the baking time carefully. Mini cookies can go from soft to overbaked quickly. Start checking at about 4 minutes.
• Adjust the time for larger cookies. You can make these cookies bigger, but larger cookies will generally need a longer baking time.
• Cool the cookies completely. This is a MUST before adding the peppermint frosting. Warm cookies will melt the frosting and make a big mess.
• Match similar sizes. Before frosting, pair up cookies that are approximately the same size so your sandwich cookies look neat.
• Use a piping bag for easy filling. You can spread the frosting with a knife, but piping makes assembling a large batch of mini cookies much quicker.
• Add food coloring gradually. One drop at a time is plenty until you see how strong your particular food coloring is.
• Double the frosting if you like a lot. If you’re someone who thinks the filling is the best part of a sandwich cookie, make extra!
• Decorate while the frosting is soft. If you’re adding crushed candy cane or mini chocolate chips around the edges, do it before the frosting firms up.

Mini Chocolate Peppermint Cookies FAQ

How should I store Mini Chocolate Peppermint Cookies?
Store the assembled cookies in an airtight container once the frosting is set. Because they’re sandwich cookies, place parchment or wax paper between layers if needed so they don’t stick together or damage the frosting.

Can I freeze Mini Chocolate Peppermint Cookies?
Yes, you can freeze the cookies for longer storage. For best results, cool them completely and pack them carefully in a freezer-safe container with parchment or wax paper between layers. You could also freeze the unfrosted chocolate cookies and assemble them with fresh peppermint frosting closer to serving.

How long will Mini Chocolate Peppermint Cookies last?
These cookies are known for staying soft, but they’re still best when fresh. Keep them well covered to prevent them from drying out. For longer storage, freeze them rather than leaving them at room temperature for an extended period.

What substitutions can I make?
Instead of peppermint extract and red food coloring, you can use mint extract and green food coloring. You can also experiment with different chocolate chips or other cookie mix-ins. The basic chocolate cookie dough can handle about 1 to 2 cups of favorite mix-ins such as chopped nuts, candy, or baking chips.

Can I use low-fat ingredients?
I wouldn’t recommend changing the margarine or other key ingredients if you want the cookies to be soft. Changing the fat can affect how the cookies spread, their soft texture, and the consistency of the peppermint frosting.

What else can I add to Mini Chocolate Peppermint Cookies?
Try crushed candy cane pieces, peppermint chips, white chocolate, dark chocolate, or additional mini chocolate chips. You could also dip part of each sandwich cookie in melted chocolate or roll the exposed frosting around the edges in crushed peppermint candy.

Can I make this vegan/vegetarian/low carb/gluten-free?
Here are some suggestions, but I can’t guarantee results. Be sure as always to check particular brands and ingredients if you’re following a specific diet or have diet restrictions or allergies.

Vegan – You can try a vegan substitute for the eggs and make sure your chocolate and margarine are vegan.

Vegetarian – It’s vegetarian. Be sure to check individual brands/products just to be sure.

Low-Carb – This would be a tough one to make low-carb, but you can use a sugar substitute to reduce the carbs a little.

Gluten-Free – You can try a gluten-free flour blend, but I have not tried so I cannot guarantee results.

Other Recipes You May Enjoy

• Chunky Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies – Soft homemade cookies loaded with chocolate chips, peanut butter cups, salted peanuts, and chocolate peanut butter drizzle.
• Brownie Cookies – Rich chocolate cookies with all the deliciousness of brownies in cookie form.
• Chocolate Turtle Cookies – Chocolate cookies featuring the classic combination of chocolate, caramel, and pecans.
• Ball Game Chunk Cookies – Big homemade cookies packed with a fun assortment of chunky mix-ins.
• Mint Brownies – Fudgy homemade brownies with cool mint flavor that are another great choice for chocolate and mint fans.

Hope you enjoy these Mini Chocolate Peppermint Cookies as much as we did!

Happy Holidays!