These Gluten-Free Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are the perfect festive treat! They have a rich chocolate flavor with a refreshing hint of peppermint.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Not only are these Chocolate Peppermint Cookies irresistibly delicious, but they’re also made with simple and wholesome ingredients.
They're soft, gooey, and have a rich chocolate flavor that is balanced perfectly with a touch of peppermint flavor. (Dare I say, they almost have a brownie-like taste and texture?!)
Plus, they're gluten-free and dairy-free, making them a crowd-pleaser for anyone at your holiday gatherings.
To give them an extra festive flare, I love folding in white chocolate chips and crushed candy canes!
🍴Ingredient Notes
- Almond Flour - My favorite almond flour brands are Bob’s Red Mill and Blue Diamond. For more information on almond flour, check out my almond flour for beginners post!
- Cacao Powder - You can use traditional cocoa powder, but I like cacao powder because it’s less processed. TerraSoul is one of my favorite brands – great quality, and great price!
- Egg - Make sure the egg is at room temperature.
- Coconut Sugar - You can also substitute with Lakanto golden monkfruit or any granulated sugar.
- Coconut Oil - To keep these cookies dairy-free I love using coconut oil instead of butter.
- Peppermint Extract - I suggest using a high-quality peppermint extract for best results.
- Vanilla Extract - To give the cookies a rich flavor, I love adding vanilla into all of my chocolate recipes.
- Baking Soda & Salt
- Chocolate Chips - I love the pop of sweetness and color from the mini white chocolate chips, but you can also use dark chocolate or milk chocolate. I used dairy-free & vegan chocolate chips from Pascha Chocolate.
- Candy Canes - To give the cookies a festive look and taste, I love folding in candy canes and pressing some into the cookie dough before baking. I used Yum Earth naturally dyed candy canes.
Recipe Variations
- One of the easiest variations of this recipe is to make them a regular chocolate cookies by leaving out the peppermint extract.
- Swap the white chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips.
- Don't have coconut oil? Try using butter or dairy-free butter instead! Just note that they will probably spread a little more.
- Make this recipe Keto friendly by swapping the coconut sugar for a sugar-free granulated sugar like Lakanto Monkfruit. You can also use stevia sweetened chocolate chips.
🍴Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Mix Dry Ingredients
Start by adding all of the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Whisk together until fully combined.
Step 2: Mix Wet Ingredients
Next, add the coconut sugar and egg into a mixing bowl. Whisk together by hand or with a hand mixer until fully combined. Add in the oil and extracts and blend until it's a smooth mixture.
Step 3: Mix Cookie Dough
Slowly start to add the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Use a spatula to fold together until all of the flour has been absorbed.
Step 4: Fold in Chocolate Chips
If you're adding in chocolate chips, you can fold them in now! I also like adding in some candy canes, but you can also sprinkle them on top before baking.
Step 5: Scoop & Bake
Use a medium sized cookie scoop to add 9 even balls onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Gently press in some candy canes or extra chocolate chips on top.
Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Let the cookies set on the tray for a couple minutes, then transfer them to a metal cooling rack. Once they're cooled to room temperature, transfer them to a plate.
Expert Tips
- They will still be pretty soft when you take them out, so make sure to let them rest on the tray for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- When measuring the almond flour, make sure to shake the bag around first so it's not tightly packed together. Scoop the flour and take a butter knife to scrape the excess flour off. DO NOT PACK the flour into the measuring cup.
- Make sure the egg is room temperature, so it does not solidify the coconut oil when you mix them together.
- Bake 8-9 minutes for a gooey brownie texture.
- Use parchment paper on the cookie sheet for easy cleanup and so the cookies don't stick!
How to Store Leftover Cookies
You can store your cookies at room temperature in an airtight container to keep them soft and moist.
To keep them fresh for longer, I suggest keeping the container in the refrigerator.
You can also store the cookies in a freezer bag or airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months! (Especially if you make a double batch!)
PRO TIP: Frozen cookies are actually really delicious! If you don’t want to bake all of the cookies at once, you can store the dough in the freezer for a rainy day!
More Gluten-Free Holiday Cookies!
After you make these Gluten Free Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, make sure to leave a comment & rate the recipe!
Recipe Card
Gluten-Free Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Baking Sheet
- 2 Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 Cup Almond Flour
- ½ Cup Cacao Powder
- ¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 Egg, Room Temperature
- ½ Cup Coconut Sugar You can also substitute with lakanto golden monkfruit.
- 3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil, Melted
- 1 Teaspoon Peppermint Extract
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Chocolate Chips
- ¼ Cup White Chocolate Chips
- 2-3 Tablespoons Crushed Candy Canes
Instructions
Making the Dough
- Start by adding all of the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Whisk together until fully combined.
- Next, add the coconut sugar and egg into a mixing bowl. Whisk together by hand or with a hand mixer until fully combined. Add in the oil and extracts and blend until it's a smooth mixture.
- Slowly start to add the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Use a spatula to fold together until all of the flour has been absorbed.
- If you're adding in chocolate chips, you can fold them in now! I also like adding in some candy canes, but you can also sprinkle them on top before baking.
Baking & Cooling
- Use a medium sized cookie scoop to add 9 even balls onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Gently press in some candy canes or extra chocolate chips on top.
- Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
- Let the cookies set on the tray for a couple minutes, then transfer them to a metal cooling rack. Once they're cooled to room temperature, transfer them to a plate.
Notes
Expert Tips
- They will still be pretty soft when you take them out, so make sure to let them rest on the tray for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- When measuring the almond flour, make sure to shake the bag around first so it's not tightly packed together. Scoop the flour and take a butter knife to scrape the excess flour off. DO NOT PACK the flour into the measuring cup.
- Make sure the egg is room temperature, so it does not solidify the coconut oil when you mix them together.
- Bake 8-9 minutes for a gooey brownie texture.
- Use parchment paper on the baking tray for easy cleanup and so the cookies don't stick!
How to Store Leftover Cookies
You can store your cookies at room temperature in an airtight container to keep them soft and moist. To keep them fresh for longer, I suggest keeping the container in the refrigerator. You can also store the cookies in a freezer bag or airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months! (Especially if you make a double batch!) PRO TIP: Frozen cookies are actually really delicious! If you don’t want to bake all of the cookies at once, you can store the dough in the freezer for a rainy day! ** Nutrition facts do not reflect the candy canes or chocolate chips as they will vary. See full post for more information and step by step photos!Nutrition
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Mel
The texture is incredible!! Great recipe!