Levain Bakery Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
User Reviews
5
Levain Bakery Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Description
These cookies start with creaming cold cubed butter with sugars until fluffy and light, then adding eggs and vanilla extract. Cocoa powder and a mixture of flours, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt are folded in, followed by chocolate and peppermint chips. The dough is portioned into large 6-ounce balls (with options for smaller sizes) and baked at high temperature for a short time. The cookies remain slightly underbaked to achieve a gooey interior and firm edges as they set on the baking sheet after removal from the oven.
The peppermint chips add a cooling, mint flavor that complements the deep chocolate base. The recipe allows variations such as reducing cookie size, adjusting the baking temperature and time, or substituting different peppermint-flavored ingredients. Using cold butter is essential to control spread and maintain the thick cookie shape.
These cookies are a rich treat with chewy texture and a distinctive mint-chocolate balance suitable for festive occasions or lovers of peppermint desserts.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter cut into cubes, cold
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder unsweetened
- 2 1/2 cups flour (may use 1 cup of cake flour plus 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
- 10-ounces Peppermint Crunch baking chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees (if making cookies smaller than 6 ounces, preheat oven to 385 degrees).
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and sugar for 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl halfway through. Add eggs and vanilla and mix for 1 minute longer.
- Fold in cocoa powder, flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and peppermint baking chips.
- Roll into large 6-ounce balls. You can make them smaller into 3-ounce, 4-ounce, or 5-ounce balls. Place on a light-colored baking sheet. If you want them to be slightly thinner, press down on the cookie dough ball before baking.
- Bake for about 8-11 minutes, depending on how large the cookies are. These cookies will be slightly underbaked and will continue to bake on the baking sheet once the cookies are removed from the oven. Let sit for at least 10 minutes to allow time for the cookies to set-up.
Notes
- You can make smaller cookies by forming 3, 4, or 5-ounce balls and lowering the baking temperature to 385 degrees with reduced baking time.
- Press cookie dough balls slightly before baking if you prefer thinner cookies.
- Peppermint chips may be substituted with peppermint bark, mint chips, Andes mints, or chopped peppermint bark squares.
- For additional peppermint flavor, add ½ teaspoon peppermint extract instead of vanilla.
- Using cold butter is critical to prevent excessive spreading and achieve the desired thick, chewy texture.
- Allow cookies to rest about 10 minutes after baking to finish setting up before handling.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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