Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cookies
Soft and chewy Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cookies made with homemade hot cocoa mix and a hint of peppermint. Perfect for Christmas cookie trays, swaps, or cozy winter evenings.
Ingredients
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup cane sugar or ½ cup sugar + ¼ cup honey
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- ½ cup homemade hot cocoa mix
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour spooned & leveled
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 tsp milk or cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter and sugar until smooth.
- Beat in the egg and peppermint extract.
- Stir in hot cocoa mix and cocoa powder until combined.
- Add flour, baking soda, salt, and milk; mix until just combined. The dough will be thick.
- Scoop tablespoon-sized portions onto the baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Lightly flatten each dough ball with the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 8–9 minutes, until edges are set and centers still look slightly soft.
- Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
The dough will be thicker than traditional cookie dough because of the cocoa powder and hot cocoa mix. This is expected.
Use the full 4 teaspoons of milk for cookies that spread. For puffier cookies, reduce to 2 teaspoons or omit.
Variations: Press in a marshmallow after baking, sprinkle crushed candy canes, or drizzle with chocolate. Homemade marshmallows without corn syrup will melt into the cookies since they lack stabilizers.