The classic combination of chocolate and peppermint make these Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies the perfect treat for the holidays!
Before we dive into the deliciousness of these Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies, allow me to indulge you in a story that is just so typical “me”.
A few years ago, around this time of year, I was shopping at my favourite discount housewares store. Truthfully, I’m there so often they probably know me by name. If you’ve ever been to HomeSense (aka Homegoods in the US) you know they have an awesome selection of discount bakeware, props (it’s where I get most of my cake stands), and generally everything you could ever want for your home. You have to put in a bit of time searching, but you can find some really good treasures there.
HomeSense around the holidays is honestly one of my favourite things ever. They have an amazing selection of decorations. AMAZING! Unique pieces from all over the world. It takes SO much restraint for me not to walk out of there with bags full of goodies. I have to keep asking myself: Do I really need this reindeer with sparkly antlers? (it was SO pretty!) Or these minimalist Santas from Sweden? (I did, and I bought them). It’s a serious struggle.
So there I am a few years ago, blissfully perusing their holiday decorations, when I stumble across these authentic handmade Nutcrackers from Germany. There was a variety of them and they weren’t the traditional, boring (sorry!) Nutcrackers. Each of these Nutcrackers had a theme — there was a fisherman, a Scottish bagpiper, a leprechaun, a painter, a toy maker… They were freakin’ adorable.
And then I saw it. There was a CAKE BAKER Nutcracker. OMG. My heart maybe started to race a little bit… until I looked at the price. These guys were all $40-$60, which isn’t crazy unreasonable (but sorta), and this was before I had gone to pastry school and gotten back into baking and blogging. I literally thought to myself: ‘If I was still really into the cake thing I would totally buy this’. But I wasn’t, so I didn’t buy the Nutcracker. Sigh.
I kid you not that I have looked for that Nutcracker every damn year since (probably about 3 years now). Every year! I scour various HomeSense locations hoping it will pop up. They have a series of these Nutcrackers every year, so I am hopeful, but alas, I haven’t been able to find it. I even looked for it online, but can’t find the exact one I saw (or at least the way I remember it). The one I can find online is a bit uglier than the one I remember (lol), and I’m certainly not willing to spend $100 incl. shipping on it.
We never really had Nutcrackers when we were growing up — they weren’t part of our holiday traditions. We did go see the Nutcracker ballet one year though, and I remember it fondly. I must have been 12 or so at the time. It was the first “fancy” outing for my sister and me, and we got new outfits for it. I still remember the dusty-rose corduroy pants and matching sweater I was wearing. Sooooo 80’s, I love it. I dragged Ryan to see the Nutcracker ballet a couple years ago. It’s a bit of a snooze-fest (especially for Ryan), but very festive nonetheless.
Anyhow, with my sister in town, we had to hit up HomeSense at least once during her visit. I’d like to tell you that I finally found the cake baker, but alas, I did not. However, I did come across a cookie baker that I’d seen in previous years. I would totally have been settling to get him, since he wasn’t “the one” but I looked at the price and noticed he was only $16.99! He was obviously mispriced, as all the other ones were $40. I feel a teeeeeeny bit bad about getting him for that price, but honestly I spend so much money in HomeSense that I’m not losing sleep over it.
So cute, right??
I’ll keep checking every damn HomeSense every year until I can find that cake baker. But for now, I’m quite happy with the gingerbread baker. In my search for the cake one it turns out this is actually a gingerbread seller, but whatever! He’ll do.
It would have been ideal if I’d had the foresight to do a gingerbread cookie recipe to tie in with this post, but it wasn’t in my plans (neither was the Nutcracker) so you get these Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies instead!
If these cookies look familiar, it’s probably because they are. I slightly modified the recipe for my Halloween Sprinkle Cookies to bring you a holiday version. As soon as I made those Halloween ones, I knew a holiday version would not be far on the horizon.
If you read my Halloween Sprinkle Cookies post, you know that those are some of my favorite cookies ever. The white candy melts are surprisingly delicious with the Oreo-like cookie.
These Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies are super simple to make. It’s a fairly standard cookie though, with the exception of one unique ingredient: black cocoa powder
What Is Black Cocoa Powder?
Black cocoa powder is cocoa powder that has been heavily Dutch-processed. What this means is that almost all of the acid has been removed from it. Regular cocoa powder, that you buy in the grocery store, hasn’t had any of the acid stripped. Dutch-processed cocoa powder has had most of the acid stripped and black cocoa powder even more so. This results in a richer flavour and color. In the case of black cocoa powder, it results in a cocoa powder that is almost completely black and tastes just like an Oreo cookie. It’s delicious! I try to add it in, in some part, to most of the recipes I make that call for cocoa powder.
If you don’t have black cocoa powder and don’t want to buy it, it’s not the end of the world. I would recommend sticking with Dutch-processed though over regular cocoa powder if you can swing it though. It will really result in a better tasting cookie!
As for the dipping. I used Bright White Candy Melts over white chocolate because I wanted that stark white color contrast. Either will work though. If you’re going to use candy melts, be sure to read over the details in this post as it has some tips on how best to melt them for dipping.
The dipped cookies will freeze well, but the crushed candy canes won’t. If you’re looking to make these in advance, I would recommend baking and freezing just the cookies themselves, then thawing, dipping, and decorating when you need them.
Rich chocolate cookies with splash of peppermint and some crushed up candy cane make these Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies the perfect festive treat for the holidays!
Tips for making these Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
- Black cocoa powder is not critical, but I highly recommend it for that nice Oreo-like color (and flavour). You can use Dutch-processed instead, but it will affect the color of the cookies.
- Ideally use Bright White candy melts for dipping. You can use white chocolate if you prefer, but the color will be a bit yellow.
- Read this post for tips on how best to melt the candy melts for dipping.
- I chopped up some whole candy canes, but you can use store-bought crushed candy canes to save some time.
Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder sifted
- 1/4 cup black cocoa powder sifted
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light-brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp peppermint extract optional
- 1 bag Bright White Candy Melts or white chocolate, melted*
- vegetable shortening as needed to thin candy melts
- crushed candy canes
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powders, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugars on med-high until light and fluffy (approx. 2-3mins). Reduce speed and add egg and peppermint extract. Beat until well combined. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined.
- Chill dough for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, portion dough onto baking sheet (I did 9 cookies per sheet). Bake for approximately 10 mins, or until the middle is set. Cookies will deflate and crinkle a bit upon cooling.
- Cool on pans for 5 mins then transfer to to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dip in melted candy melts or white chocolate, place on a parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Allow to set.
NOTES
* Read this post for details on how to best melt candy melts.
Originally published Nov 20th, 2016
The nutritional information and metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or metric conversion tool.
Hi I was wondering if vegetable oil would work just the same as vegetable shortening?
Hi Arianna! Yes, that should work fine though you might need a bit less of it.
Where can I purchase the black cocoa?
Hi Dianne! Where are you located? You can buy some on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2NaNe2x
Thank you. Sur La Table may have also. Thinking of doing
these for my cookie exchange this year. Like that I can bake cookies a few days ahead, freeze then finish up day before I need to package them up.
thank you ever so much for sharing your recipe. the best cookies ever….
So happy to hear that you liked them!
Excellent recipe. I used a 1/2 regular cocoa powder since I didn’t have the black cocoa powder. They weren’t as dark as the picture, but still tasty. Next time I make these, I will look for the black cocoa powder because I like the dark rich color in your pictures.
Thanks for posting.
Hi Kym! So glad you liked it 🙂 It’s good to know that 1/2 regular cocoa powder works just fine. The black cocoa also enhances the flavour — makes them taste more like Oreos!
Ok great – will keep you posted! Thank you – excited to try these!
Hi Olivia! I need help – lol. What is the difference / brands for dutch processed cocoa vs. the regular? I bought Ghiradelli 100% unsweetened cocoa but which is this – and what kind do I need for the other. Thank you!
Hi Sarah! If it doesn’t say Dutch-processed on the container, then it’s likely just regular cocoa powder. Dutch has had some of the acid stripped from it and the black even more acid stripped — they are smoother and have a richer flavour. It sounds like you got really good quality regular cocoa, which should work fine! If you don’t have black cocoa powder I would try just leaving it out and see what the cookie dough is like. If it’s too sticky, add in another 1/4 cup of regular cocoa powder. Let me know how they turn out!
These are awesome! I followed everything as is just couldn’t get the black cocoa powder in time so I used a really good Dutch processed cocoa powder. Thank you for the recipe! I will be buying the black cocoa powder from your link so I can try with it too! I can tell it gives the cookies a darker color but do you think a richer flavor as well? I love baking and experimenting but I have never come across this ingredient until now. Thanks again and happy holidays!
Hi Cherie! So happy to hear that you liked them! Did you replace the black cocoa with the Dutch or leave it out? Curious to know if it works with all Dutch. I’m glad you’re going to try the black cocoa! It has a unique flavour and basically tastes like Oreo’s. It’s heavenly!
Do you think i can add chocolate chips in the cookie batter. Would they be as good or should i just try it like this? I’m going to make them tomorrow I’m so excited 😄
Hi Lily! A little extra chocolate is no harm at all and I think it would be a delicious addition! Let me know how you like them 🙂
HI there
I cannot find the black cocoa powder. What else can I do ?
Hi Murray! I have not tried making these without black cocoa powder, but it should work fine! I would replace it with 1/4 cup of regular cocoa powder.
Do you flatten the cookies after scooping, or just leave them to flatten as they bake?
Hi Kelli! I do not flatten the cookies, they will spread as they bake.
This is my new favorite cookie recipe. I used brown coconut sugar instead of regular because it’s what I had around the house, and it turned out AMAZING! A few notes, I tried almond bark at first because it was also in my cupboard, but I ended up getting bright white melting chocolates from our store instead … much better, melts easier, dips easier and is prettier! For those cooking at altitude, this recipe worked well for me at 5200 feet using the same flour ratios and cooking time here. Awesome recipe! The only other difference I made was using a 100 percent dark cocoa powder instead of the black (just easier to find here).
Quick question, though. I’d like to make these for a friend for Christmas, but he has to have gluten free foods. I wonder what flour substitute would work best? Any thoughts? Thanks!
Hi Mindy! So happy to hear that you liked these! I haven’t tried making these gluten-free, but I imagine most gluten-free all-purpose flour blends would work well. I tend to like Bob’s Red Mill when it comes to alternative baking: http://amzn.to/2B1ncWS. Let me know how they turn out GF!
I’m about to make the dough for these. My question is after you scoop the cookies onto baking sheet, should I flatten them at all or leave them as is?
Hi Mary! I did not flatten these. They will spread out as they bake 🙂
Wonderful thank you so much! I made the dough early this morning to cook for a cookie party exchange tomorrow. The batter smelled so yummy 😁 and I totally used the links for special ingredients.
I really hope you like them! 🙂
I was wondering if you tried adding chocolate chips to the recipe. I am a huge fan of chocolate and will do anything to add as much chocolate as possible.
Hi Monica! I think that would work totally fine. Let me know how they turn out! 🙂
Has anyone tried this recipe with orange extract?
Also, would using Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa work for both the Dutch processed and black cocoa? I’m not sure I want to spend upwards of $15 for black cocoa that I won’t use much of.
Hi Kate! I think Orange extract would work great if you didn’t also use the candy canes or peppermint. Chocolate orange is a delicious combo! I have not tested the recipe using regular cocoa myself, so can’t speak to the results. In theory, it should work, but maybe hold back 1/4 cup of cocoa and see the consistency of the dough. Let me know if you try it!
Is it possible to substitute cold avocado for butter?
Hi Catherine! For best results, I recommend using the ingredients as listed.
Hey, can you make these cookies without the black cocoa powder? These look great, and I would love to make them for Christmas, but that black cocoa powder is probably gonna be hard to come by here in Sweden. Any other options?
Hi Michael! I’ve never tried them without black cocoa powder. In theory they should work, but I’m not sure if swapping the black cocoa for regular cocoa (or Dutch) is a straight trade. You can try leaving out the black cocoa altogether, and if the cookie dough seems too sticky, add in 1/4 cup of regular cocoa (or Dutch). The cookies won’t be as dark and will have a slightly different flavour too, but overall they should still be delicious. Let me know what you try and how it works out!
These are so delicious! I was a little nervous at first about adding the peppermint oil to the mix, but I can’t imagine them without it. I now have a go-to dark chocolate cookie recipe and my husband I and are dreaming and drooling thinking of all the delicious combinations we could do with the recipe.
Hi Brittany! So happy to hear that you liked them 🙂 So many delicious potential combinations!
Just made a batch of these and they turned out GREAT! Thank you for the recipe! 😀
Thanks so much Christina! So glad you liked them 🙂
I made these last night, dipped them this morning. They turned out so well. We used regular Cocoa rather than Dutch Processed, but we also used the Black Cocoa (which I got at a bulk store here in Canada). I did cut back slightly on the peppermint extract just because of my own personal preference. I’m absolutely going to save this recipe and make it again with and without the mint.
Thanks!
Hi Taryn! So happy to hear they turned out! These are some of my favourite cookies, so I’m glad that you liked them! 🙂
Just made these cookies. I’m in Canada and bought the candy melt at the Bulk Barn. The brand they carry is Merckens. I used the method of melting that you recommended from the video (in which they used Wilton’s melts over a double boiler). It got too thin and then got thick very quickly and didn’t work to dip them. Thankfully Bulk Barn’s website had instructions for melting in the microwave 20 seconds at a time at medium-high power, stirring after every 29 seconds until melted, adding no shortening, which worked quickly and perfectly.
Make that 20 seconds, not 29! 🙄😂
Hi Rae! Thanks for your feedback, sounds like the Merckens are a bit different in consistency. The Wilton ones can be quite thick when melted. Glad it worked out in the end!
Hi. I’m interested in trying these cookies for this Christmas and I have two questions.
(Q1) What method of measuring your flour/cocoa powder did you use?
Video example here. >> https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/how-to-measure-flour.html
(Q2) Can I use soft peppermint candies or would you recommend the traditional ones?
Image: soft peppermint candies >> https://www.candywarehouse.com/assets/item/regular/bobs-sweet-stripes-mint-balls-127526-w.jpg
Hi TeeBee! I’m a bit of a lazy baker, I just use my measuring cup to scoop up the flour. I do fluff up the flour first though! Are you able to chop the soft candies? I’ve never had them, but honestly I think they’d be fine since they’re just an addition on the top of the cookies. Let me know how you like them!
Thank you for responding so quickly!
I’ve had some stressful experiences with dry cookie dough because there was no indication otherwise. 😩
The “soft” peppermints are actually not soft (sorry for the misunderstanding). They’re also called buttermints. The mints melt in your mouth sorta like butter, so I guess that’s where the “soft” comes in.
They can be crushed, but, I was wondering if they’d end up too powdery and ruin the whole effect.
I’m preparing my cookie doughs this weekend, freezing them and baking everything Christmas Eve weekend.
I’ll definitely let you know how they turn out. I have a feeling it’s going to be SO good!
Ohhh buttermints, I LOVE buttermints. I think crushed candy canes might look “prettier” for contrast, but honestly either will work just fine. Let me know for sure how they turn out!! 🙂
I searched through the comments and no one else seems to be having the same problem as me….The cookies flattened and basically melted when baked. I tried baking them on foil and on parchment paper; the first test cookies had chilled for just over an hour in the fridge, but the second chilled overnight; I tried small, tiny balls of dough and large (1.5 to 2 Tbsp) dough balls. All of them melted in the oven within the first few minutes and cannot be used for dipping or for serving to guests. Any idea what happened?
Hi Jennifer! That is super bizarre, I’m sorry you had trouble with these! Was the cookie dough really firm after you chilled it? Are you sure everything was measured properly? Did you use cups or grams? It sounds like something was off in the ratio of butter to flour 🙁
Aww!!
Thanks for sharing this.
Glad you like them!
It may seem silly, but what is dutch processed cocoa and black cocoa.. im in the UK and want to make these but not sure what I’m looking for in the supermarket!
Hi Jessica! Dutch-process cocoa powder has had most of the acid stripped from it and black cocoa powder even moreso. These might be harder to find in the supermarket. I have to get mine in specialty cooking/baking shops and the supermarkets here just carry regular cocoa powder.
Hi Olivia,
I recently bought Organic Cacao Powder, and was wondering if I can just use what I have in lieu of your dutch processed cocoa and black cocoa? Below is a link of what I have on hand…I wanted to make these cookies for tomorrow as I have all other ingredients, but don’t want to waste them if the cookies will be a flop. Thanks in advance for your advice.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HES9CMS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Hi Goska! I don’t know if that would work with the exact amounts indicated in the recipe. Cacao is processed differently than cocoa and has a different characteristics and flavour. Ideally, stick with the recipe as is. You can see my comment to Michael Oakman below about substituting regular cocoa powder for black.
Ahh I have cadbury bournville cocoa powder to hand, is this dutch processed? I think it is!
I have normal cocoa too.
And can get green & blacks cocoa? I am assuming these are all okay.
Hi Jessica! As long as you have black cocoa powder, any other will work just fine!
Hi! I tried this recibe but i obteain cookies like balls 🙁 i don’t know what happend , can you Tell me what can I do ? 🙁
Hi Brand, I’m not totally sure what you mean, but it sounds like your cookie dough was very dry? Something must have been off in the measurements.
Mine did the same thing!
Mine too. My butter was room temp but not softened beyond that. When I added the flour, it all turned into crumbs. I added another egg and half a stick of butter. It was very difficult to work with the chilled dough.
Will try again.
Hi Alice! Did you make any substitutions to the ingredients? What kind of flour and cocoa powders did you use?
My colleague and I just picked this recipe for our company cookie exchange (here in Vancouver!) – looking forward to sharing these delightful treats!
Aww yay! Hi neighbour! I hope you like these ones, let me know 🙂
These look so yummy! I will be adding them to my cookie trays this year. Do the baked cookies freeze well? I usually freeze my cookies then pull out what I need as I need them. I would not freeze the cookies dipped, I would do that when I pull them out of the freezer. Thanks!!
Hi Rhonda! Totally, they freeze perfectly (pre-dipped)! I hope you like them 🙂
I love Liv For Cakes it is an awsome website. I really like baking cakes,macaroons,and cakes this website is perfect Olivia
Thank you Nylah! 🙂
For the Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies, how many cookies does the recipe make?
It makes 36 cookies.
This is my first comment for a recipe I have found and decided to make. This cookie recipe is so good and I am so glad it popped up on pinterest for me. I omitted the peppermint extract only because that isn’t something I normally keep on hand and it was so good. Thank you for sharing it.
I’m glad to hear you liked these! They’re some of my faves 🙂
How long will these cookies stay good for?
Hi Tania! I would eat them within 2-3 days.
Hi! Can I make these cookies 2 days in advance of serving?
Thanks!
Hi Ali! Yep, just store them in an airtight container and place parchment or something between the layers of cookies to keep them pretty 🙂
Thanks!!
I LOVE HomeGoods! I always find the best food photography props there too. I’ll keep my fingers crossed so that you can find your baker Nutcracker, but that cookie baker one is darn cute too! 😉 And of course, these cookies look fab. Definitely pinning for later.
Thanks so much Valentina! 🙂
Thanks for that link. Being down under means I won’t receive the scoop in time. I’m thinking I’ll use an eighth cup measure and see how it goes. My grandson is so excited to help make them.
I think that will totally work. 1/8 cup is about 2 Tbsp, so your cookies will be a tad bigger, but I don’t think that will be a problem. Let me know how you like them! 🙂
These look so good! When you get to the “chill dough” step do you think you could just freeze it for later use?
Hi Brooke! Totally! I would actually recommend portioning the dough into balls, freezing them, and putting them in an airtight freezer bag until you’re ready to bake.
Awesome! Thanks for the reply
Anyone care to elaborate- how big is a medium cookie scoop? Thanks
Hi Lacie! This is the one I use (http://amzn.to/2gwRPHU). It’s 1.5 Tbsp.
Thank you, this recipe looks amazing! In order to yield 36 cookies, when I use the cookie scoop should the scoop be rounded or leveled off? Thanks!!
Hi Kara! It should be levelled off. I usually scrape it along the side of my mixer bowl 🙂
I made a double batch of these for my son’s daycare teachers and they were a massive hit! I saved a few for my family and they were gone within minutes. Such a great recipe!
Yay! I’m so glad you liked these Kate 🙂
Bawhahaha! That Nutcracker is fantastic! I was in Homesense today and thought of you – the festive Nordic Bundts are in full swing. I also saw a few different versions today of your Nutcracker. I’m on the hunt for one for Greg, but I didn’t spot any. Back to the cookies … Ah-mazing. I love everything about them. The chewy chocolate, the hit of peppermint. Can’t wait to see what else you bake up this holiday season!
Ahh thank you! I love these cookies 🙂 And thank you for looking for the Nutcracker for me! xoxo
I’m addicted to HomeGoods too. I get all my props there and lots of other stuff too, and I think my husband sighs when he sees me coming in with a HomeGoods bag because I just don’t EVER get out of there without spending a decent amount. Bowls are my nemesis. Its like a running joke here. I have an extra shelf in the pantry for all my bowls. I really like soup. Hehe
Anyway, your cookies look divine, as all of your desserts do. I don’t bake a ton, but when I make cookies at the holidays, I love to dip them in chocolate! These look so pretty and festive, and I’m sure they are so delicious!
How did I miss this comment?? I am glad I am not the only HomeSense/HomeGoods addict! I always walk out with at least one thing too, but it’s really hard not to leave with a cart-load of stuff!
Olivia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the nutcracker is awesome!!!!!!!! i love it… In Spain is not a traditional figure, but a lived 3 years in USA, so for me they are so special…
I am not fan of pepermint, but as i saw, is too easy to take off that ingredient… Dark chocolate cookies alone are fantastic for me.
Kisses
Thank you!! I love the Nutcracker, he’s so cute, right?? And yes, you can leave the peppermint out entirely and still have delicious chocolate cookies!! xo
Girlfriend – Can I just how much I LOVE your cookie baker Nutcracker. He is so incredibly adorable and I’m so glad you got him for that price. You know that price was just for you, right? If I’d been there the tag would’ve said $40. See, it was just for YOU. Now I will be forever on the lookout for your cake baker Nutcracker too. Your festive cookies are lovely and I wish I was sitting down enjoying one with a cup of hot cocoa on this chilly NH night!
You are SO right — it WAS just for me. The universe was like — this chick is going to obsess over this GD nutcracker forever, let’s cut her a break. LOL. 🙂 Thanks Allie!! I would love to send some of these cookies your way!