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 favorite 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 favorite 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 toymaker… 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 of 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 flavor 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 flavor). 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
Originally published Nov 20th, 2016
Dianne says
Where can I purchase the black cocoa?
Olivia says
Hi Dianne! Where are you located? You can buy some on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2NaNe2x
Dianne says
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.
Adeline says
thank you ever so much for sharing your recipe. the best cookies ever….
Olivia says
So happy to hear that you liked them!
Kym says
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.
Olivia says
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!
Sarah says
Ok great – will keep you posted! Thank you – excited to try these!
Sarah says
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!
Olivia says
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!
Cherie says
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!
Olivia says
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!
Lilly K says
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 😄
Olivia says
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 🙂
murrray says
HI there
I cannot find the black cocoa powder. What else can I do ?
Olivia says
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.
Kelli says
Do you flatten the cookies after scooping, or just leave them to flatten as they bake?
Olivia says
Hi Kelli! I do not flatten the cookies, they will spread as they bake.
Mindy says
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!
Olivia says
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!
Mary S says
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?
Olivia says
Hi Mary! I did not flatten these. They will spread out as they bake 🙂
Mary S says
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.
Olivia says
I really hope you like them! 🙂
Monica says
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.
Olivia says
Hi Monica! I think that would work totally fine. Let me know how they turn out! 🙂
Kate says
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.
Olivia says
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!
Catherine Brown says
Is it possible to substitute cold avocado for butter?
Olivia says
Hi Catherine! For best results, I recommend using the ingredients as listed.
Michael Oakman says
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?
Olivia says
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!
Brittany says
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.
Olivia says
Hi Brittany! So happy to hear that you liked them 🙂 So many delicious potential combinations!
Christina says
Just made a batch of these and they turned out GREAT! Thank you for the recipe! 😀
Olivia says
Thanks so much Christina! So glad you liked them 🙂
Taryn says
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!
Olivia says
Hi Taryn! So happy to hear they turned out! These are some of my favourite cookies, so I’m glad that you liked them! 🙂
Rae says
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.
Rae says
Make that 20 seconds, not 29! 🙄😂
Olivia says
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!
TeeBee says
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
Olivia says
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!
TeeBee says
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!
Olivia says
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!! 🙂