White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
These easy white chocolate peppermint cookies are the best holiday cookie you’ll make this year. They literally taste like Christmas. The recipe is super easy to make and thanks to vegan white chocolate chips, it’s completely dairy free, too.
Why I love these white chocolate peppermint cookies
Christmas is so rooted in tradition, it’s hard not to go back to those old favorites. For us, that includes chocolate chip cookies, pecan snowball cookies, and Italian anise cookies, but I also really like to change things up and try out new cookies every year.
This year, we’re adding these beautiful white chocolate chip cookies with peppermint to our cookie platter, and I’m not complaining.
They are a super simple riff on my soft sugar cookies. The sugar cookie dough really lets the white chocolate and peppermint flavors shine through, because it isn’t overpowered by the molasses flavor of brown sugar.
Here’s what you’ll need to make them
Ingredient notes: Let’s talk about white chocolate chips. These are not usually dairy free, but over the last few years, several companies have started producing top 8 allergen free and vegan white chocolate chips.
They are available at quite a few grocery stores now, but you might have to look in a different section if they’re not in your usual baking aisle. If you have any left over, try making some white chocolate raspberry cookies (just make sure you swap the butter for something dairy free).
How to make white chocolate chip cookies
Mise en place. Crush the candy canes, and measure out all of your ingredients before starting. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 350˚F.
We used pre-crushed peppermint candy to make this recipe easier, but you can also crush your own candy canes with a rolling pin.
Mix the dry ingredients. Start by whisking the flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt. This helps distribute the leaveners and makes sure your cookies rise evenly.
Mix the wet ingredients. Next, beat the shortening (or vegan butter) and sugar with an electric mixer until it’s nice and fluffy. This should take about a minute, maybe a bit longer if you’re using a hand mixer.
Combine wet and dry. Add about 1/4 of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until it’s incorporated. Keep adding about 1/2 cup of flour at a time until everything has been mixed in.
Add the mix-ins. Stir in the vegan chocolate chips and crushed peppermint candy until they’re evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Bake the cookies. Using a cookie scoop, portion the dough into 2-tablespoon-sized balls. Drop the dough balls onto prepared cookie sheet and bake for the cookies 10 – 11 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool before a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Tips for making the best Christmas cookies
- If you want soft chewy cookies, make sure you take your cookies out of the oven before you think they’re ready.
- Always line your baking sheets with parchment paper. It makes for easy clean up and prevents your cookies from sticking to the baking sheet.
- Press extra add-ins onto the tops of you cookies before baking or carefully press extra into the tops immediately after you take them out of the oven.
- To get picture perfect cookies, use a spoon to gently press misshapen cookies back into a circle while they’re still hot.
More Christmas recipes you’ll love:
- Bacon wrapped water chestnuts
- White Christmas margarita
- Microwave fudge
- Pineapple stuffing
- Easy brined turkey breast
- Peanut brittle recipe
More dairy free cookie recipes:
- Fruitcake cookies
- No chill sugar cookies
- Grinch cookies
- Double chocolate chip cookies
- No bake cornflake cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 cup vegetable shortening (or vegan butter)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup crushed peppermint
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips*
- Extra sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F, and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the shortening and sugar until fluffy – about 1 minute.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
- Add the flour mixture in 1/2 cup increments, mixing to combine and scraping sides when necessary.
- Stir in the white chocolate chips and crushed peppermint until evenly distributed throughout dough.
- Using a cookie scoop, form dough into balls and roll in extra sugar. Place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake cookies for 10 – 11 minutes or until cookies have spread and the tops begin to crack. Remove from oven and allow the cookies to rest for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
Melissa, I made these cookies today. They are amazing! My house smells amazing too! I made mine a little smaller so I got 40 cookies. These definitely be added to my traditional Christmas cookie list!
Thank you! 🎄
xoxo