A festive recipe for gluten free chocolate peppermint cookies studded with white chocolate chips and white chocolate peppermint drizzle. The fudgy no-chill small batch chocolate cookies are made with a flavorful almond flour blend and feature a kiss of peppermint in the cookie and decoration.
chocolate Peppermint Christmas Cookies
Christmas is almost here and we have a delicious variety of cookies for Santa including the gluten free sugar cookie cut-outs, candy cane cookies, and chocolate peppermint thumbprint cookies. However, we can always use one more cookie to add to the list, and that is these chocolate peppermint gluten free cookies!
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- No-chill cookie dough – Though I like to chill most of my cookie dough recipes, this particular recipe does not require it. The cookies bake perfectly with just a few minute rest at room temperature.
- The cookies are fudgy – The center of the cookies are incredibly soft and fudgy.
- Caramelized edges – The outside of the cookies balance the fudgy centers with a slightly crunchy and sweet caramelized exterior.
- Holiday flavor – Peppermint and chocolate should be together at Christmas! And if you’re looking for more holiday peppermint desserts, be sure to check out the peppermint mocha mini layer cake and the gluten free peppermint patty brownies.
- Balanced chocolate flavor – I like to use Dutch process cocoa to balance the chocolate flavor and yield a chocolate cookie that isn’t too acidic.
- The cookies don’t taste gluten free – With all my gluten free recipes, my goal is to make sure they don’t gluten free. These cookies have all of the delicious features and flavors of a traditional cookie – and the flour blend I use ensures that.
everything You Need To Make Gluten Free Chocolate White Chip Peppermint Cookies
dry Ingredients
- Oat Flour – You can purchase oat flour, or make your own by grinding up gluten free rolled oats into flour (which is what I do). Oat flour adds wonderful flavor and texture.
- Sweet Rice Flour – Sweet rice flour helps with structure, texture, and chew.
- Almond Flour – Provides protein structure, moisture, and flavor. Blanched almond flour is best because it does not have the almond skins and it is ground finer.
- Tapioca Flour – Also called tapioca starch. The tapioca flour gives the cookies chew.
- Cocoa Powder – I prefer Dutch process cocoa and use it in most of my chocolate recipes. I like it for the bold cocoa flavor and lower acidity.
- Baking Soda – A little baking soda will make the cookies spread and give them texture.
- Salt – Salt is great to balance all of the flavors!
Wet Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter – Because we are add our own salt.
- Cane Sugar – I like to use cane sugar because it is not as refined as white granulated sugar.
- Maple Syrup – The maple syrup adds a little extra moisture, and provides a little flavor too!
- Egg Yolk – The single egg yolk helps keep the texture soft, and acts as a binder.
- Peppermint Extract – Chocolate peppermint cookies require peppermint!
- White Chocolate Chips
- Coconut Oil
Baking Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Handheld Mixer – This is a sticky dough and you need a mixer. You could use your tilt-head stand mixer with a smaller 3-quart mixing bowl. The small bowl works with the regular attachments.
- Cookie Scoop – The cookie scoop is the baker’s best friend, in my opinion!
- Baking Sheet with Parchment Paper
helpful Tips For Making Gluten Free Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Bring the butter and egg yolk to room temperature first – Ingredients at the same temperature will mix and bake more evenly.
- Mix the dry ingredients together first – To incorporate the flour blend with the other dry ingredients. And it eliminates any lumps.
- Use a mixer – Because this is a sticky dough and may be too hard to mix by hand.
- Use a cookie scoop – To measure and scoop the cookies. This way you get equal size cookies and less mess!
- Let the dough rest for few minutes – Before baking, so the flavors develop and the dough hydrates.
FAQ’s: Gluten free chocolate peppermint Cookies
Can this recipe be doubled?
The recipe is intended to be a small batch, and only tested as a small batch. I can’t say for certain how doubling the recipe will turn out. If you try it, let me know!
Will a 1:1 gluten free flour blend work instead?
Probably not. I find the 1:1 blends to be drier than the single blend flour I use for these gluten free chocolate peppermint cookies. Other ingredient ratios would need to adjusted to balance that.
Can I use natural cocoa powder instead of Dutch process?
You can, but the cookies may not be as chocolatey.
How much peppermint extract should you use in cookies?
A little peppermint extract goes a long way. I recommend starting with what is noted in the recipe and adjust to your preference. Too much, and you may end up with toothpaste flavored chocolate peppermint cookies!
Can I freeze the cookie dough?
Yes! I recommend shaping the cookie balls and storing in a Ziploc in the freezer for up to 2 months. No need to thaw when ready to bake. Just adjust your baking time a couple of minutes to accommodate the frozen dough.
Can I freeze baked cookies?
Yes! Baked and drizzle cookies can be stored in a Ziploc in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature when ready to serve.
Gluten Free White Chip Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Yield: 6 Cookies
GF
A festive recipe for gluten free chocolate peppermint cookies studded with white chocolate chips and white chocolate peppermint drizzle. The fudgy small batch chocolate cookies are made with a flavorful almond flour blend and feature a kiss of peppermint in the cookie and decoration.
Ingredients
Gluten Free Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- 1/4 cup gluten free oat flour (or grind your own oats into flour)
- 2 tablespoons sweet rice flour
- 2 tablespoons blanched almond flour
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch process
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup organic cane sugar (or granulated sugar)
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
White Chocolate Drizzle
- 2 to 3 tablespoons white chocolate chips
- 1/4 teaspoon cold pressed refined coconut oil
- candy canes, crushed
Instructions
Gluten Free Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the oat flour, sweet rice flour, almond flour, tapioca flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the butter, sugar, and maple syrup. Using a hand held mixer, cream the mix on medium speed until light, smooth, and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and continue to beat until fully mixed.
- Sprinkle half of the dry ingredients over the wet and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until no dry streaks remain. The dough will be sticky and feel like the mixer is getting a workout – this is ok!
- Add the chocolate chips and fold into the dough by hand with a spatula. Let the dough sit for 5 minutes to hydrate before scooping into cookies.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to portion the dough into 6 equal size cookie balls. Place at least 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 10 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are set.
- For a chewier cookie – Check the cookies 10 minutes. They will look like the centers are underbaked, but they will continue to cook on the baking sheet when you take them out of the oven.
- For a crispier cookie – Check the cookies at 12 minutes. Keep in mind the cookies will continue to cook a little on the baking sheet when you take them out of the oven.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheet set on a wire cooling rack for 5 minutes. Tip – To achieve perfectly round cookies, while still on the baking sheet, use a round cookie cutter or biscuit cutter and swirl the cookies in the center of the cutter. Transfer the cookies to the rack to cool completely.
White Chocolate Drizzle
- Once the cookies have cooled, make the drizzle.
- In a small microwave-safe mixing bowl, add the white chocolate chips and coconut oil. Heat in 30 second increments, stirring after each, until the chocolate is mostly melted. Little lumps are ok because they will melt with the residual heat. Do not overheat, or the chocolate will seize.
- Add the melted chocolate to a piping bag, or Ziploc baggie with a small cut at the tip. Drizzle over the cookies, then sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Happy Holidays!
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RECIPE NOTES
- Serving Size – This is a small batch recipe. I have not tested a larger batch and can’t say for certain how it would turn out.
- Substitutions – I have only tested the recipe as written. You can swap the cane sugar for regular white granulated sugar. I do not recommend using a 1:1 gluten free flour in lieu of the single flours. I find the 1:1 blends to be much drier.
- Storing and Freezing Baked Cookies – The cookies can be stored in a covered container at room temperature. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months and thawed at room temperature.
- Freezing Cookie Dough – You can freeze the cookie dough for up to 2 months. I recommend scooping it into the cookie balls then place them in a Ziploc bag. The frozen dough does not need to be thawed, though you will need to adjust the bake time by a few minutes to accommodate the frozen dough.
Nutrition information is calculated by a third-party and should only be considered an estimate and not a guarantee.
about the author ...
I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!
I've tested, written, and photographed hundreds of recipes on my website. Here you'll find the tastiest small batch gluten free and traditional desserts - all homemade, all simple, and all for you!
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