Peppermint White Chocolate Chip Cookies
These peppermint white chocolate chip cookies are super soft and chewy (thanks to cream cheese in the cookie dough) and they’re full of peppermint flavor and holiday flair!
There comes a point every holiday season where I’m ready to blow off all responsibilities and just bake cookies and watch Christmas movies all day. First on my list are always my favorite peppermint white chocolate chip cookies! They’re a hit with all of my family and friends, and they’re sure to be a new favorite for you too.
This recipe has been on my site since 2013 and they’ve made an appearance every holiday season since then. I look forward to baking them every year! They have a very soft and chewy texture, with so much great flavor from white chocolate chips, peppermint bits, and peppermint extract.
“Coming back to this recipe for the bajillionth time cause it’s so good. I’d never made cookies with cream cheese in the dough before this and didn’t know what I was missing. I first made these a few years ago and gave them to a friend who shared them with a friend. I’ve been asked to make them every holiday (and then some) ever since! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐” —from Jessica
Table of Contents
- Why you’ll love these cookies
- Ingredients you'll need
- How to make peppermint white chocolate chip cookies
- Tips for this recipe
- More holiday cookie recipes
- Get the recipe
Why you’ll love these cookies
- They’re so soft with just a little bit of delicious chewiness.
- White chocolate and peppermint are a match made in heaven. These cookies taste like the holidays!
- Peppermint crunch baking chips hold up beautifully during baking, unlike candy canes which melt and don’t hold their shape well.
- No chilling required, aka this recipe couldn’t be easier!
Ingredients you’ll need
- Butter
- Cream cheese— It’s the secret ingredient! It makes the cookies very soft and tender.
- Granulated sugar and brown sugar— The combo ensures these cookies have the perfect chewy texture and slightly caramelized flavor.
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract and peppermint extract
- All purpose flour
- Baking soda and salt
- White chocolate chips— I prefer white chocolate that’s made with real cocoa butter (and not a substitute like palm oil), but any kind will do.
- Peppermint crunch baking chips— These are a MUST! They’re my favorite peppermint chips to bake with. They’re sometimes hard to find in stores, but you can always find them online. And it’s definitely worth the purchase!
- Sanding sugar or more white chocolate— for garnish and decoration (if you want!)
How to make peppermint white chocolate chip cookies
- Beat butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and creamy.
- Mix in eggs and flavorings.
- Add dry ingredients and mix until the dough starts to come together.
- Add white chocolate chips and peppermint crunch chips and mix just until they’re incorporated into the dough.
- Portion dough with a cookie scoop and roll cookie dough balls in sanding sugar, if you’d like.
- Bake on parchment-lined baking sheet pans at 375°F just until cookies are cracked and edges start to look brown. Don’t over bake!
- Let cookies cool and drizzle with melted white chocolate, if desired.
Then, enjoy! I hope you’ll love these cookies as much as I do! They’re just so dang good. And they always disappear in a flash when I take them to potlucks or parties.
baking tip:How to bake pretty, picture-perfect cookies
While they will taste great no matter what, cookies sometimes need a little extra TLC to look as great as they taste:
- Only mix half of the chocolate chips or other mix-ins called for.
- Portion the dough with a cookie scoop, then roll into balls by hand.
- Give them plenty of space. I only bake 6-8 cookies at a time on my sheet pan, depending on size.
- Before baking, strategically place and press the remaining half of the chocolate chips/chunks into the tops of the dough balls.
- As soon as the cookies are pulled from the oven, and while they are still hot and pliable, use a spatula to push any uneven edges back into a perfect circle.
- Let them cool completely before packaging or storing.
Tips for this recipe
- If you don’t have peppermint crunch baking chips, you have a few options. You can use crushed candy canes, though they will melt in the oven and change the texture of your cookies. You could leave them out of the cookie dough and instead sprinkle them on top of the baked cookies (I think this would look really good with a drizzle of white chocolate too). Also, have a look in the seasonal aisle of the grocery store, as manufacturers release seasonal baking items that may be similar.
- Butter should be at room temperature and soft enough that a pressed finger will leave an indent, but not soft enough that your finger can press all the way through. Butter should not be shiny or melty at all. Are your cookies spreading too much? This could be why!
- Cream cheese should also be at room temperature and soft. Here’s a few tips for quickly bringing cream cheese to room temperature, if needed.
- Be sure to measure flour correctly! All of my recipes are tested using the spoon and level method (more info through that link). Are your cookies dry and cakey? This could be why!
- These pre-cut parchment sheets are perfect for cookie baking.
- Cookie dough freezes really well. I like to keep a stash of portioned cookie dough balls in the freezer for fresh-baked cookies on demand.
- These cookies will keep at room temperature for about a week, but are best within a few days of baking.
More holiday cookie recipes
Get the recipe
Peppermint White Chocolate Chip Cookies
White chocolate chip cookies with a hint of peppermint, making them perfect for holiday baking. Cream cheese is also a fun secret ingredient that gives the cookies a little something extra.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
- 3 oz (85 grams) full fat cream cheese , softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (210 grams) packed light or dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 ½ cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (170 grams) white chocolate chips
- 1 cup (140 grams) peppermint crunch baking chips , see Notes
- Coarse or sanding sugar , for sprinkling
- ½ cup (75 grams) white chocolate chips , for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a bowl with a hand-held mixer, beat together the butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, and sugar until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, 3 oz (85 grams) full fat cream cheese, 1 cup (210 grams) packed light or dark brown sugar, ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each, followed by the vanilla and peppermint extracts.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the mixer and mix on low speed just until incorporated. Mix in the white chocolate chips and peppermint chips.2 ½ cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 cup (170 grams) white chocolate chips, 1 cup (140 grams) peppermint crunch baking chips
- Roll cookie dough into rounded tablespoons (dough will be sticky) and place on the prepared sheet pan about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if using. Bake until edges just begin to turn golden, about 9-11 minutes. Let cool on the sheet pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- I like to use Andes brand peppermint crunch baking chips for these cookies. You can find them in some stores around the holidays, but you may have to hunt for them. You can also buy them online. You can find other similar products that work fine, and in a pinch you can use crushed candy canes.
- To melt white chocolate chips, place in a heat-proof bowl and microwave in 30 second increments. Stir until smooth.
Calories: 244kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 29mg, Sodium: 127mg, Potassium: 59mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 188IU, Vitamin C: 0.04mg, Calcium: 46mg, Iron: 1mg
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.
This recipe was originally published December 2013.
I make these EVERY holiday season and they are by far the BEST cookies!
I just made this recipe, the last batch came out of the oven a few minutes ago. I used a rounded tablespoon scoop and ended up with 48 perfect sized cookies. I did finish them off differently and really like the results. After dropping them onto the cookie sheet, I dipped the bottom of a glass in red deco sugar and flattened each one. They baked up perfectly round and with a Christmas-sy red crinkly texture on top. I’ll definitely be making these cookies again and again.
Love this feedback, they sound like they looked amazing!!
Coming back to this recipe for the bajillionth time cause it’s so good. I’d never made cookies with cream cheese in the dough before this and didn’t know what i was missing. I first made these a few years ago and gave them to a friend who shared them with a friend. I’ve been asked to make them every holiday(and then some) ever since!
These tasted fine but the dough was VERY sticky. I also used crushed candy cane. Maybe that added to the overall stickiness. I had to wet my hands to roll, they were difficult to get off the cookie sheet, and the candy cane pieces got stuck in my teeth. I thought these would be more light and fluffy, but they turned out very flat and crispy.
Yes, the dough is quite sticky! That’s normal. But crushed candy canes are not at all the same as the peppermint baking chips used in this cookie recipe, and will effect how the cookies turn out.
Making these at the moment. Hubby and son said delicious!! I think they are pretty and taste wonderful..
They will keep for several days in an airtight container. Hope this helps!
These look beautiful and delicious! Looking to make ahead as much as possible for the holidays. Have you frozen the dough balls or the baked cookies? Any preference?
I always prefer to freeze cookie dough balls and bake fresh when we want them!
I made these cookies, but they did not look like the cookies pictured. But they tasted exactly what I imagined. I could not find Andes Peppermint Crunch at a reasonable price , so I purchased Hershey’s Peppermint Kisses and chopped them. Worked just fine. I did not think my husband would even try these since he is not fond of peppermint, but he did and said that they were “NOT bad”. Will definitely make these again.
I’m happy to hear you and your husband enjoyed them!
I dont see anything with nuts…baking for my toddler’s holiday party…are these considered nut free…and do you think they would work with cookie cutters???
These do not have any nuts in them. However, I think you’d have to confirm that none of your ingredients have come in contact with nuts in order for it to be safe for people with nut allergies. Maybe check that the white chocolate and peppermint chips? I’m not sure, I’m not an expert! And no, since these have chips mixed in, they can’t really be rolled and cut.
Do the baked cookies need to be stored in the refrigerator?
No, they should last at room temperature for several days.
There’s nothing that says Christmas like peppermint. To make these cookies even more “Christmasy”, I’m going to eat them with eggnog ice cream!
What a wonderful pair! I love it. 🙂
These are so festive and look so perfect! Love the little crinkle on the top:) Need to add these to our cookie tray for Santa