Still in need of a fun cookie to bake for your friends and family this holiday season? Or maybe one to bring to your Christmas cookie exchange party? Well look no further – I’ve got you covered with this EASY recipe for double chocolate peppermint mocha cookies. That’s right, I said double chocolate. Because the only thing better than chocolate is double the chocolate!
Chocolate and peppermint seems to be a common combo around this time of year, so these cookies are sure to be a fan-favorite among everyone. And when I say everyone, I mean everyone! Even people who follow gluten-free or dairy-free diets can join in on all the fun, because these cookies are free from both!
The dough for these cookies will be very wet and sticky, so it’s best to refrigerate the dough for a while once it’s made. I’ve found that refrigerating it overnight yields the best results, but if you’re pressed for time, simply sticking it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes will also get the job done!
When the cookies are ready to be baked, use a small cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto your prepared baking sheet. The dough balls will be round, and you might be tempted to flatten them, but trust me.. don’t do it. The dough will puff up while baking, and you’ll be left with super thick and chewy cookies!
Just look at that texture, will you? Talk about thick! Biting into these cookies is like biting into little clouds of chocolate heaven!
If you’re really feeling fancy, feel free to swap out the chocolate chips for peppermint baking chips instead. This will make for an extra pepperminty cookie that will be sure to wake your taste buds up! And as an added bonus, it will make your whole house smell extra pepperminty, as well!
Hopefully by this point, I’ve convinced you to make this recipe! They’re super chocolate-y, super fluffy, and you’d never even know they were gluten-free or dairy-free! So with that being said, happy baking to all, and to all a good night!
Double Chocolate Peppermint Mocha Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 TBSP maple syrup or honey
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. peppermint extract
- 1 1/2 tsp. instant coffee or espresso granules
- 1/2 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 cup gluten-free 1:1 flour blend such as Bob’s Red Mill
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 – 2/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the applesauce, coconut sugar, maple syrup/honey, egg, vanilla, and peppermint extract. Mix well.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients, and then use a rubber spatula to fold in the chocolate chips. Mix well.
- Cover the mixture and place in the fridge for at least 90 minutes to chill. (For best results, refrigerate overnight). Alternately, place the bowl in the freezer for 10-15 minutes, or until chilled and no longer sticky.
- Once ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Use a small cookie scoop to scoop dough onto a cookie sheet. Space each dough ball about 1″ (or a little less) apart – the goal is to have around 16 dough balls per sheet.
- Optional: use the palm of your hand to flatten each dough ball just slightly. If you choose not to, you will get a very thick and chewy cookie (which I personally prefer).
- Bake for 10-14 minutes, or until the bottoms are just browned and the tops are puffy and set in place. Rotate the cookie trays halfway through baking.
- Once done, remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 4-5 minutes on their trays. After, transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
