I’ve been eyeing this recipe for a few months now, getting way too excited to try it out for the holidays. And let me tell you, it did NOT disappoint! The chewy cookies are a brownie in cookie form and it is the best of both worlds, by far. The added peppermint isn’t too much that makes it feel like you are brushing your teeth and instead enjoy a candy cane. I absolutely adore this recipe and think it has become a staple holiday cookie in my household.

Newbie baker note: Two things, first, you don’t need to do the stovetop broil to melt the chocolate and butter. The microwave is your newbie baker’s friend. And second, don’t chop the peppermint bark up too small otherwise it won’t keep it’s shape when you add it to the warm cookies (aka what I did and want yours to look better!)

Instructions

Note: To get the shiny, crinkled tops on the cookies, make sure to measure and prep all of the ingredients in advance so that you can work quickly once you begin. You will need to bake all of the cookies immediately after the dough is made to get those hallmark glossy, cracked tops.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and adjust the oven racks so that you can cook two cookie sheets at the same time (one rack at the top third of the oven and one in the bottom third of the oven). Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler on the stove in a heat-safe glass bowl. To create a double boiler, fill a saucepan with 2 inches of water, and place a heat-safe glass bowl over it. Do not let the bowl touch the water below. Heat the water to a simmer but do not boil. Stir the mixture occasionally until the chocolate and butter are melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the peppermint extract. Set aside to cool slightly.
4. While the chocolate is cooling, add the sugars and eggs to a large mixing bowl and mix with hand mixer on medium-high for 5 minutes. You can also use a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Set a timer and mix for a full 5 minutes.
5. After the 5 minutes add the melted chocolate and butter mixture to the beaten sugar and egg mixture. Mix for another 20 to 30 seconds on medium high speed to combine.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients all at once and use a large spatula to fold the batter together until incorporated. Do not over mix. The dough should resemble brownie batter.
7. Using a medium (1.5 tablespoon) cookie scoop, scoop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. The dough will be soft like brownie batter but should hold it’s form. Place the cookies 2 inches apart as they will spread as they bake. If possible, use two large baking sheets and plan to bake all of the cookies at once.
8. Place both cookie sheets into the preheated oven and bake for 9-10 minutes. The cookie are done when the edges are set and the tops are glossy and cracked. Do not over bake or the cookies will be crunchy and dry instead of soft and fudgy. Remove the cookies from the oven and top each one with chunks of dark chocolate peppermint bark. Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes before using a spatula to transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.