Peppermint Mocha Cookies! Inspired by the seasonal coffeehouse classic, these chocolate thumbprint cookies, are filled with a delicious peppermint mocha ganache and topped with a beautiful chocolate drizzle.
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If you wait patiently year round for the "red cup" that signals the start of the holiday season at the coffee house, then I have a feeling you're going to love my Peppermint Mocha Cookies!
A simple, chocolate thumbprint cookie is filled with a dreamy, chocolatey pool of espresso & peppermint-infused ganache, and then drizzled with chocolate in these heavenly holiday cookies that are perfect for gift-giving.
Looking for more holiday-worthy cookie recipes? Try my Raspberry Cheesecake Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies, Amaretto Biscotti or Hazelnut Bow Tie Cookies.
This recipe is naturally vegetarian and can be made gluten-free.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Brown sugar
- Egg yolk
- Vanilla extract
- Cocoa powder
- Flour
- Sea salt
For Filling:
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Half and half or heavy cream
- Instant coffee granules
- Peppermint extract
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F . Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
In a medium bowl using a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined.
Add cocoa powder, flour and salt and mix until the dough comes together.
For the Cookies:
Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop out about 1½ tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Place onto prepared baking pan.
Bake for 14-15 minutes or until the cookies are set. Remove from oven and, using the back of a ½ teaspoon measure, the end of a wooden spoon or your thumb, gently press a well into the center of each cookie. Allow to cool completely.
For the Peppermint Mocha Ganache:
Pour half and half or heavy cream into a small, microwave-safe bowl. Heat for about 20-30 seconds until just steaming & bubbling around the edges.
Add in the instant coffee granules and peppermint extract; stir until the granules have dissolved.
Pour the chocolate chips into the cream mixture and let sit for about a minute, then whisk until smooth and shiny.
Carefully fill the indentations of each cookie with the chocolate. (You'll enough filling for 2 batches of cookies.)
While the filling sets a bit (it will stay soft, but shouldn't be runny), melt about 2 tablespoons of semi-sweet chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl, and whisk until smooth.
Drizzle or pipe over the cookies; allow them to set completely before serving or packaging.
Recipe FAQ's
Yes. Thumbprint cookie dough can be made 2-3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to make the cookies, take the dough out and let them soften a bit at room temperature to make them easier to scoop.
These cookies should be placed in a single layer in an airtight container and refrigerated for best results. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving.
I have not personally tried to freeze them, but I think they'd freeze well. Place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container and keep frozen for up to 2 months. The texture of the ganache may change a bit.
Variations & Substitutions
Try these fun variations!
- Change up the ganache! Try infusing the chocolate ganache with ⅛ teaspoon of almond extract, orange zest or a teaspoon or two of raspberry jam instead.
- Roll the dough balls in some granulated sugar before baking for an extra sweet, sparkly exterior.
- Top with colorful holiday sprinkles for an extra festive look.
Diet-Specific Substitutions
- Gluten-Free: I have not tried making these cookies gluten-free, but I imagine using a one-to-one gluten free flour blend would work just fine.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below to let me know how you liked it!
Peppermint Mocha Cookies
Ingredients
For Cookie:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ brown sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cocoa powder
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
For Filling:
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons half and half or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
- ⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions
For Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F . Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer) beat together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined.
- Add cocoa powder, flour and salt and mix until the dough comes together.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop out about 1½ tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Place onto prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 14-15 minutes or until the cookies are set. Remove from oven and, using the back of a ½ teaspoon measure, the end of a wooden spoon or your thumb, gently press a well into the center of each cookie. Allow to cool completely.
For Peppermint Mocha Ganache
- Pour half and half or heavy cream into a small, microwave-safe bowl. Heat for about 20-30 seconds until just steaming & bubbling around the edges.
- Add in the instant coffee granules and peppermint extract; stir until the granules have dissolved.
- Pour the chocolate chips into the cream mixture and let sit for about a minute, then whisk until smooth and shiny.
- Carefully fill the indentations of each cookie with the chocolate. (You'll enough filling for 2 batches of cookies.)
- While the filling sets a bit (it will stay soft but shouldn't be runny), melt about 2 tablespoons of semi-sweet chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl, and whisk until smooth.
- Drizzle or pipe over the cookies; allow them to set completely before serving or packaging.
Notes
- Change up the ganache! Try infusing the chocolate ganache with ⅛ teaspoon of almond extract, orange zest or a teaspoon or two of raspberry jam instead.
- Roll the dough balls in some granulated sugar before baking for an extra sweet, sparkly exterior.
- Top with colorful holiday sprinkles for an extra festive look.
- Gluten-Free: I have not tried making these cookies gluten-free, but I imagine using a one-to-one gluten free flour blend would work just fine.
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