Iced Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
These dark chocolate peppermint sugar cookie cut-outs are decorated with pink and red candy cane stripes of royal icing! Follow my video tutorial and enjoy this fun and festive holiday recipe.
Today’s post is coming to you a little later than I would have liked, for a couple of different reasons. One, I really wanted to make it extra, extra good. I don’t want you to be intimidated by how pretty these cookies look. So, at the bottom of the post you will find my very first ever video tutorial. It ended up being a little bit harder to learn how to do video in the amount of time I allowed myself. I hope to get better at this with practice, but for now, I think it’s decent enough to get the point across. Hopefully it illustrates just how “do-able” decorating cookies can be. And fun!
Also, I’m including a list of the products I used to make and decorate these cookies! I always get asked, inevitably, so I just decided to include a little shopping list for you here, right from the get-go. Please be advised that some of these are affiliate links, so I do earn a small commission from any purchases you might make. As always, they are products that I myself have purchased, use, and recommend.
And finally, I would like to share: the last couple of days have been really difficult, and I was completely derailed from my normal routine. Even today, I’m having trouble staying focused, after the tragedy that has ripped through my community. Things like this happen every day, around the world, and it’s always terribly upsetting, but especially when it hits so close to home. My loved ones are safe, but my childrens’ school was under lockdown for two days and our town was advised to “Shelter In Place,” until local law enforcement could guarantee our safety from this sick and extremely dangerous person.
I never wanted this space to be political, or controversial in any way. I just want it to be a happy place. There’s a lot of different opinions about why tragedies like this happen, and what should be done. But I only want to say that not a single day goes by that I don’t remember what happened right around this time 2 years ago in Newtown, Connecticut. The terrifying events of this past Monday morning, in my small farm town, brought that sad day even more to the forefront of my mind. Let’s all pause for a moment, send prayers to those who have lost, and count our many blessings.
And now on to happier subjects:
Christmas Cookies! Of the iced chocolate peppermint variety. I made these for the Food Blogger Cookie Swap, which is a really fun event that benefits a great cause. So three other food bloggers were the recipients of this yummy recipe. I hope they enjoyed them half as much as I loved making and decorating them.
I can’t decide what I like better, the pretty royal icing design or the chocolate-y cookie base. I love to play with my food, so I always enjoy the decorating part, but the cookie itself is so darn good. Which I think is no small feat. A lot of times, the prettier the cookie, the worse it tastes. But my Simply Perfect Chocolate Sugar Cookie recipe did not disappoint here. I used half regular cocoa powder, half black (dutched) cocoa, and the result was very much like a soft-in-the-center Oreo cookie, with a hint of cool, Christmas-y peppermint. I added 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract to this recipe.
As you can see, this kind of cookie is great for shipping to loved ones, because not only are they sturdy, but they stack up so neatly with very little airspace in between. This is so key to having the contents arrive intact. I lined a treat box with wax paper so that the cookies wouldn’t make oil stains all over the paper box. I saw one of the recipients Instagrammed me their package when it arrived, and it looked pretty good, so I guess it worked!
And now for the video! The decorating technique is really not that hard, as long as your royal icing is the proper consistency (think Elmer’s glue for this technique) and you work relatively quickly, before the icing has a chance to crust over. Do take notice that the tip of my pastry bag is hovering slightly above the surface I’m decorating. Pulling up and away is what really helps the lines to be straight and not squiggly! You’re letting gravity do the work for you here.
As an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Here is that list of products I promised you:
- King Arthur Flour Black Cocoa
- Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Peppermint Extract
- Parchment Paper Sheets
- Rolling Pin Rings
- Square Cookie Cutter Set (I used the smallest one in the set)
- Meringue Powder
- Red Gel-Paste Food Coloring
- Pink Gel Paste Food Coloring
- Disposable Piping Bags
- Piping Couplers
- Small Round Piping Tip
- Treat Boxes
I hope you enjoy!
Iced Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 batch Simply Perfect Chocolate Sugar Cookies, (with 1 teaspoon peppermint extract added to the dough), baked and cooled completely
Royal Icing
- 2 tablespoons (29.57 g) meringue powder
- 5 tablespoons (73.93 ml) water
- 2 2/3 cup (320 g) powdered sugar
- Additionally- gel paste food coloring and a few teaspoons more water to thin the icing to the proper consistency.
Instructions
To Make the Royal Icing
- Place the meringue powder and water in a large bowl and whisk until all the powder has dissolved and the mixture is frothy.
- Add the powdered sugar and stir until combined.
- Whip on high speed until the icing is very fluffy and stiff, about 5-7 minutes. It should hold stiff peaks.
- Transfer to an air-tight container until ready to tint and pipe.
To tint and thin to proper consistency:
- Spoon about 1/2 cup of royal icing into a small bowl and add a few drops of gel-paste color. Stir in until desired color is reached. (Some colors, such as red and black, will deepen over time.)
- Add water, about an eighth of a teaspoon at a time, until the icing is the consistency of Elmer's glue. It should smooth over on its own after a few seconds.
- Place in piping bags fitted with decorating tips, and turn them tip side down into a drinking glass lined with wet paper towels.
- Use immediately. (Royal Icing will become thin and runny, and may separate, over the course of about 24 hours.)
Thank you for so many wonderful recipes and helpful hints to make everything turn out perfectly!!!
It’s my pleasure Sheri! Hugs!
These are absolutely beautiful. I made the sugar cookies yesterday and they turned out perfectly. Today I’m going to tackle the icing. I have one question. How long did you let the white icing dry before piping the stripes? Or can I do that right away? Thanks so much.
So happy you like them! Pipe on the stripes right away, while the icing is still wet. That way everything will be level and smooth, rather than more 3d/textured. Hope that makes sense! Have fun decorating!
My kid is obsessed with peppermint! This is an excellent recipe!
Hi Allie! Question about your Royal Icing recipe…does it dry rock hard? I’ve been on the hunt for a RI recipe that won’t break your teeth when you bite into it, but still dries firm enough to stack cookies. Thanks for your help an awesome recipes!
Hi Em! It’s my pleasure! To answer your question, yes it does dry to a candy-like finish. I usually make it really stiff and fluffy, and then thin it down with water (just a drop or two at a time) until it gets to the right consistency where it can smooth over easily and not be too thick on the cookie. I agree, no one wants to break a tooth! Hope that’s helpful; let me know if I can answer any other questions!
Thanks for the quick reply, it’s awesome (and appreciated!) that you’re so responsive to your readers!
🙂
I made these little beauts for a cookie swap that I held over the Christmas holiday. I asked my guests to bring 2-3 dozen of each type of cookie. I used a smaller than average cookie cutter and had to almost triple the recipe to get 2-3 dozen. But I did not mind because the cookie dough is fabulous! I made them a week prior and they froze nicely. They were not as sturdy as I was expecting them to be, so beware they may still be soft and break if you aren’t careful. I will be using this recipe again. I am glad that Allie put the icing tutorial in the post for icing deficient people like me! My cookies did not look at all like hers, but they were still the most beautiful cookies on the table for sure. I may try the icing and decorating again when I have more time to devote to the process. If you are rushed, I would not recommend decorating them as pictured. You may end up becoming frustrated and vow to never use royal icing again (like I did). Anyway, those are my takeaways. I think this is a great recipe.
Thanks for the great feedback Holly!
Allie, thank you for these beautiful cookies and tutorial! I’ve looked through literally hundreds of recipes for a unique cookie to make for my mom’s cookie exchange and yours is the winner for this year!
Question: did you use the same piping for the dots on the edges or does that have to be a little thicker to hold shape?
Thanks very much. Keeping your community in my thoughts. Happy Holidays!
I’m so glad you like these cookies Christina! Gosh it brought me back when you mentioned about my community. That was just about a year ago and it still makes me shudder when I think about it. I’m so glad it’s all over. As for the piping, I did use the same icing for that, but that’s a really great question. A thicker consistency might actually be a little easier. But I find that if I keep the dots quite small, they manage to hold their shape without running over the edge of the cookie. I hope that’s helpful! Thank you for reading and for the great question; I hope your cookies are the hit of the cookie exchange! Happy Holidays to you as well!
The Chocolate Sugar Cookie recipe does not have peppermint extract, but you note to add 1 tsp. Is it in addition to the the 1 t vanilla extract or to replace vanilla extract.
Really you could do it either way, Debbie! It’s totally up to your taste. I believe when I noted to add it, I meant in addition to, but you could certainly replace if you felt so inclined. Thanks so much for reading and for the great question!
Are those candy beads around the edges or dots of the white icing?
Hey Maylien! They are just icing but candy beads would probably be really cute too! Thanks for reading 🙂
Simply beautiful!
Thank you so much Kim! So happy you liked and glad you stopped by. Hope your year is off to a great start!
I’m a bit late to this post, and I think the link you posted of the news story is no longer available. Whatever it is, I’m completely with you about just wanting a safe community to live in . . .
Anyway, I also wanted to say how much I adore these cookies. I definitely need to up my cookie decorating game a bit more this year, so thanks for the video tutorial!
Ugh I’d fill you in on all of it, but to be honest I’d rather just forget about the whole miserable thing! It was a nightmare and the bottom line is, just as you said, feeling terrified and unsure of my own and my family’s safety. I’m so happy you enjoyed the video tutorial! I love decorating and I’m so glad you’re into it too Lisa!
Allie, what a powerful post! I feel so blessed to have been one of the recipients of your beautiful and tasty cookies! I pray that 2015 proves to be one of peace and happiness for you, your family, your community, and our nation. God Bless You!
Thank you so much Sheila! I’m so happy you enjoyed the cookies- God Bless and I hope you have a safe and fun NYE 🙂
I have been meaning to tell you that I absolutely loved the video tutorial. I never vigorously shake my cookies the way you do, and then wonder why the colors don’t slightly bleed together seamlessly. What a simple little trick that makes such a huge difference! I hope you had/are having a wonderful holiday!
Thank you sweetie! The shaking is such a great trick; I learned it from Sweetopia.net. It really helps to “level” the icing. I love it when it’s satin-smooth. Hope your holiday(s) are fun and memorable! xoxo
Allie, when are you going to go into business selling some of these beautiful things. They are actually beyond beautiful … love them and how wonderful to have a video showing us how to make them!
So sorry that you’ve had to deal with this awful tragedy. You’re right that you never think these kinds of things will affect you personally … really sorry that something has.
I really hope that you’re feeling more cheerful soon and I wish you a very happy and prosperous new year. 🙂
Thank you so much Helen! I am doing much better now. I’m so happy you liked the cookies and the video! Thanks so much for the great feedback and for your warm wishes. Happy New Year to you as well! xoxo
It is truly sad! And only God can make right what was made wrong. Prayers for all who were affected by this tragedy.
I’ve missed you! Glad you’re back.
Delightful little cookies and such perfect detail. I just love ém! I certainly would never turn these away. 😉
Have a wonderful Christmas Allie!
xo
Thank you Melanie! Hope you had a blessed Christmas. Enjoy the holiday season my friend! xoxo
Allie, these cookies are so gorgeous–of course you WOULD send something this beautiful to your cookie swappers! Everything you touch turns beautiful. 🙂
And on another note, thank you for sharing your thoughts about the Newtown tragedy. My thoughts and prayers are with your town and those families right now. It is a scary world we live in and it’s hard to come to terms with these horrific acts. I enjoy food blogs and recipes as much as the next person, but sometimes it’s nice to pull down the veil and connect on a different level. Virtual hugs to you as you all continue to heal.
Thank you so much for this, Elizabeth! It’s difficult to talk about, but it couldn’t be more true- not a day goes by where I send my kids off to school and don’t remember Newtown. These kinds of things happen way too often. And thank you for the sweet compliment about my cookies. Coming from such a talented artist as yourself, it truly means so much!