We’re back again with white chocolate peppermint flavors! After posting my White Chocolate Peppermint Pretzel Cake yesterday, I immediately knew we needed to make it into a cookie! This time we have my peppermint cookies packed with white chocolate chips, pretzels, and little bits of crushed peppermint.

It’s a perfect cookie for Christmastime. They’re a low-maintenance cookie, and can be made start to finish (including baking time) in less than 25 minutes. So let’s dive right in!

Pretzels all around

I knew I wanted to have pretzels in these cookies, but didn’t want to settle for just tossing a few in or pressing a few on top. I wanted them to taste like pretzels in every bite. To make that happen, I used pretzels in two different ways:

I pulsed the pretzels into a powder so that there would be little bits all throughout the cookie. Next, I roughly chopped a few pretzels, tossed a few into the dough at the end, and also pressed them into the top of the cookie.

This makes the cookies a bit more salty, but with the white chocolate and cookie base, I think the saltiness goes really well with the sweet.

Make sure to reserve some of the add-ins to press onto the top of the cookie before baking! It really makes them look as delicious as they taste!

White chocOLATE

The white chocolate chips are a MUST! I used Ghirardelli chips and made sure to press them into the dough enough on top so that they wouldn’t get too toasty in the oven. You can always melt the white chocolate chips and then drizzle them on instead to resemble a white chocolate pretzel.

Peppermint flavor

The Peppermint extract I used is from the grocery store, but look for “peppermint” extract instead of “mint” extract. There’s a difference. One is more like minty gum and one is more like a peppermint stick. Speaking of peppermint sticks or candy canes, you can make your own crushed peppermint by pulsing them in a food processor, or can buy them pre-crushed. I sprinkled a few on top at the end, too, in addition to baking them inside.

I listed 1/2 teaspoon for the extract, but if you want the full flavor like I did, go for the full teaspoon. It’s up to your preference. You want them minty, but not toothpaste minty! 🙂

TIPS FOR SUCCESS:

Here’s a few tips for making sure these cookies come out perfectly every time (which isn’t that hard because these are basically fool proof!)

  • Yes, 410 degrees on traditional (not convection bake) oven setting is perfect. Seems high, but trust me, it’s essential to nailing the toasted outside & gooey inside texture.
  • No need to mix together your dry ingredients beforehand. Just toss them right in and mix them together.
  • Eggs need to be cold, and same with your butter.
  • Make sure to completely cream together the butter and sugar before adding in the eggs and vanilla.
  • Press the add-ins below the cookie dough line. That way they don’t burn in the oven.
  • Reserve a few off the add-ins (chips, mallows, peppermint) to press onto the outside of the cookie for a better cookie-look. Although, they will taste exactly the same either way 
  • I make mine the size of a baseball. They should flatten out slightly. If they flatten out all the way, your baking soda isn’t fresh enough. I’ve also noticed they flatten slightly as they cool, too. If you notice your first batch doesn’t flatten enough, then slightly press down on the next batch that’s headed into the oven.
  • If you decide to make these cookies smaller, just make sure to bake them a little less time and keep a close eye on them in the oven. They should still have the gooey center and golden outside texture.
  • No need to chill the cookies! That’s the best part!

Here’s a quick video of the process:

That’s it! I CANNOT WAIT for you guys to try these cookies! They were an instant hit, and as soon as I shared that I was recipe testing, yall were begging for the recipe asap 🙂 . Here it is, and Merry Christmas!

I’d love to see your Baking with Blondie bakes! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @bakingwithblondie so I can join in on all the fun.

As always, happy baking!

xo, Mandy

Get the Recipe: White Chocolate Peppermint Pretzel Cookies

Giant, thick, and soft peppermint cookies filled with white chocolate chips, crushed peppermint and pretzels!
Servings: 8 Giant Cookies
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed and cold
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 whole eggs, cold
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract , (you can add a full teaspoon if you'd like for more peppermint flavor)
  • 3 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda, tip: if your baking soda is older than three months, your cookies may not stay thick and tall.
  • 2 cups pretzels processed into a powder
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1 cup crushed pretzels
  • 1/4 cup crushed peppermint

Instructions
 

  • Prep two large aluminum cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 410 degrees (yep, that's right!)
  • In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip up the butter for 1 minute until it's light and fluffy, then add in the sugars to cream together with the butter for 3 minutes on high speed.
  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then add in the eggs, vanilla, and peppermint extract. Whip up to combine.
  • Add in the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and pretzel powder, and slowly mix together by hand or on the very lowest mixer speed until just combined (don't overmix!)
  • Reserve 1/8 cup of the add-ins, then add in the white chocolate chips, crushed peppermint, pretzel pieces and mix in on the lowest-speed until just combined.
  • Split the dough into 8 balls (baseball-sized) and place 4 on each cookie sheet. Hand-press on the reserved add-ins.
  • Bake for 9-10 minutes. They should be slightly golden, slightly mounded in the middle, thick/tall, and gooey in the center. Let them cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!