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Best Easy Peppermint Bark Christmas Cookies Recipe

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These quick peppermint bark Christmas cookies come together in under thirty minutes using a cake mix base for guaranteed consistency. With crunchy peppermint bits, semi-sweet and white chocolate chips, and a gorgeous chocolate drizzle, they look like you spent hours in the kitchen but are actually incredibly simple to make.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 box (15.25 oz) white cake mix
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes
  • 1/4 cup additional crushed peppermint for topping
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips for drizzling
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil or vegetable shortening

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Crush the peppermint: Place candy canes or peppermint candies in a sturdy ziploc bag. Seal tightly and crush with a rolling pin or heavy pan into a mix of fine powder and small chunks (about pea-sized). Set aside 1/4 cup for topping.
  3. Make the cookie dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine white cake mix, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed with an electric mixer or stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a thick, cohesive dough forms. Do not overmix.
  4. Fold in the mix-ins: Gently fold in semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup of the crushed peppermint using a spatula or wooden spoon until evenly distributed.
  5. Scoop and bake: Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake at 350°F for 9 to 11 minutes, until edges are lightly golden and centers look slightly underdone.
  6. Cool and add topping: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. While still warm, sprinkle some of the reserved crushed peppermint on top so it sticks. Cool completely.
  7. Make the chocolate drizzle: In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon coconut oil or shortening. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until completely smooth (about 60-80 seconds total).
  8. Drizzle and set: Transfer melted chocolate to a small ziploc bag, snip off a tiny corner, and drizzle over cooled cookies in a back-and-forth motion. Sprinkle remaining crushed peppermint over the wet chocolate. Let chocolate set completely (10-15 minutes at room temperature or 5 minutes in the refrigerator) before storing.

Notes

Don’t skip the parchment paper—it prevents sticking and burning. Watch the bake time carefully; cookies go from perfect to dry quickly. If dough is sticky, chill for 15 minutes before scooping. Crush peppermint into a mix of fine powder and small chunks for best texture. Room temperature egg incorporates better. These cookies taste even better the next day as flavors meld. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, layered with parchment paper. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: peppermint bark cookies, Christmas cookies, easy holiday cookies, cake mix cookies, peppermint cookies, chocolate peppermint cookies

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