Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

About the Recipe

These easy peppermint cookies have the most rich, fudgy texture and are easy to whip up in one bowl for Christmas. If you love chocolate and peppermint together, these No-Bake Vegan Peppermint Brownies are a must too.

This recipe makes a small batch of just 10 cookies and they store well so they’re perfect for a smaller household. They can also be double though for gift giving and holiday parties!

For more holiday cookies, don’t miss these vegan Thin Mints cookies, vegan chocolate snowballs, vegan pecan snowballs, lemon shortbread cookies and vegan and gluten-free thumbprints!

• Coconut Oil: Any kind works but use refined coconut oil for zero coconut flavour. You should be able to substitute melted veagn butter.
• Sugar: Any white granulated sugar works. I like organic cane sugar.
• Applesauce: Use unsweetened applesauce at room temperature. You can also use sweetened applesauce just note that it will add sugar to the recipe and the cookies will be sweeter.
• Milk: Any plant-based milk is suitable. I suggest almond or cashew milk for their mild taste.
• Peppermint Extract: I like Simply Organic Peppermint Flavour, it’s fresh and minty and you don’t need much. If you can’t find that, any peppermint extract works.
• Flour: Use all-purpose flour or substitute a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.
• Cocoa Powder: Dark cocoa powder is awesome for the most rich chocolate flavour. If not, any cocoa powder or raw cacao powder works.
• Chocolate Chips: I like Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips but any variety of chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate works.

This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1. Add the applesauce, melted coconut oil, sugar, peppermint extract, vanilla, sugar and almond milk to a bowl whisk vigorously for a good 30 seconds until it’s fully combined.

Note: Make sure your applesauce is at room temperature otherwise it will cause the coconut oil to harden.

Step 2. Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder and mix until all the dry ingredients have mixed into the wet and you have a thick batter. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Step 3. Create 10 equal sized portions and place them on the prepared baking tray.

I used 1 heaping cookie scoop per cookie, which is roughly 2 tbsp. Use your fingers to flatten them a little and shape into a circle.

Step 4. Bake for 12 minutes. While they’re baking, place a few chunks of candy cane in a bag and smash with something heavy.

I used a pepper mill but a hammer or anything along those lines will do the trick!

Once the cookies come out of the oven, immediately sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top, pressing them in a little so they stick.

Quick Note: They will seem underdone when they come out of the oven, so resist the urge to handle them right away. They will firm up perfectly as they cool!

Let the cookies cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Storing

• Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
• Room Temperature: Up to 4 days.
• Fridge (Recommended): Up to 2 weeks. I love them straight from the fridge, the texture is amazing!
• Freezer: Up to 3 months. Thaw briefly at room temperature or in the fridge before enjoying.

More Christmas Recipes

• Easy Coconut Macaroons: Similar to the chocolate ones but vanilla dipped in chocolate.
• Easy Vegan Turtles: Just 3 ingredients needed.
• No-Bake Vegan Nanaimo Bars: These are a must for Christmas.
• Homemade Vegan Ferrero Rocher: Easy homemade version of the classic treat.
• Vegan 7 Layer Cookies Bars: Addictive, watch out!