Blossom cookies are a holiday classic and peppermint brownies are a holiday classic and combining the two into one cookie was genuinely one of my better ideas this December. These peppermint brownie blossoms are exactly what they sound like — a rich, fudgy brownie cookie with a shiny crinkled top and a soft chewy center, finished with a peppermint chocolate pressed right into the middle while it is still warm and melting slightly into the cookie. The kind of thing that makes people stop mid-conversation when they see them on a cookie tray.

What makes these taste so deeply chocolatey is that the base starts with melted chocolate chips and butter instead of just cocoa powder. You get that glossy, fudgy brownie batter consistency that bakes into a cookie with the most incredible shiny crackled top and a center that stays soft long after they cool. The eggs and sugar get whisked until thick and pale before the chocolate goes in which is what creates that beautiful crinkle finish. It is the brownie technique in cookie form and it works exactly as well as you would hope.

The peppermint chocolate on top is the finishing moment and the timing is everything. Press it into the center of each cookie the second they come out of the oven while the cookie is still warm enough to hold it in place and let the chocolate start to melt just slightly at the edges. Dove peppermint bark squares or Ghirardelli peppermint squares both work beautifully and both look stunning pressed into that crinkled brownie top. Do not overbake these — ten to twelve minutes and pull them when the centers still look soft. They will continue to set on the pan and that slightly underdone center is what makes them so good.

These peppermint brownie blossoms make the most gorgeous addition to a holiday cookie tray, a cookie exchange box, or a plate you bring to any December gathering. They look like you spent way more time on them than you did and they taste like the best chocolate peppermint combination of the entire season. Make them once and they will be on the list every single December from here on out.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

Starting with melted chocolate chips and butter rather than just cocoa powder gives these cookies that glossy fudgy brownie batter consistency that bakes into a shiny crinkled top and a center that stays soft long after they cool
The whisking of the eggs and sugar until thick and pale before the chocolate goes in is the brownie technique that creates that beautiful crinkle finish that makes these look completely stunning on any cookie tray
Pressing the peppermint chocolate into the warm cookie immediately out of the oven is the finishing moment that takes about two seconds and completely transforms the whole cookie into a genuinely show-stopping holiday treat
Twenty five minutes, one bowl, and the most impressive holiday cookie that looks like you spent way more time on it than you actually did

Key Ingredients:

Melted semi-sweet chocolate chips with butter: One cup of chocolate chips melted with two tablespoons of butter is the base that gives these cookies their deep, rich, genuinely fudgy brownie flavor rather than just a chocolate cookie taste. The melted chocolate creates that glossy batter that bakes into those beautiful crinkled shiny tops
Eggs whisked with sugar until thick and pale: Two large eggs and two thirds of a cup of sugar whisked together for about a minute until thick, pale, and glossy before the chocolate goes in is the step that creates the crinkle finish on top of every cookie. This is the brownie technique that makes these look so professional and it is completely non-negotiable
Cocoa powder alongside the melted chocolate: Two tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder added to the batter alongside the flour deepens the chocolate flavor even further beyond what the melted chips alone provide. The combination of melted chocolate and cocoa powder is what makes every bite taste like a real brownie
Additional chocolate chips folded in: Half a cup of chocolate chips folded into the batter at the end gives you little pockets of melted chocolate throughout every cookie so every bite has that extra hit of chocolate that makes these genuinely extraordinary
Dove peppermint bark squares or Ghirardelli peppermint squares: The candy pressed into the center of each warm cookie immediately out of the oven. Either brand works beautifully and both look absolutely stunning pressed into that shiny crinkled brownie top. Unwrap them before the cookies go in the oven so you are ready to press immediately

Tips for Success:

Whisk the eggs and sugar for a full minute by hand or thirty seconds with a hand mixer until the mixture is genuinely thick, pale, and glossy before adding anything else. This step is what creates the crinkle effect and skipping it or cutting it short produces a flat cookie without that beautiful shiny top
Let the melted chocolate cool slightly before adding it to the egg mixture so it does not scramble the eggs when the two come together. A few minutes at room temperature after microwaving is all you need
Pull the cookies at ten to twelve minutes when the tops are shiny and cracked but the centers still look soft. They firm up significantly as they cool and overbaking eliminates that fudgy center that makes these so good
Press the peppermint chocolate into each cookie the absolute second they come out of the oven while the cookie is still warm enough to hold it. Even two minutes of cooling makes the cookie too set to press the candy in cleanly

Storage:

Store peppermint brownie blossoms in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. They stay soft and fudgy throughout the entire storage window because of the melted chocolate and butter base. These also freeze beautifully for up to two months. Freeze without the peppermint candy pressed in, thaw at room temperature, and press warm candy in after a quick ten second microwave blast. Or freeze with the candy already pressed in and thaw at room temperature for thirty minutes before eating.

FAQ:

Why did my cookies spread too flat?
The most common reason is the batter being too warm when it went onto the baking sheet. Make sure the melted chocolate has cooled sufficiently before adding to the eggs and that the whole batter has not become too warm from mixing. If your kitchen is very warm refrigerate the batter for fifteen minutes before scooping. Also make sure you baked on a room temperature parchment-lined pan rather than a warm one.

Can I use milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet?
Yes but the cookies will be noticeably sweeter and less deeply chocolatey than the semi-sweet version. Milk chocolate has a higher sugar content and a milder flavor that does not pair as dramatically with the peppermint candy on top. Semi-sweet is strongly recommended for the most balanced and impressive result but milk chocolate is a completely valid choice if that is what you have or prefer.

What if I cannot find Dove or Ghirardelli peppermint squares?
Any peppermint chocolate candy in a similar size works here. York Peppermint Patties pressed into the center give you a completely different but genuinely delicious result with a softer peppermint filling. Andes mints pressed on top melt beautifully and add a classic peppermint chocolate element. Hershey’s Kisses in any peppermint variety also work if you want to stay with the traditional blossom format. Any peppermint chocolate you enjoy eating on its own will work pressed into a warm brownie blossom.