Peppermint Mocha Cookies {Paleo + Vegan}
Merry Christmas to you! Regardless what this year has brought you, or not brought you, this is a wonderful season to rejoice. There is much to celebrate and be thankful for. One of the ways I like to celebrate is with cookies, and I hope you will join me in welcoming another to the family. These Peppermint Mocha Cookies are a handheld version of a holiday favorite, and one we cannot get enough of.
I am a self-proclaimed chocoholic and come from a long line of them. Only my mom, and her mom before her, love it more than me. Then there is something about chocolate and mint together that just sings. My tastebuds party when these flavors converge.
Especially when this flavor combo is combined with incredible texture. Which is where these cookies really shine.
They have fudgey portions that feel like a brownie, crispy edges that remind me of a Lacey cookie, and little pops of peppermint crunch. Plus, a creamy drizzle of coconut butter frosting, extra pieces of candy cane, and mini chips. All of this makes these cookies feel like the best Peppermint Mocha you have ever had.
Now that I have you sufficiently salivating for these little Christmas miracles, let’s talk details. Because these are important.
As always, I use two types of chocolate chips, because they make for the best Chocolate Chip Cookies. The mini chips melt quickly during baking and add serious richness to the cookie. Then the chocolate chunks give a toothy bite. The two together is so much better, as each plays it part.
Next, we have the candy canes. Some of you may be wondering about this addition. Maybe you have used candy canes to decorate cookies in the past. Because they really are beautiful and oh so festive. But baking them into cookies? Friends, this is next level.
As the cookies bake, the candy canes melt and ooze into the batter. Then as they cool, they reform into thin crispy peppermint surprises throughout the cookie. These fresh bursts, along with two types of chocolate, is really something.
However, the cookies are honestly amazing on their own, so you can easily skip the toppings to save on time and resources. But they do add that fun little touch, and of course extra flavor and texture.
Truth be told, I ruled out candy canes for many years due to nasty ingredients. Thankfully a few health conscious companies have come out with cleaner versions (Whole Foods has an Organic Candy Cane, and Yum Earth also has a good one). While not perfect, they certainly satisfy a wider audience and accommodate those with major food allergies. If you are following a strict Paleo template, you can leave out the candy and add in chopped nuts or flaked coconut instead. Note that the texture will differ quite a bit, and of course the flavor.
Before I leave you to run to the kitchen and bake these cookies, I need to talk you through the baking process. This is my Christmas gift to you, in that these cookies are the gift that keeps on giving. We will get to that in a minute.
First, expect the dough to be thick and sticky. It contains a good deal of moisture, which lends to the texture when baked. Plus, the crushed candy canes will start to melt into the dough and make it even stickier. Do not be afraid to use additional arrowroot flour (read, use it liberally) to powder your hands and even sprinkle over the top of the dough if it becomes hard to work with.
Second, and this is the part that is like a choose your own adventure story in a cookie. You have two options for baking. Baking your dough while it is room temperature (right after you portion it out) will yield a thinner crispier cookie. Or, you can chill the dough on the cookie sheets for 20 minutes to firm up. This option will give you a chewier cookie.
I highly recommend trying both options and see what you prefer. They are both delicious. Both irresistible, and really hard to stop eating.
Truth be told, I may have eaten these for lunch the other day. I certainly wouldn’t judge if you decide to enjoy them in the morning, with an actual Peppermint Mocha. Both because that sounds amazing, and because it is 2020, and anything goes.
I say, just lean into and enjoy your holidays. Peppermint Mocha Cookie cheers to that!
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Peppermint Mocha Cookies {Paleo + Vegan}
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1/2 cup sustainable vegetable shortening at room temperature
- 1/4 cup coconut or maple sugar
- 1/3 cup raw honey or pure maple syrup for Vegan
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- Flax egg recipe follows
- 3/4 cup fine ground almond flour sifted
- 1/3 cup arrowroot flour plus extra for dusting
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour sifted
- 1 tablespoons instant coffee granules omit or use decaf if you are sensitive to caffeine
- 1/4 cup raw cocoa or cacao powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup GF + Vegan mini chocolate chips plus extra for topping
- 1/2 cup GF + Vegan dark chocolate chunks
- 1/4 cup crushed GF + Vegan candy canes plus extra for topping (see notes for substitutions)
- Peppermint Glaze recipe follows
Flax egg
- 3 tablespoons hot water
- 1 tablespoon finely ground flaxseed
- Add hot water and ground flaxseed to a small bowl. Stir together and set aside while you make your cookies.
Peppermint Glaze
- 1/4 cup coconut butter measured melted
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2-4 tablespoons non-dairy milk
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- Crushed peppermint candies and mini chocolate chips for topping optional
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat. Set aside.
- Whisk dry ingredients (from almond flour through salt) together until no clumps remain, and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat palm oil on medium until soft and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add honey, coconut sugar, and peppermint extract, and beat again until combined and smooth. Add flax egg and beat on medium until just combined.
- Lastly, add dry ingredients and beat on medium-low until just combined.
- Add chocolate chips and chunks, along with peppermint candy if using, and stir to combine. Dough will be thick and sticky.
- Using hands dusted with arrowroot flour, form dough into 12 equal sized balls, about the size of a golf ball, and place on baking sheets 3 inches apart. Cookies will spread while they bake. Continue adding flour to your hands as needed.
- There are two options for baking: if you prefer a thinner crispier cookie, bake immediately while dough is at room temperature. Or, if you prefer a chewier cookie, chill dough for at least 20 minutes before baking.
- Bake one tray at a time, in the center of the oven, for 5 minutes. Then turn tray 180 degrees, and bake for another 5 minutes. Cookies should have set edges and appear slightly dry and cracked on top. Repeat with second tray.
- Set trays on cooling racks until cool. Once completely cooled, drizzle peppermint glaze over each cookie (see notes for tips) and top with crushed peppermint candies and mini chocolate chips, if using. Transfer to the freezer to set, about 20 minutes.
- Serve at room temperature or slightly warmed for a more fudgey cookie, and chilled for a chewier cookie. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one week, or up to a month in the freezer. They are also great right out of the freezer. If freezing for longer then a week, wait and add glaze and topping once defrosted.
Peppermint Glaze
- Add warmed and melted coconut butter to a small bowl. Add maple syrup and stir to combine. Then add milk one tablespoon at a time, stirring throughout, until mixture is creamy, homogeneous, and drizzles off the spoon easily. Stir in peppermint extract and use immediately.
- Extras can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated until spreadable.
Notes
- If you follow a strict Paleo template, omit the peppermint candy. But note the cookies will produce a different texture. I suggest adding in a 1/4 cup of coconut flakes, or chopped nuts instead.
- Sample the baking method (room temperature vs. chilled dough) and see what you like best. Both are delicious!
- To drizzle the Peppermint Glaze, make sure the mixture is slightly warm and easily slips off a spoon. Then use a fork to dip in the glaze, and swiftly drizzle back and forth like a pendulum over the entire surface of the cookies.
