Winter Wonderland Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
These Easy Winter Wonderland Chocolate Chip Cookies are a festive and delicious treat perfect for the holiday season. Featuring a delightful combination of semi-sweet and white chocolate chips mixed with crushed peppermint candies, these cookies deliver a perfect balance of sweetness and refreshing peppermint flavor. Ready in just 30 minutes, they have a soft center with lightly golden edges, making them a crowd-pleaser for any winter gathering.
- Author: Nora
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Total Time: 21 minutes
- Yield: About 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
For the Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, cream together softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. This step incorporates air for a tender texture.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time to fully incorporate, then stir in vanilla extract to add depth of flavor.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to ensure even distribution and avoid lumps.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
- Fold in Chocolate and Peppermint: Carefully fold in semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and crushed peppermint candies to spread flavors evenly without breaking the candy pieces.
- Shape and Bake: Drop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake for 9–11 minutes, or until the edges become golden brown but centers remain soft.
- Cool: Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to set, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Optional Decoration: For a festive touch, drizzle melted white chocolate over cooled cookies and sprinkle with additional crushed peppermint candies.
Notes
- Customize the seasonings to taste by adding a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg for extra holiday warmth.
- Use softened butter, not cold, to ensure easy creaming and better dough consistency.
- Do not overbake to keep cookies soft and chewy; check for lightly golden edges at minimum bake time.
- Use parchment paper on baking sheets to prevent sticking and facilitate cleanup.
- Gently fold ingredients to avoid tough cookies caused by overmixing.
Keywords: Winter Wonderland Chocolate Chip Cookies, holiday cookies, peppermint cookies, festive desserts, chocolate chip cookies