Let Me Tell You About These Blossoms (and That Peppermint Craze…)

Okay, friend, so you know how there’s always that one cookie that steals the show at holiday cookie swaps? Well, in my house, it’s always these Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms. First time I made them, the kitchen looked like a wrapping paper explosion had collided with Willy Wonka’s factory, and honestly, I wasn’t sure if the peppermint/chocolate thing would hit or not. Long story short: they all vanished in a blink, and my sister stole the last one right form under my nose; I still bring it up at every family gathering (as one does). Oh, and if you catch a whiff of something like minty brownies—yep, that’s these little beauties working their magic.

Why You’ll Seriously Love These (Scout’s Honor!)

I whip these up whenever December rolls around because, first off, they’re way easier than they look. My family goes a bit bonkers for the combination (which I actually doubted at first—a small part of me still prefers the classic blossom). On snow days? We eat ’em straight out of the oven, sometimes burning tongues because patience is just not happening. Sometimes, I chuck in a few extra crushed candy canes if people are hovering—nobody complains. They’re a little messy to make (hello, rolling dough with sticky hands) but worth every speck of flour on my shirt.

Gathering Ingredients (Substitutions Welcome!)

1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened (or use salted if that’s what’s staring at you in the fridge… just skip the added salt later!)
1 cup white sugar—my gran loved C&H, but honestly, any sugar gets the job done
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (I sometimes swap in dark brown if that’s what I’ve got, tastes a tad deeper)
2 large eggs (once or twice I was down an egg—1 egg plus a blob of Greek yogurt saw me through in a pinch)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure, fake, or ‘whatever’s in the back of the cupboard’—no judgment)
1 teaspoon peppermint extract (you can skip this for less mint; but then they’re just chocolate cookies—still good!)
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I’ve used Dutch-process and regular; truth be told, nobody noticed the difference)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (skip if your butter was salted, or don’t, it’s not the law)
About 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for rolling, I sometimes ditch this if I’m feeling lazy—still turns out fine)
36 chocolate peppermint kisses (or regular chocolate kisses if your peppermint ones have vanished… can confirm these still taste great)
Crushed candy canes, for sprinkling—totally optional, but I say yes. My friend skips ’em for the texture, but I vote more crunch!

Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms, Christmas Cookies Idea

How I Actually Make ‘Em (And Where I Get Distracted…)

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a couple baking trays (I always call them ‘trays’ but I think they’re technically ‘sheets’) with parchment, baking mats, or in a pinch, a good buttering.
In a mixing bowl, cream your butter and both sugars together until it looks fluffy. Sometimes I use a mixer, but the old wooden spoon works fine. This is probably when you’ll want to sneak a taste (no judgment—just, you know, watch out for the raw eggs!)
Add in eggs, vanilla, and that peppermint extract. Mix it all until fully combined (it might smell… very minty right now; that’s normal)
In another bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Yes, a whisk—makes you feel like you’re on a cooking show, somehow.
Gradually add your dry mix into the wet. At first, it’ll look way too dry, but keep going—it comes together. If it’s too sticky, pop it in the fridge for 20 minutes while you scroll Pinterest (I mean, prep toppings…)
Scoop out about a tablespoon of dough. Roll it into a ball with your (slightly sticky) hands, toss it in sugar (or don’t), and then plonk it on the tray. Give each cookie some space to spread—learned this the hard way when they became a “cookie sheet cake” once. Oops.
Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the tops are just set but still soft. Don’t overbake—seriously, they go from perfect to burnt so fast, blink and you’ll miss it.
While they’re baking, unwrap your chocolate kisses (occasionally, some disappear—quality control, right?).
As soon as the cookies are out, gently press a kiss into the center of each one. If you wait too long, the cookies crack weirdly—I did that once, not pretty. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes if you like; looks festive, hides any cracks.
Let them cool a bit—nah, actually, they taste best warm, but the chocolate stays kind of melty, so beware sticky fingers!

Some Notes From the (Occasionally) Messy Trenches

Honestly, I use the dough right away or chill it (if I’m feeling patient), both turn out fine.
If you’ve only got chocolate kisses, just skip the peppermint extract and candy canes—it’s classic and still gets the job done.
I find the candy canes go a bit soft after a couple days but, weirdly, they taste even better—like peppermint bark cookies?
If your cookies look a bit splotchy, don’t panic—it’ll all get covered by the chocolate, anyway.

Variations I’ve Actually Tried (And One Flop)

Once I used mint chocolate chips instead of kisses—pretty tasty, nobody yelled.
Peppermint patties pressed in the center? Fudgy and messy, but not half bad!
Tried once with orange extract instead of peppermint—not my cup of tea, but my cousin loved ’em? You never know.
White chocolate kisses—beautiful, but rich! Maybe two at max, then you’re done.

No Stand Mixer? No Stress

Look, I used to think you needed a fancy mixer for these. You don’t. Spoon, strong arms, maybe a willing teenager to help—gets the job done. If you don’t have parchment, a greased baking tray has saved me more than once. Actually, I love these baking basics for troubleshooting if you’re a little lost.

How To Store (If They Somehow Survive That Long)

Supposedly, you can keep these in an airtight container at room temp for about a week. But (hand on heart) they’ve never lasted more than a day or two in our kitchen. If you make a double batch, they freeze beautifully; I just pop them in a freezer bag, and forget they exist until I find them during spring cleaning. Bonus: the candy cane bits soften a bit after freezing—tastes like peppermint fudge.

How We Actually Serve These (Family Quirks Included)

We love piling them high on a vintage platter (yes, the slightly chipped one) right alongside hot cocoa with those comically oversized marshmallows. My mom insists they pair best with peppermint tea—I say coffee does the trick. Oh, and if it’s late on Christmas Eve… don’t judge, but I like dunking them in milk like a kid.

Little Things I Learned the Hard Way (Maybe Save You Some Trouble)

Don’t try stacking them while the kisses are still melty. Major slip-sliding (and chocolate everywhere but the cookies).
I once tried to swap baking soda for baking powder… cookies came out more like pancakes. Not my finest hour.
Don’t skip the cooling—it helps the peppermint flavor mellow (though, honestly, we still eat them warm half the time anyway!)

Cookie FAQs (Real Questions, I Swear!)

Can I use regular chocolate kisses? Yup, done it a bunch of times. The peppermint ones are more festive, but you won’t get any complaints with plain chocolate. Actually, I sometimes mix and match, because why not?
Wait, where do I get peppermint extract? Most supermarkets stock it, but in a pinch you can order from King Arthur Baking. (No, sadly, they don’t sponsor me!)
Can I make these gluten-free? I’ve tried with Bob’s Red Mill GF flour, and honestly, they were a bit softer but nobody seemed fussed. Just don’t overbake.
What’s the best way to crush candy canes? Put them in a zip-top bag and whack with a rolling pin. Or, you know, a heavy book. It’s therapeutic, really!
My dough’s sticky—is that normal? Yup, pretty normal! Pop it in the fridge for a bit, or just roll with slightly damp hands (but not wet, learned that the messy way)

One last thing—if you want even more baking ideas for the holidays, check out Serious Eats’ holiday cookie roundup. Can’t say I’ve made every single one, but the gingerbread there is a winner in our book. And hey, if you mess up the peppermint blossoms (we all have those days), just crumble ’em over ice cream. Fixes everything.

Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms, Christmas Cookies Idea