Chocolate Peppermint Cake Mix Cookies
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Need a quick Christmas cookie recipe? You’ll love these chocolate peppermint cake mix cookies! They’re soft and fudgy, with just the right mix of chocolate and peppermint.
Using a cake mix, these chocolate peppermint cookies are so simple to make. They are perfect for baking with your kids or making a last minute easy dessert.
While I do love making homemade cookies from scratch, sometimes you just need a quick treat, and that’s where cake mix cookies really shine. Add these to your Christmas cookie trays along with my favorite butter pecan cake mix cookies and, of course, red velvet cookies.
Ingredient Notes
Cake Mix—You can use any boxed cake mix brand you like, including Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, store brands, or homemade cake mixes. Betty Crocker mixes are one of my favorites because they spread out less on the pan.
Mixes sold here are 375 g, which is 13.2 oz, but the recipe also works with 15.25 oz (432 g) mixes. As long as your cake mix will make a 9×13 cake, it should work well for this cookie recipe.
Candy Canes – Candy canes is where the peppermint flavor comes from for these easy cookies. It’s a great way to use up candy canes during the holidays, too.
Eggs – Just two large eggs to help with the cookies structure and rising.
Oil – I like to use vegetable oil in these cookies, but you can also use melted butter. Using butter instead of oil may cause the cookies to spread out more on the pan, with oil, the cookies are more likely to rise more and taste more cake-like. Other options are canola oil or melted coconut oil.
How To Make Chocolate Peppermint Cake Mix Cookies
Preheat your oven to 350F.
Unwrap your candy canes and place them into a plastic freezer bag. Next is the fun part, it’s time to crush them up! I love to use my old sauerkraut tamper, but a wooden rolling pin also works great. Just tap the candy until it’s broken into the size you like, then set it aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add the cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil.
Then, mix together until all the ingredients are well combined.
Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper, or if you don’t have parchment, use an ungreased cookie sheet. Then, using a two tablespoon cookie scoop, drop them onto the cookie sheet, leaving about 2 inches between the cookies.
Sprinkle the crushed candy canes over top of the cookies.
Bake in your preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until the top of the cookies have set.
Then, remove them from the oven and let them cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
How To Store
Once the cookies have fully cooled, place them in an airtight container. They will keep at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. If you need to store them longer, then it’s best to freeze the cookies.
How To Freeze
Dough – You can easily make chocolate mint cake mix cookies and freeze the dough to bake later. Simply form the cookie dough balls and place them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Then, place the tray into the freezer for 1 hour or until firm.
Then remove and place the cookie balls into a freezer bag or freezer safe container. You can freeze them for up to 6 weeks. When you want to make cookies, heat your oven to 15 to 20 degrees lower than normal. Then, place the dough onto your cookie pan and bake it, adding a few minutes to the baking time.
Baked – To freeze baked cookies, place them on a parchment-lined tray in your freezer until frozen solid. Then remove and place into freezer bags, remove as much of the air as possible, and freeze. When ready to use, thaw on your counter or warm in the oven.
Can I Double Batch?
Yes, you can make a double batch of peppermint chocolate cake mix cookies if you need a larger amount. Cookies made from cake mixes often make smaller batches than traditional cookies.
That can be great because you don’t always need 3 to 4 dozen cookies, but if you are stocking up for the holidays, a party, or a bake sale, doubling works great.
Chocolate Peppermint Cake Mix Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 box chocolate fudge cake mix 13.2 or 15.25 oz
- 1/4 cup candy canes crushed
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cake mix, eggs, and oil and stir until well mixed.
- Drop by two tablespoons onto baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between the cookies.
- Sprinkle the tops with crushed candy canes.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.
Notes
- 2 candy canes equils about 1/4 cup of crushed candy.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- To freeze unbaked cookies, place the dough balls on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and freeze them for 1 hour. Remove and place into a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks.
- To cook from frozen, set the oven to 15-20 degrees lower and add a few minutes to the baking time.
- To freeze baked cookies, place them on a tray in the freezer. Once fully frozen, place into freezer bags and remove as much air as possible. To use thaw on the counter or warm in the oven.
Nutrition
These values are from a nutritional database and automatically calculated, and should only be used as an approximation.
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Kim Mills is a homeschooling mom of 6 and lives on an urban homestead in Ontario, Canada. Blogging at Homestead Acres she enjoys sharing tips to help you save money, grow and preserve your own food.
