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Candy Cane Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Candy cane chocolate crinkle cookies bake up with crackly powdered sugar tops, soft centers, and a drizzle of white chocolate with crushed candy canes. Chill the peppermint cocoa dough before baking for cookies that hold their shape and make a festive holiday treat.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chilling 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 42 minutes
Servings: 36 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 145
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cookies
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs large
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 tsp peppermint extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
For the coating
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
For the topping
  • 4 oz white chocolate chopped
  • 0.33 cup candy canes finely crushed

Equipment

  • 2 rimmed baking sheets

Method
 

Make the dough
  1. Whisk the cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and vegetable oil in a large bowl until evenly combined.
  2. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
  3. Stir in the vanilla and peppermint extracts.
  4. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
  5. Mix the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture just until no dry streaks remain.
  6. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until firm enough to scoop.
Shape and bake the cookies
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds.
  2. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. Scoop the dough into 1-tablespoon portions and roll them into balls.
  4. Coat the dough balls generously in powdered sugar.
  5. Arrange 18 balls on each baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
  6. Bake both sheets for 10–12 minutes, switching their rack positions and rotating them front to back halfway through, until the cookies are puffed and cracked with set edges and soft-looking centers.
  7. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 5 minutes.
  8. Transfer the cookies to wire racks and cool completely.
Decorate the cookies
  1. Microwave the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth.
  2. Drizzle the white chocolate over the cooled cookies.
  3. Immediately sprinkle the cookies with the crushed candy canes.

Notes

Chill the dough until firm enough to scoop so the cookies keep their shape while baking. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free option, use dairy-free white chocolate.