These vegan chocolate peppermint cookies are festive, simple to make, and Santa approved! They have all the holiday flavor but are vegan and grain free! You can enjoy these at home any time of year, but they're especially tasty during the holiday season, and the perfect treat to bring along to a holiday party!
During the holidays, we are always running around, needing to bring desserts or appetizers to friends and families. But we are always trying to create something that everyone can enjoy. And these holiday cookies - well, these are it! These chocolate cookies are grain free (I am still fairly certain it’s magic) and vegan, thanks to modern egg substitutes (the super hero for vegan cookie recipes). They are very similar to chocolate crinkle cookies - one of my favorite cookies! Enjoy alongside a mug of hot chocolate, mulled wine, or a hotty toddy!
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Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies Ingredients
How to make Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking or cookie sheet with parchment paper, a silicon mat, or spray with a non stick spray. Hot tip! You can use a paper towel and scoop up approximately 1 tablespoon of vegan butter or coconut oil (at room temperature) in the paper towel and place on the baking tray. Using the paper towel, rub the butter or oil all over the pan for a truly non-stick surface!
- Combine ingredients except the peppermint candies. Mix all other ingredients (both wet ingredients and dry ingredients) in a large bowl with a fork, hand mixer, electric mixer, or stand mixer. The batter (or cookie dough) should be sticky and more on the wet side, but not runny. Like thick mud - ha!
- Add candy! Fold in the candy. Not all peppermint candy is vegan, check out our substitutions for best vegan options!
- Bake. Roll into balls approximately 1.5 tablespoon in size. Place on lined baking sheet with enough room to expand (about 2 inches of space between each ball of dough). Bake for 12-15 minutes.
- Let rest. When the time is up and the cookies are crackled on top, remove from the oven. The top of the cookies will be domed and puffed up - but that is correct! Let them rest for 10 minutes to deflate and become gooey on the inside and crisp on the outside. Ideally, let chill on a cooling rack if you have one. If not, resting on the baking sheet is fine. Enjoy!
Quick Facts
How long does this dish take?
20 minutes
How much does this make?
8 servings
Does this meet my dietary needs?
This recipe is grain free and vegan. Depending on the nut butter used, this will be free of refined sugar too!
How many bowls should I plan for this meal?
One large mixing bowl
How long does this keep?
These cookies keep for one week in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap, and six months in the freezer. Let cool completely in the open air when freezing or storing, then transfer to sealed container or bag.
Is it freezer friendly?
Yes
If I want to take these to a party, when should I make them?
These cookies are best made the day before and stored in a sealed container. If not sealed, they tend to dry out. They can be made the day of or right before, but they should be left to rest without moving from the pan for at least 10 minutes so they can be handled without breaking. We like to set the pan outside in the snow (ya, winter!) to cool them faster.
Substitute Options:
*All substitution options given are a 1:1 replacement unless otherwise noted
Chocolate Nut Butter: Any nut butter, including cashew butter or almond butter, can be used or Nutella (not vegan). Our favorite is Jubli! It is top 8 allergen friendly and absolutely creamy and delicious! You can also make your own nut butter using this recipe! The variety of nut butter used will determine how much Just Egg you need. For example, using Jubli results in needing 3 tablespoons of Just Egg while using chocolate Justin’s nut butter results in needing 6 tablespoons of Just Egg. Just remember - the batter should be sticky, like thick mud. Add more Just Egg or Flax Egg, 1 tablespoon at a time until desired texture is reached.
Coconut Sugar: Stevia, monk fruit sweetener, brown sugar, cane sugar, or maple sugar. A syrup based sweetener can probably be used but it has not been tested. We prefer to use Better Body Foods Coconut Sugar. They are a company focusing on sustainable farming and processing of coconut products.
Just Egg (vegan egg replacement): A flax egg should be able to be used, but we have not tried it. Use 1 tablespoon of flaxseed or chia seeds soaked in 3 tablespoons of water for 5 minutes to replace 3 tablespoons of Just Egg. See note above regarding the type of nut butter used. Just Egg can be found in the refrigerated section, near margarine at Target, Whole Foods, and other grocers. Get it here!
Baking soda: Sorry, no substitution for this.
Pure vanilla extract: Vanilla extract, paste, or beans can be used. Origine Paradise Provisions makes a great pure vanilla! Origin produces organic and sustainably sourced extracts and flavorings. You may be able to use peppermint oil or essential oil but it has not been tested.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Melted chocolate chips can be used or cacao powder. This can also be omitted. The flavor will not be as intense but still delicious! If omitting, keep an eye on the texture - remember, like thick mud!
Pure Peppermint Extract: No substitute for this, but it can be left out. Mint or spearmint extract should not be used. We aren’t in the business of making tooth paste cookies, although it is probably an under served market! We love and use Watkins Peppermint!
Peppermint White Chocolate Candy (vegan): Check labels for vegan options, but any of your favorite chocolate type candies can be used. White chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, candy cane pieces (crushed candy canes), dark chocolate chips, anything that floats your boat. We used No Whey Vegan Peppermint Bark and would highly recommend it. If not vegan, Andes makes a great peppermint white chocolate crunch that would be good too! Or, you could do chocolate chips and peppermint chips for double chocolate peppermint cookies!
Fun Fact!
Peppermint can be found on a farm and in the woods! It escaped cultivation and today can be found in wet climates of Europe and North America. In 2010, the US harvested 71,300 acres of peppermint! Mint has been around for a long time and the Romans believed it increased intelligence. The scent was also supposed to stop people from losing their temper so kings and diplomats would carry sprigs in their pockets. While we don’t carry it in our pockets anymore (although maybe we should?), it is known to soothe a stomach ache, sore throat, and many other alignments. (Source).
Try these other delicious recipes!
Recipe
Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup chocolate nut butter (We use Jubli)
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3-6 tablespoon Just Egg Replacement *see notes*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon pure peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup vegan white chocolate peppermint bark
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon mat or spray with non stick spray.
- Add all ingredients except candy to a bowl and mix with a fork or hand mixer.
- Fold in candies.
- Separate into 8-10 balls and place on baking sheet with enough room to spread.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until puffed up and crackled on top.
- Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes until they have had time to deflate and harden slightly. Resting is VERY important to create that crisp exterior and gooey inside.
- Enjoy!
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