These chocolate peppermint thumbprint cookies are made with a simple, chocolate butter cookie and a rich, dark chocolate peppermint ganache filling. Made dairy free, these cookies are super simple but make the perfect after dinner treat or addition to your Christmas dessert table.
So it’s no surprise if you’ve spent some time on my website that I love simple and delicious themed recipes. Last year when making Christmas recipes, I ran out of time to bake these, so I have spent the last 12 months thinking about them! The combination of chocolate and peppermint just screams Christmas to me, and after making my vegan chocolate and peppermint cupcakes I knew next up would have to be these cookies.
These cookies are a simple, chocolate version of a butter cookie that has been baked and then filled with the most delicious dark chocolate peppermint ganache. They are then of course finished off with a sprinkle of crushed candy canes adding that extra pepperminty crunch.
These cookies are perfect served after dinner with a cup of tea when you just want that little something sweet after a big meal but don’t feel like a full dessert. They also make a great plate to bring to work or a Christmas dinner.
For more of that classic chocolate peppermint combo, make my gluten free chocolate peppermint brownies. They are always a huge hit every time I serve them at a Christmas party or BBQ.
Key Ingredients
These chocolate peppermint thumbprint cookies are made using simple ingredients and are an easy to make treat for Christmas.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Plain flour – also known as all purpose flour in the US.
- Cocoa powder – always use a good quality cocoa powder for the best, rich, chocolate flavour. I’ve used Cadbury Bournville cocoa powder my entire life because it’s made from the same beans Cadbury uses to make their chocolate so you know it’s going to taste good. For those in the US, this is a Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
- Baking powder – helps the cookies rise and gives them a light, soft texture.
- Dairy free butter – use a quality dairy-free butter substitute here for the best flavour. I love and always use Nuttelex Buttery which is an Australian product. In the US, the closest alternative is Earth Balance which I understand to be very similar.
- White and brown sugar – a combination of both sugars not only adds flavour to the cookies but also keeps them soft. I haven’t tested this recipe with just one or the other so I don’t recommend it as it may change the structure of the cookie.
- Egg – gives the cookies structure.
- Vanilla extract – enhances the chocolate flavour of the cookies.
- Dark chocolate – look for a good quality dark chocolate. Anything 70% and higher is usually dairy free but just be sure to check the ingredients and use one you like to eat.
- Coconut milk – use the full-fat coconut milk from the can to create a thick and creamy dairy free ganache.
- Peppermint extract – gives the chocolate ganache centres of these cookies a subtle and delicious peppermint flavour.
Equipment and Tools
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- Handheld electric mixer
- Cookie scoop – makes measuring and scooping the cookie dough so easy.
- Baking trays – I just started using these NordicWare baking sheets and they are insanely good quality – I wish I had upgraded sooner!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Before you get started just a note that these cookies do require chilling! This step ensures that the cookies don’t spread too much in the oven and they hold the indent shape in the centre, as unlike lemon thumbprint cookies, these are baked before filling rather than after.
Start by sifting together the dry ingredients into a bowl. In another mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the dairy free butter, white sugar and brown sugar until light and creamy. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and continue to mix.
Slowly add the dry ingredients and keep mixing until a soft dough forms. You can chill the dough at this point, but I prefer to roll the dough into balls first and then chill them as that means the chill time is going to be less.
Once the dough has chilled for about 30 minutes to an hour, preheat the oven and press the indents into your cookie balls. Now these are called thumbprint cookies so you can obviously use your thumb but I recommend using a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon to create that perfect round indent in the middle of the cookie.
Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes or until they are firm on the outside but still soft. Allow them to firm up more as they cool. When the cookies come out of the oven, the centres may have puffed out so while they are still warm, use the teaspoon measure again to just press the centres back down.
Once the cookies are cool, make the pepperminty chocolate ganache. I like to add the peppermint extract to the coconut milk before warming it as this ensures the peppermint extract won’t seize the chocolate. Heat the coconut milk in the microwave until hot but not boiling.
Chop up the chocolate into small pieces and add to a bowl and pour over the hot coconut milk and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Mix the ganache together with a metal spoon until thick and shiny!
Spoon the ganache into the centres of the chocolate cookies and top with a sprinkle of crushed candy canes. Let the ganache set before stacking and storing in a cool dry place or in the fridge.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! The dough can be made and chilled for up to 48 hours. If it’s too firm to roll, let it sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before shaping.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. I live in a very hot climate so I prefer to keep them in the fridge to keep the ganache firm and they will also last a few more days.
Yes! Substitute the plain flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that contains xanthan gum or a similar binder for the best texture. I like to use Bob’s Red Mill (affiliate link) for the best results.
More Christmas cookies:
Christmas Sparkle Cookies
Dairy Free Sugar Cookies
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Snowflake Sugar Cookies
Vegan Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
For the chocolate cookies:
- 1 ½ cups plain flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 160 grams dairy free butter
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the chocolate peppermint ganache:
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chopped
- 2 tablespoons coconut milk
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- Crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Line two large baking trays with baking paper.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the plain flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the dairy-free butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until light and creamy using an electric mixer.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, and beat until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Roll the dough into small balls, about 1 tablespoon each, and place them on the prepared trays, spacing them about 5 cm (2 inches) apart. Place the trays in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour before baking to ensure they hold their shape when baking.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Get the trays out of the fridge and use your thumb or the back of a teaspoon to gently press a small indentation into the centre of each cookie.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the cookies are set but still soft. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. When the cookies are removed from the oven, the centres may have puffed up – just use your teaspoon to press the indents back in.
- Once the cookies are cool, make the peppermint ganache filling. Mix the peppermint extract with the coconut milk in a small heat-proof bowl and place in the microwave until hot but not boiling. Pour the milk over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Use a metal spoon to mix the chocolate ganache together until thick and shiny.
- Spoon the ganache into the centres of the chocolate cookies and top with a sprinkle of crushed candy canes. Allow the ganache to set before stacking and storing in a cool dry place or in the fridge.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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