Whole Wheat Peppermint Mocha Cookies

Rich, chocolatey, soft and chewy, cookies filled with dark chocolate chips and big peppermint flavor and finished with a dark chocolate glaze and crushed candy canes. They are also made with whole wheat flour, coconut sugar, and coconut oil, so are the perfect guilt-free treat for the holidays.

One of my favorite holiday traditions is baking cookies with my mom a few days before Christmas. On the day of our baking extravaganza, we wake up early, throw on a cute apron over our PJs, crank up Amy Grant’s Christmas CD on the kitchen speakers, and start baking loads of delicious treats. I love this special time with my mom, laughing and dancing in kitchen,  making a complete mess, and working together to make baked Christmas magic.

Each year, we make a combination of traditional favorites and newly discovered recipes. Traditional treats include red velvet cookies, peanut butter blossoms, and cut-out iced sugar cookies. These are must-have classics that the whole family looks forward to devouring every year. 

We both also find a new recipe to try out. We love traditions but also love to spice it with something new.  

I created a delicious new cookie recipe that I am confident my family will love. It’s a whole wheat peppermint mocha cookie. 

My dad and I’s favorite holiday flavor combination is chocolate and peppermint, so I had my dad in mind when I created this recipe. 

The cookie is super rich and chocolatey, has the perfect touch of peppermint flavor, is filled with dark chocolate chips and finished with a dark chocolate coating and crushed candy canes. The best part is the cookie is secretly lightened up – made with whole wheat flour, coconut oil and mainly unprocessed sugars. Another one of my magical healthified holiday treats.

Let’s get to baking

This is a fairly simple, straight-forward cookie recipe. First, shift all the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl. The secret ingredient in the batter is instant expresso powder. It helps intensify the chocolate flavor in the cookies while also adding a mocha like flavor that pairs perfectly with the peppermint.

Next, in a separate bowl, cream together the coconut oil and coconut and brown sugars. The coconut oil should be in its solid state, but softened. I softened it slightly in the microwave, for about 10 seconds on 50% power.  

Once the sugars and the coconut oil are  blended, which takes about 2 minutes with a hand mixer or whisk, add in the egg, vanilla, and peppermint extract. I used a alcohol free extract (which has a less harsh flavor) and found that 2 teaspoons of it was the perfect amount to get a nice pop of peppermint flavor. I love the flavor and really wanted it to come through. If you are not as crazy about it, you can reduce it to one teaspoon. Here is the peppermint extract I use: Frontier Coop Organic Peppermint Extract. 

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until fully combined and a cookie dough batter has formed. Finally, fold in the dark chocolate chips. 

Now it’s time to scoop out the cookie dough. I use a small ice cream scoop to achieve even sized cookies. If you don’t have an ice cream scoop, a medium sized spoon will do the trick. Scoop out a small portion of the dough and place on a greased cookie pan.  I also pressed down the cookie dough slightly so they spread a bit more when they baked. 

You should be able to make about 18 small cookies. You can then bake the cookies right away. The cookies only take 8-9 minutes to bake in a 350 degree oven.

The last finishing touch is adding a dark chocolate coated and crushed candy canes to each cookie. Make sure to let the cookies fully cool before decorating the cookies. 

For the coating, microwave dark chocolate chips  and coconut oil in the microwave at 50% power in increments of 30 seconds. It should take about 2-3 minutes for the chocolate to fully melt. Dip half off the cooled cookie into the dark chocolate and place the cookie on a silicone baking mat or piece of parchment paper. Then sprinkle the crushed candy canes on the wet chocolate, which adds color and a nice peppermint flavor crunch. Allow the chocolate to harden, which will take about 2 hours. Once the chocolate is fully set, the cookies are ready to be devoured. 

After one bite, you will fall in love with these cookies. They are soft and chewy & rich and chocolaty, with beautiful hints of mocha and peppermint flavor. The dark chocolate chips add more rich chocolate flavor.  And the crushed peppermint candies on top add a burst of wonderful peppermint crunch. It’s heavenly.

I can’t wait to make this recipe with my mom during our baking extravaganza. I know my family will love them! And your family is sure to love them too!

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Whole Wheat Peppermint Mocha Cookies

Rich, chocolatey, soft and chewy, cookies filled with dark chocolate chips and big peppermint flavor and finished with a dark chocolate glaze and crushed candy canes.

Course Dessert

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 18 minutes

Servings 18 cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons expresso powder
• ½ cup coconut oil solid but softened*
• ½ cup coconut sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 egg room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoons peppermint extract
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips

Dark Chocolate Coating

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1/2 cup crushed candied canes

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Shift together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together the softened coconut oil, brown sugar, and coconut sugar for about 2 minutes. The coconut oil may become chunky but that is ok as it will smooth out when mixed with the other ingredients.
4. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until well incorporated, about another minute.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in increments. The batter will come together to form a thick cookie dough.
6. Fold in the dark chocolate chips.
7. Use a small ice cream scoop or spoon to evenly divide the cookie dough batter into balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. I press the cookie dough balls dow slightly so they would spread evenly.
8. Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool completely.
9. For the coating, microwave the dark chocolate and coconut oil in increments of 30 seconds on 50% power until the chocolate is fully melted.
10. Dip half of the cookie into the melted chocolate and set on parchment paper to dry. While the chocolate is still wet, add a sprinkle of the crushed candy canes,. Repeat this process until all the cookies are coated.
11. Allow to set up for at least 2 hours.
12. Serve and enjoy!

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