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I can’t make it through the holiday season without one new chocolate peppermint creation, and these chocolate peppermint shortbread cookies topped with rich chocolate and sparkling crushed candy canes are my current addiction.
Baked in a fluted tart pan for pretty edges (and simplicity – there’s no dough rolling required here), these are melt in your mouth shortbread wedges with perfectly balanced chocolate-peppermint flavor.
I like to think of these buttery shortbread cookies as the ultimate holiday cookie!
Make Ahead Shortbread Cookies
After chilling shortbread for 1 hour, prick dough all over with a wooden skewer. Wrap tart pan with foil and place in a freezer bag to freeze up to 2 months.
When you’re ready to enjoy, bake shortbread directly from the freezer, adding two or three minutes to baking time.
Craving more chocolate peppermint desserts?
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Chocolate Peppermint Shortbread Cookies
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 wedges
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Chocolate peppermint shortbread cookies topped with rich chocolate and crushed peppermint candy canes! Recipe makes 12 shortbread cookies.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp pure peppermint extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 2 tsp sugar (for sprinkling)
Topping
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp coconut oil
- 1/8 tsp pure peppermint extract
- 2 peppermint candy canes, crushed
Instructions
- Spray a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan with nonstick spray.
- Beat butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until combined; add extracts and salt and beat until incorporated. Scrape down bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low and mix in flour just until incorporated and dough begins to come together in large pieces. Scrape dough into prepared pan and use a piece of parchment paper lightly coated with nonstick spray to press dough evenly into pan. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Prick dough all over with a wooden skewer and sprinkle evenly with sugar.
- Bake shortbread until light golden and set in the center, about 35 minutes. Remove pan from oven and transfer to a wire rack; cool completely in pan.
- For the topping, combine chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Remove and stir. Continue microwaving and stirring in 15 second intervals until melted and smooth. Stir in peppermint extract. Pour melted chocolate over cooled shortbread and smooth with an offset spatula. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and chill in the freezer for 10 minutes to set chocolate. Cut into wedges with a sharp knife.
Notes
Make ahead: After chilling shortbread for 1 hour, prick dough all over with a wooden skewer. Wrap tart pan with foil and place in a freezer bag to freeze. Bake shortbread directly from the freezer, adding two or three minutes to baking time.
These look delicious! Is there an alternative to the coconut oil, though? I’m allergic to coconut (especially the oil) and it’s in everything these days! Would butter or another oil work?
Hi Megan, you can use vegetable oil instead! It just helps the chocolate chips melt more easily. 🙂 Or you can you melt 3 oz of chopped semisweet chocolate over a double boiler, and skip the oil altogether. Hope that helps!