There’s something truly magical about the smell of cookies baking during the holidays—it instantly feels like home. For me, these Healthy Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies capture that perfect moment: a comforting recipe that wraps you in festive cheer. They’re my holiday baking essential, featuring a rich, fudgy chocolate base and a cool, crunchy peppermint finish that makes them a wonderful standout among unique Christmas cookies.
If you’re dreaming up Christmas dessert ideas or need some simple easy Christmas treats to share, you’re going to love this recipe. It’s a fantastic addition to your list of Christmas baking ideas, proving that holiday treats can feel indulgent while still being made from wholesome, plant-based ingredients. Whether you’re leaving them out for Santa or packing them for friends, they bring all the joy of the season.
Best of all, while they taste special, they’re wonderfully straightforward to make—no fuss required. So if you’re looking for a delightful project that fills your kitchen with that irresistible holiday aroma, these cookies are it. They even remind me of a softer, chewier cousin to a classic peppermint biscotti, perfect with a cozy cup of tea.
Craving a delicious Healthy Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies? You've come to the right spot! From Christmas Cookie favorites to amazing Dinner Ideas recipes, there's something here for everyone.
Why You’ll Love These Healthy Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Secretly wholesome: Made with whole food ingredients and natural sweeteners.
- Dreamy texture: Crisp edges with a soft, fudgy, melt-in-your-mouth center.
- One-bowl easy: Minimal cleanup and no mixer needed for quick prep.
- Festive delight: Peppermint swirl and candy crunch feel special for any occasion.
Ingredients & Tools
- 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- 2 tbsp almond butter (or any nut/seed butter)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp pure peppermint extract
- 3 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips (ensure dairy-free)
- 2 tbsp crushed candy canes or peppermint candies (for topping)
Tools: A medium mixing bowl, a baking sheet, parchment paper, and a cooling rack.
Notes: Use good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder for deep chocolate flavor, and pure peppermint extract for a clean taste.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 142 kcal |
| Protein: | 3 g |
| Fat: | 10 g |
| Carbs: | 12 g |
| Fiber: | 2 g |
Serves: 12 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10-12 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Don’t skip the chilling. This dough is a bit softer than traditional cookie dough due to the natural ingredients. A quick 15-minute chill in the fridge is non-negotiable—it prevents the cookies from spreading too much and helps them hold their beautiful shape.
- Measure your almond flour correctly. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off. Scooping directly can pack it down, leading to a dry, dense cookie. We want light and chewy!
- Your coconut oil should be liquid, but not hot. If it’s too hot, it can melt the chocolate chips when you stir them in. Let it cool for a minute after melting before adding it to the mix.
- Taste your peppermint extract. Brands can vary in strength. If yours is super potent, you might want to start with ¾ tsp and add more to taste. A little goes a long way!
How to Make Healthy Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Step 1: First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This gives your oven time to come to the perfect temperature while you make the dough, ensuring even baking from the get-go.
Step 2: In your medium mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, baking powder, and sea salt. You’ll want to get out any little lumps—this ensures your cookies have a smooth, uniform texture without any pockets of dry flour. The mixture will smell deeply chocolaty already.
Step 3: Now, create a well in the center of your dry ingredients. Pour in the melted (and slightly cooled) coconut oil, maple syrup, almond butter, and peppermint extract. Use a spatula to mix everything together. At first, it might seem a bit dry and crumbly—that’s totally normal, so don’t panic.
Step 4: Here’s where the magic happens. Add the almond milk, one tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition. You’ll notice the dough coming together into a thick, fudgy, and slightly sticky ball. If it’s still too crumbly after 3 tablespoons, add the last one. The goal is a dough that holds together when you press it.
Step 5: Fold in the dark chocolate chips. Be gentle so they’re evenly distributed. Then, cover the bowl and pop it into the refrigerator for 15 minutes. This chill time is crucial—it firms up the fat, which means your cookies will be chewy and perfect instead of flat and greasy.
Step 6: Once chilled, scoop out about 1½ tablespoons of dough for each cookie. Roll them into balls and place them on your prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each one. They need a little room to breathe and spread. Gently press down on each ball to slightly flatten it.
Step 7: Sprinkle the tops generously with the crushed candy canes, pressing lightly so they adhere. This not only looks gorgeous but gives that iconic peppermint crunch in every single bite.
Step 8: Bake for 10-12 minutes. The trick is to pull them out when the edges look set but the centers still appear a little soft. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool. Over-baking will make them dry, so trust the process!
Step 9: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. I know it’s tempting to eat one straight from the oven, but this resting period allows them to set properly, giving you that ideal chewy texture.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Not recommended; store airtight at room temperature.
- Freezer: Freeze baked cookies up to 3 months in an airtight container.
- Reviving: Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in oven/microwave.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- A scoop of vanilla bean coconut ice cream — The creamy, cool vanilla is a classic partner for the rich chocolate and peppermint, creating an incredible dessert sandwich or à la mode situation.
- A warm mug of chai tea — The spices in chai—cinnamon, cardamom, cloves—add a wonderful warmth that dances beautifully with the cool peppermint, making for a cozy, aromatic experience.
- A fresh citrus salad — A simple salad of orange and grapefruit segments cuts through the richness of the chocolate and cleanses the palate with its bright, zesty flavor.
Drinks
- Oat milk hot chocolate — It’s a chocolate-on-chocolate dream! The creamy oat milk makes it extra decadent and turns your cookie into the ultimate dunking companion.
- Peppermint herbal tea — Double down on the minty freshness! A caffeine-free peppermint tea enhances the cool notes in the cookie without adding any sweetness, making it a light and refreshing pairing.
- A cold glass of almond milk — Sometimes, simple is best. The mild, nutty flavor of almond milk is a perfect, calming counterpoint to the intense, fudgy cookie.
Something Sweet
- Vegan peppermint bark — Why choose? More peppermint and chocolate is always a good idea. The crisp, snappy texture of the bark is a fantastic contrast to the soft, chewy cookie.
- Cinnamon-dusted roasted pears — For a less sugary option, warm, soft roasted pears with a hint of cinnamon offer a fruity, elegant sweetness that doesn’t compete with the cookies.
- A simple fruit sorbet — A scoop of raspberry or mango sorbet provides a tart, icy contrast that makes the chocolate taste even deeper and more complex.
Top Mistakes to Avoid
- Mistake: Using hot melted coconut oil. If your oil is too hot when you add it to the mix, it can start to cook the other ingredients and cause your chocolate chips to melt into a mess. Let it cool for a few minutes first.
- Mistake: Skipping the chill time. I’ve messed this up before too, thinking I could save time. The result? Cookies that spread into thin, flat puddles instead of lovely, thick, and chewy discs. The fridge is your friend.
- Mistake: Over-measuring the almond flour. Packing your measuring cup will throw off the dry-to-wet ratio, leading to a crumbly dough that’s hard to work with and a dry final cookie. Always spoon and level.
- Mistake: Over-baking. These cookies continue to cook on the hot baking sheet after you take them out of the oven. If you wait for them to look completely firm in the center, they’ll be overdone and dry by the time they cool.
Expert Tips
- Tip: For an extra fudgy center, slightly under-bake. Take them out at the 10-minute mark, even if they look a little underdone. As they cool, they’ll set into the most wonderfully moist and fudgy texture.
- Tip: Make them uniform with a cookie scoop. Using a small ice cream or cookie scoop ensures all your cookies are the same size, which means they’ll bake evenly and you won’t have some burnt while others are raw.
- Tip: Add a pinch of espresso powder. You won’t taste the coffee, honestly. It just deepens and enhances the chocolate flavor, making it taste even more rich and complex.
- Tip: Customize your mix-ins. Not a fan of chocolate chips? Swap them for chopped walnuts, dried cherries, or even white chocolate chips. It’s your cookie canvas—paint it how you like!
FAQs
Can I make these cookies nut-free?
Absolutely! To make them nut-free, substitute the almond flour with an equal amount of oat flour (make sure it’s certified gluten-free if needed). Swap the almond butter for sunflower seed butter and use a nut-free milk like oat or soy milk. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious—earthy and wholesome.
How should I store these cookies, and how long do they last?
Once completely cool, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh and chewy for about 4-5 days. If you want to keep them longer, you can freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Just let them thaw at room temperature when you’re ready for one.
My dough is too sticky to handle. What did I do wrong?
This usually means you added a touch too much liquid, or your almond flour was particularly fine. Don’t worry! Just pop the dough back in the fridge for another 10-15 minutes. If it’s still too sticky, you can wet your hands slightly before rolling the balls to prevent sticking.
Can I use a different sweetener?
You can, but it might change the texture. Maple syrup adds moisture. If you use a granulated sweetener like monk fruit or more coconut sugar, you may need to add another tablespoon of almond milk to compensate for the lost liquid. I’d stick with the maple syrup for the best results on your first try.
Why are my cookies cakey and not chewy?
A cakey texture often comes from too much leavening or over-mixing. Make sure you’re using just 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and mix the dough only until it’s just combined. Over-working it can incorporate too much air, leading to a lighter, more cake-like crumb.
Healthy Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies | Easy Holiday Treats
Healthy Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are a festive, guilt-free treat. These easy vegan peppermint cookies are the perfect holiday baking project, offering a rich, fudgy bite with a cool peppermint crunch.
Ingredients
For the Ingredients
-
1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
-
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-
¼ cup coconut sugar
-
¼ cup pure maple syrup
-
¼ cup melted coconut oil
-
2 tbsp almond butter (or any nut/seed butter)
-
1 tsp baking powder
-
¼ tsp sea salt
-
1 tsp pure peppermint extract
-
3 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
-
¼ cup dark chocolate chips (ensure dairy-free)
-
2 tbsp crushed candy canes or peppermint candies (for topping)
Instructions
-
First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.01
-
In your medium mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder, coconut sugar, baking powder, and sea salt.02
-
Now, create a well in the center of your dry ingredients. Pour in the melted (and slightly cooled) coconut oil, maple syrup, almond butter, and peppermint extract. Use a spatula to mix everything together.03
-
Add the almond milk, one tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition.04
-
Fold in the dark chocolate chips. Then, cover the bowl and pop it into the refrigerator for 15 minutes.05
-
Once chilled, scoop out about 1½ tablespoons of dough for each cookie. Roll them into balls and place them on your prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each one. Gently press down on each ball to slightly flatten it.06
-
Sprinkle the tops generously with the crushed candy canes, pressing lightly so they adhere.07
-
Bake for 10-12 minutes.08
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Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.09
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