Gluten Free Peppermint Brownie Cookies

Meet the perfect Christmas Cookies: Gluten Free Fudgy Peppermint Bark Brownie Cookies. With crackly tops, soft and chewy centers, and the perfect balance of chocolate and mint, those peppermint bark cookies are a fabulous addition to any Holiday Cookie Tray and Cookie Exchange. They not only taste good but are also pretty to look at.

This recipe for Gluten Free Peppermint Bark Brownie Cookies yields 12 generous-sized cookies which are topped with peppermint bark. You can also use a smaller cookie scoop (1.5 tablespoons) and can make Mini Peppermint Bark Cookies (which are super cute for cookie boxes).

For more Holiday Cookie ideas, check out my Gluten Free Classic Biscotti and Gluten Free Gingerbread Whoopie Pies

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Flour:  This Gluten-Free Peppermint Brownie Cookie recipe is a good example, not all gluten free flours are created equally. The Cookies made with Cup4Cup were on the thinner side with a more distinctive crinkle top while the cookies baked with King Arthur Measure for Measure and my own Gluten Free Flour Blend were more compact. Flavorwise all cookies tasted amazing. All tested flour blends do contain xanthan gum.  No matter which Gluten Free flour blend you choose for this recipe, please measure precisely. Just 10 grams of extra flour can throw off this recipe.

Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder: I highly recommend using dutch process cocoa in this recipe for Gluten Free Peppermint Bark Brownie Cookies. Dutch-processed cocoa produces richer, fudgier flavors. My go-to brands are Cacao Barry Extra Brute and Valrhona Pure Cocoa Powder. If you are looking for a better price point cocoa powder I recommend Hershey’s Dutched Cocoa, Special Dark, 100% Cacao. Since this recipe does not contain any baking soda, I do not recommend using Natural Cocoa Powder.

Chocolate: The best Chocolate for this recipe is between 64% and 70% dark cocoa percentage. I recommend using a product you enjoy eating on its own (you should always use chocolate you enjoy eating on its own). But since this recipe has only a few ingredients, the flavor of the chocolate you use will stand out. This is a great recipe to use for an artisan chocolate bar.

Peppermint Extract: I use McCormick Pure Peppermint Extract in my kitchen. It is non-GMO, gluten free and widely available. It also comes in a small bottle and will last you a good while. Make sure to use Peppermint Extract and not Peppermint Oil. An extract is a mixture of essential oil and a medium--usually alcohol--that helps carry the flavor. A little goes a long way with this product this is why I only use ⅛th to ¼ teaspoons of peppermint extract.

Peppermint Bark: I use Ghiradelli Peppermint Bark Squares for my Fudgy Peppermint Brownie Cookies. The product does not contain any gluten but is not certified gluten free. This product is also available in a bar form. If you can not locate peppermint bark, you can use a mix of dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and some crushed-up candy canes instead.

Pro Tips for making Peppermint Brownie Cookies

The dough for the Fudge Brownie Cookies does not have to be chilled so timing is everything here.

Make sure you have all your ingredients ready to go, sheet trays lined with parchment, and your cookie scoop nearby. If you like you can break the peppermint bark into pieces or just top each cookie with one big square before baking.

When measuring out your ingredients, make sure you measure everything correctly. Just a few extra grams of flour can throw off this recipe.

If you live in a colder climate or keep your kitchen on the colder side, place your parchment-lined sheet trays on top of the stove while the oven preheats. This way the cookie dough does not "seize up" when you scoop it on the tray and the cookies will spread more. You just want the sheet trays at room temperature - clearly, you do not want them hot or even warm.

How to make Brownie Cookie Dough

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350F, line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Step 2: Place 215 grams of dark chocolate in a heat-proof, microwave-safe bowl. Cut butter into small cubes and place in a small saucepan over medium heat. Carefully melt the butter. You don’t want to brown the butter – just melt it. Alternatively, you can also melt the butter in the microwave. Once all the butter is melted, remove it from the heat and pour it over the chocolate and let it sit in the bowl. This will be a very fluid mixture.

Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the 2 large eggs, egg yolk, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, salt, vanilla extract, Kosher salt and peppermint extract. Whisk the eggs at a medium speed for 5 minutes, until fluffy and thick. Do not skip this step. Whipping the eggs and sugar for an extended period of time will create a beautiful crinkle topping.

Step 4: In the meantime sift or whisk together the gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder.

Step 5: With a heat-proof spatula stir together your melted butter-chocolate mixture. The heat from the melted butter should have melted all the chocolate. If it’s not fully melted stick the bowl in your microwave for 10-15 seconds. If the mixture seems very thick and feels cool to the touch, rewarm it carefully in the microwave for 30 seconds on high. I always nuke my chocolate butter mixture for 30 seconds before adding it.

Step 6: When your egg-sugar mixture looks fluffy and thick, slow down the speed of your mixer to low and add the melted chocolate. Mix until combined. I recommend stopping your mixer and scraping down the sides to make sure everything is combined well. 30-45 seconds of a good whip here can do wonders for your gluten-free fudgy brownie cookie batter. It helps to emulsify butter, eggs, and chocolate.

Step 7: When all the wet ingredients are combined, turn off the mixer and switch to the paddle attachment. Add the dry ingredients and carefully mix until roughly combined. Turn off the mixer and with a rubber spatula fold everything together. Make sure to get the bottom of the pan and the dough off the paddle.

The peppermint bark brownie cookie dough should look very similar to a brownie batter. On the soft and smooth side.

How to bake Gluten Free Peppermint Brownie Cookies

This dough for Fudgy Peppermint Brownie Cookies does not have to rest and can be baked right away. The cookie dough will firm up quickly so I recommend making sure you have your sheet trays, your #20 cookie scoop, and your peppermint bark ready and the oven preheated to 350F.

Step 1: Using a #20 cookie scoop (around 3 tablespoons) divide the batter between the two sheet trays. This recipe should give you 12-13 gluten free peppermint brownie cookies. Don't be surprised if the dough looks like "blobs" on the sheet tray.

Step 2: Top each cookie with pieces of peppermint bark. You can use a whole square of peppermint bark or break it up into smaller pieces. If you choose not to use peppermint bark, you can use a mix of dark and white chocolate chips and crushed-up candy canes.

Step 3: Bake one tray at a time for 12 minutes. The cookies should have a beautiful crinkle top and be slightly domed.

Step 4: Remove from the oven, and to achieve perfect round cookies, use cookie cutter slightly bigger than the cookie and shape them into a perfect circle. The cookies must be hot for this.

Step 5: Allow the cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes on the cookie sheets before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.

FAQ about Gluten Free Brownie Cookies