Peppermint chocolate cookies are by far my favorite Christmas cookie classic, because how could they not be? Peppermint is one of the flavors that I associate most with the holiday season, it’s like candy corn, I only eat it during one particular month of the year, and after that, it makes zero sense to me.
So that’s why I have to get as much of it as I possibly can during December – it’s a fleeting asset!
This Peppermint Cookies recipe was hands-down voted the best of my Christmas cookie roster this year (yes, we pick favorite children) and that’s because it stays crisp on the edges and chewy on the inside down until the very last bite. And they store so well too!
So if you are looking for a gluten-free and vegan peppermint cookie, I got you. Now hurry up and make these before December ends and you won’t see another candy cane until 2022.
Table of contents
Ingredients you will need for these vegan & gluten-free peppermint cookies
If you are familiar with gluten-free and vegan baking, these ingredients should be no surprise!
Here’s what you need:
- 17 grams flax meal (2 tablespoons)
- 5 tablespoons room temperature water
- 100 grams oats blended into oat flour (1 cup)
- 17 grams almond flour (3 tablespoons, loosely packed)
- 50 grams rolled oats (1/2 cup)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 45 grams melted coconut oil (1/4 cup)
- 85 grams coconut sugar (1/2 cup)
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 60 grams chocolate chips (1/2 cup)
- 8 mini candy canes, crushed
How to form and bake the dough for these vegan and gluten-free peppermint cookies
These cookies are so easy and the perfect treat to bring to a holiday party or serve to guests! Here’s how to make them:
- Whisk together the flax meal and water to create two flax eggs. Let this sit for 5 minutes or until it is gelatinous.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oat flour, almond flour, rolled oats, baking soda and salt. Then add the coconut sugar, coconut oil, peppermint extract and flax eggs to the bowl and mix until a dough forms.
- Add in the peppermint and chocolate and stir well. Chill the dough in the fridge for 10 minutes, or until your oven is done preheating.
- Scoop the cookies into 8 equal-sized balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
A note on the baking process
This is a small batch recipe using only vegan and gluten-free ingredients, so the cookies will spread in the oven. And that’s what makes them amazing! But it’s also why I highly encourage you to measure with a baking scale if you can.
When cookie recipes are small-batch, it makes it easier for one small difference in measurements to make a huge difference in results. I’ve listed ingredients in cups and grams, but if you have any doubt, I recommend going by grams first for these peppermint cookies.
How to shape these vegan peppermint cookies
WARNING – peppermint candy is fickle. It will melt in the oven, and that’s part of what creates the chewy, sugary, crispy goodness of the cookie. The downside is that if the peppermint isn’t fully surrounded by the dough, it can melt and cause a scene. Like a peppermint crime scene.
Luckily there is an easy fix for this.
Get a round glass or cookie cutter (I personally love these from Amazon) and as soon as the cookies are out of the oven, swirl the cookie cutter around them to encourage them to form perfect cookie circles. Depending on how the peppermint melts, you might have to cut some off the edges, but hopefully not too much.
Once your cookies are the shape you’d like, let them cool and you’ll end up with perfectly round, chewy peppermint cookie circles.
Looking for other cookie recipes?
It’s the holiday season after all! Here are some of my favorites:
And that’s everything for these Peppermint Cookies!
If you make it, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories, and I’m so excited to see what you all are making.
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you!
Peppermint Cookies | Vegan + Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 17 grams flax meal 2 tablespoons
- 5 tablespoons room temperature water
- 100 grams of oats blended into oat flour, 1 cup
- 17 grams almond flour 3 tablespoons, loosely packed
- 50 grams rolled oats 1/2 cup
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 45 grams melted coconut oil 1/4 cup
- 85 grams coconut sugar 1/2 cup
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 60 grams chocolate chips 1/2 cup
- 8 mini candy canes crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Whisk together the flax meal and water to create two flax eggs. Let this sit for 5 minutes or until it is gelatinous.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oat flour, almond flour, rolled oats, baking soda and salt. Then add the coconut sugar, coconut oil, peppermint extract and flax eggs to the bowl and mix until a dough forms.
- Add in the peppermint and chocolate and stir well. Chill the dough in the fridge for 10 minutes, or until your oven is done preheating.
- Scoop the cookies into 8 equal-sized balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, remove even if they look a little underdone, and let them cool. *See notes section for if your cookies spread.
- Serve warm!
These look amazing, can I swap out the almond flour for any other flour ? I can’t have almonds or hazelnuts 😭 thank you
Chickpea flour is your next best bet! You can also do more oat flour, but the cookies won’t hold as well, just a heads up!
I don’t have flax but I have regular eggs. Should I use 2?
I have not personally tested it with egg but I would stick to one!
Will let you know how they come out! I’m so excited! Love your recipes! I’m a huge fan❤️❤️
How did they turn out with the one egg instead of flax?!
I’m excited to try these, I love flax eggs! Do you measure the coconut oil before it’s melted, or after? I’m not vegan, so I’m guessing regular butter is an okay substitute as well? Thanks!
I measure after it’s melted! If you go by weight that’s the most accurate 🙂