Broken Peppermint Bark Cookies Recipe

This ingenious Broken Peppermint Bark Cookies Recipe reinvents the traditional holiday candy by replacing the bottom layer of chocolate with a crisp, dark cocoa shortbread. Slathered in tempered white chocolate and crushed peppermint candies, this giant sheet pan treat is shattered into jagged, minty shards that look stunning in a gift tin.

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Broken Peppermint Bark Cookies Ingredients

The Chocolate Cookie Base:

• 1 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour: The structural foundation.
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Important: Do not use Dutch-process cocoa; natural cocoa is required to react with the baking soda.
• 2 sticks (1 cup) Unsalted Butter: Room temperature, for a rich, crisp crumb.
• 1 3/4 cups Sugar: Creates a snappy, crunchy texture.
• 1 Large Egg: To bind the dough.
• Leavening: 3/4 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp baking powder.
• Flavor: 1 tsp pure vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp kosher salt.

The Peppermint Bark Layer:

• 1 pound Good-Quality White Chocolate: Roughly chopped. Do not use chocolate chips; they contain stabilizers that prevent proper melting and tempering. Bar chocolate (like Ghirardelli or Lindt) is essential.
• 3/4 teaspoon Peppermint Extract: To flavor the chocolate.
• 20 Soft Peppermint Candies: Crushed. Soft mints (puff mints) are preferred over hard candy canes for a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

How To Make Broken Peppermint Bark Cookies

1. Whisk Dry Ingredients: Cut two sheets of parchment paper to fit a 13×18-inch pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, natural cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
2. Cream the Butter: In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes. This long creaming process aerates the dough for a lighter crisp. Add the egg and vanilla, beating for another 2 minutes until creamy.
3. Mix and Roll: Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Place the dough between the two sheets of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a large, even rectangle that reaches the edges of the paper (13×18 inches).
4. Freeze and Bake: Slide the parchment-encased dough onto a rimmed baking sheet. Freeze for 20 minutes until firm. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove the top sheet of parchment and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The giant cookie should be firm and matte (no longer shiny). Cool completely on a rack.
5. Temper the Chocolate: Place all but 1 cup of the chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until one-third of the chocolate is melted. Remove the bowl from the heat.
6. The Seeding Method: Gradually stir the reserved 1 cup of solid chocolate into the melted mixture. Return the bowl to the steam for 5-10 seconds at a time if needed, stirring constantly until all the chocolate is melted and smooth. Note: This process (tempering) ensures the chocolate sets with a snap and a shine. It can take up to 10 minutes.
7. Assemble: Wipe the bottom of the bowl dry. Stir the peppermint extract into the white chocolate. Pour it quickly over the cooled cookie base, spreading it to the edges with an offset spatula.
8. Garnish and Break: Immediately sprinkle the crushed peppermint candies over the wet chocolate, pressing them in gently. Let it set at room temperature for about 2 hours until the chocolate is firm. Lift the slab out by the parchment and break it into rustic shards.

Recipe Tips

• Why Natural Cocoa? Natural cocoa is acidic, while Dutch-process is neutral. Since this recipe uses baking soda (a base), you need the acid from natural cocoa for the leavening to work. Using Dutch-process here would result in a flat, soapy-tasting cookie.
• Tempering Patience: Don’t rush the chocolate melting step. By adding solid chocolate to melted chocolate off the heat (seeding), you encourage the cocoa butter crystals to align properly. This prevents the white chocolate from developing bloom (white streaks) or becoming soft and tacky.
• Soft Mints vs. Canes: Soft peppermint puffs are easier to crush and infinitely more pleasant to eat than sharp shards of hard candy cane, which can stick to your teeth.
• Rolling Trick: If the dough is sticky when rolling between the parchment, tape the bottom parchment to the counter so it doesn’t slide around.

What To Serve With Peppermint Bark Cookies

• Hot Cocoa: Dip a shard into hot chocolate for a minty mocha flavor.
• Espresso: The dark cocoa base pairs beautifully with strong coffee.
• Sugar Cookies: Contrast the dark chocolate bark with light vanilla cookies on a platter.
• Vanilla Ice Cream: Stick a large shard into a bowl of ice cream as an edible spoon.

How To Store Broken Peppermint Bark Cookies

• Room Temperature: Store the shards in an airtight tin at cool room temperature for up to 1 week.
• Avoid Heat: Because of the chocolate layer, keep these away from the stove or sunlight, or the white chocolate will bloom and soften.
• Freeze: You can freeze the shards layered with wax paper for up to 1 month, though the mints may become sticky upon thawing.

Broken Peppermint Bark Cookies Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 180 kcal
• Fat: 10g
• Carbohydrates: 22g
• Sugar: 16g
• Protein: 2g

Nutrition information is estimated per shard (approx. 30 pieces).

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