These Vegan Peppermint Mocha Cookies are the ultimate holiday treat. They are soft, chewy, and bursting with rich chocolate and refreshing peppermint flavor. Perfectly festive and impossible to resist, they're guaranteed to be a hit with everyone at the table!
'Tis the season for holiday baking, cookie exchanges, and peppermint everything. I saw how much you loved my Peppermint Bark Rice Krispie Treats last year. Because of that, I decided to make more chocolate peppermint treats for you this year.
These chewy peppermint mocha cookies are out-of-this-world delicious and guaranteed to be a holiday favorite everywhere.
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Peppermint Mocha Cookies Ingredients:
These are the perfect vegan Christmas cookies for the holiday season because they are made with clean, wholesome ingredients you can pick up at your local grocery store. Let's take a look at some of the core ingredients.
Dry Ingredients:
- Flour: This recipe can be made with gluten-free flour, whole wheat flour, and all-purpose flour! I've tested them all and they all work well!
- Maple Crystals: This is my go-to sweetener, especially when making cookies. It works just like white granulated sugar; however, it is refined sugar-free and therefore does not cause as much of a blood sugar spike. If you buy a large bag, you'll be able to make my Creamy Hazelnut Steel Cut Oats too.
- Cacao Powder: These chocolate cookies would not be complete without cacao powder. You can use either unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder; they work the same. The only difference between the two of them is that cacao is less processed and contains more antioxidants.
- Ground Flaxseed: Ground flaxseed is combined with water to become the flax egg. This serves as a key component in this recipe, acting as an egg substitute to bind the ingredients together.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch plays a crucial role in this recipe to create a tender and soft texture. It works alongside the other dry ingredients to achieve the perfect balance, resulting in cookies that are not only flavorful but also irresistibly chewy.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda helps these cookies spread and gives them a subtle lift.
- Vegan White Chocolate Chips: You can decorate these cookies with vegan white chocolate however you like. I personally love dipping half of the cookie in the white chocolate for the perfect chocolate crunch on the outside of these chewy cookies. I recommend buying them in bulk so you can make my Vegan Double Macadamia Nut White Chocolate Cookies, too.
- Vegan Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Just like the white chocolate, you can use dark chocolate to decorate these cookies however you like. I like to drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the white chocolate.
- Candy Canes: The essential peppermint flavor comes from the crushed candy canes on top. I recommend using naturally sweetened and naturally colored peppermint candies.
- Instant Espresso: This is essential to achieve the classic peppermint mocha flavor.
Wet Ingredients:
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract helps to balance out all the flavors in these peppermint chocolate cookies. I always recommend using Mexican vanilla because it has a much deeper flavor.
- Coconut Butter: This is what is used as the oil substitute in these cookies. It's important that you use coconut butter that is in a thick liquid form. It can dry up easily, so I recommend using a new jar when making this recipe. Then use leftovers to make my Healthy Gluten-Free Monster Cookies.
- Water: You will need water to mix with the flaxseed to make the flax egg, as well as a little extra to add to the cookie dough.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Them:
These peppermint mocha cookies may look like they have a lot of steps, but I can assure you the recipe is super easy to make.
- Preheat: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet.
- Make flax egg: Mix flaxseed and water; set aside to thicken.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk flour, maple crystals, cacao powder, cornstarch, and baking soda.
- Mix wet ingredients: Combine flax egg, vanilla, coconut butter, and water.
- Combine: Stir wet and dry ingredients together to form dough.
- Chill: Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
- Shape: Roll the dough into balls and place them on the baking sheet.
- Bake: Bake 12-15 minutes, until edges are set.
- Decorate: Cool, then drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle crushed candy canes.
- Enjoy: Let the chocolate set, then serve.
Hint: If you want the chocolate to set fast, let the cookies chill in the freezer so they're cold when you dip them.
Substitutions:
There are a variety of easy substitutions that can be made to this recipe if needed.
- Sugar: You can use coconut sugar, sucanat sugar, or brown sugar in place of maple crystals if needed. Although I absolutely adore maple crystals and truly believe they are the best natural sweetener, I understand that they may not fit everyone's budget. These will all work as a 1:1 substitute.
- Nut-Butter: You can replace the coconut butter with most raw nut butter. I recommend using something silky like raw cashew butter (Wilderness Poets SPiN is a great choice - try my Double Chocolate Orange Cookies to see for yourself).
- Dark Chocolate Chips: If you prefer the taste of dark chocolate, you can replace the semi-sweet chocolate chips with dark chocolate chips.
Variations:
One thing I have always loved about baking Christmas cookies is the joy of having fun with them. There are so many fun ways to mix this recipe up and make it your own. Here are some of my vegan peppermint cookie variations.
- Extra Peppermint: You can add a teaspoon of peppermint extract to the cookie dough for extra peppermint flavor throughout the cookies.
- Double Chocolate Crunch: If you're a fan of my Double Chocolate SunButter Cookies, you can add dark chocolate chips and crushed candy canes to the cookie dough for extra chocolatey goodness. They are the perfect addition to these cookies.
Equipment:
This is what I recommend for the best results when making these vegan Christmas cookies.
- Mixing Bowls : Use one large bowl and one medium bowl for combining dry and wet ingredients separately. This ensures even distribution and proper incorporation of the ingredients.
- Whisk: A whisk is handy for mixing dry ingredients thoroughly, especially when combining flour, cacao powder, and other dry components.
- Rubber Spatula: A rubber spatula is the best tool you can use to mix the cookie dough together.
- Small Bowl or Cup: For creating the flax egg, you'll need a small bowl or cup to mix ground flaxseed with water.
- Baking Sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the cookies from sticking and for easy cleanup.
- Cookie Scoop or Spoon: Use a small or medium cookie scoop or a spoon to portion out the cookie dough and create uniform-sized cookies.
- Wire Rack: After baking, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. This helps them cool evenly and prevents them from becoming too soft on the bottom.
- Melt and Drizzle Tools (Optional): If you plan to dip the cookies in melted chocolate or drizzle chocolate over them, you'll need additional tools like a microwave-safe bowl for melting the chocolate and a fork or spoon for drizzling.
- Crushing Tool (Optional): If the candy canes aren't already crushed, you may need a tool to crush them. This could be a rolling pin, a kitchen mallet, or any other suitable utensil.
You can find more of my go-to equipment on my shop page.
Storage:
Storing homemade cookies can be tricky. Since they don't have any added fillers or preservatives, their texture can easily change with the environment. For this reason, I recommend storing these vegan peppermint mocha cookies in an airtight container in the fridge.
This will help keep them firm and fresh. Since they don't contain oil, they will soften at room temperature. Therefore, if you love chewy cookies, make sure to keep them refrigerated.
Top Tip:
If you want to get perfectly round peppermint mocha cookies, you can use the ring from the top of a mason jar and swirl the cookies around with it when they're fresh out of the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes, you can refrigerate the cookie dough for a few hours or overnight. This can enhance the flavor and texture. Let it sit out for about 10 minutes before baking.
To make a flax egg, mix ground flaxseed with water and let it sit until it thickens. You can also try other egg substitutes like chia seeds or commercial egg replacers.
Yes, you can adjust the size of the cookies based on your preference. Just be mindful of the baking time, as smaller cookies may require less time, and larger ones may need more.
Related Vegan Cookie Recipes
Looking for other vegan cookie recipes like these vegan peppermint mocha cookies? Try these:
If you try this Vegan Peppermint Mocha Cookie Recipe, I'd really love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. I'd also really appreciate a recipe card rating! Make sure to share it on social media and tag @theallnaturalvegan to be featured! Thank you for supporting The All Natural Vegan!
Vegan Peppermint Mocha Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour use gluten-free if needed
- 1 ½ cups maple crystals
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 3 tablespoon cacao powder
- 1 bag vegan white chocolate chips
- 1 bag plant based chocolate chips
- ½ cup crushed candy canes
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso optional
Wet Ingredients
- 6 tbsp water for the flax egg
- 2 tablespoon water
- ¾ cup coconut butter make sure it's smooth and runny
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat and Prepare:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Make Flax Egg:
- In a small bowl, mix ground flaxseed with water to create a flax egg. Set aside to thicken. It should take about 5 minutes.
Combine Dry Ingredients:
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, maple crystals, cacao powder, cornstarch, and baking soda.
Prepare Wet Ingredients:
- In a separate bowl, combine the flax egg, vanilla extract, coconut butter, and 2 tablespoons of water. Mix until well combined.
Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures:
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl and stir until a thick cookie dough forms. Add extra water as needed to achieve the right consistency (you probably won't need to).
Chill The Cookie Dough:
- Place the bowl of cookie dough in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
Form Cookie Dough Balls:
- Scoop out portions of the cookie dough and roll them into balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between each. These peppermint mocha cookies will spread a decent amount.
Bake:
- Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are set. The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.
Cool and Decorate:
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Melt Chocolate:
- Melt the vegan white chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate in separate bowls. You can dip half of each cookie in the white chocolate and drizzle the semi-sweet chocolate over the top, or decorate them however you like. A piping bag with a small hole cut in the bottom is the best way to get perfect drizzles.
Add Candy Cane Topping:
- While the chocolate is still soft, sprinkle crushed candy canes over the cookies for a festive peppermint touch.
Enjoy:
- Allow the chocolate to set, and then enjoy these vegan peppermint mocha cookies with a delightful blend of flavors.
More Recipes For Chocolate Lovers:
Are you a fellow chocolate lover? Make sure to check out some of the other chocolate recipes on my website!
Choclette says
Adding crushed candy canes to cookies is now my new favourite thing. Thank you so much for the idea and this gorgeous recipe.
Erin says
This recipe couldn't have come at a better time. These turned out fantastic and were perfect for sharing. Gorgeous photos, as always!
Carolyn Miller says
I just put the cookies in the oven and realized there is no coffee in them. How are they mocha without coffee?
Katie says
You can add a teaspoon to tablespoon of instant espresso powder if you want a true coffee taste! It's an optional ingredient. Hope this helps!