Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are a healthy, festive holiday cookie. These gluten-free cookies are bursting with peppermint flavor!
Thin mints are the most popular Girl Scout cookie for good reason - that chocolate-peppermint flavor combination is *chef's kiss*
These Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies cookies have double the chocolate and double the peppermint. The cookies are made with cocoa powder and peppermint extract. Then dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with candy canes.
A delicious, and super festive cookie for your Christmas cookie collection!
Plus, these Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies are gluten-free and WFPB. They are made with oat flour and sweetened with maple syrup. Healthy AND festive!
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Why I love these Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Dietary needs - these cookies are plant-based, oil-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free
- Peppermint-chocolate flavors - like the holidays in a cookie! These cookies are like a thin mint stepped up a notch
- No equipment - all you need is a bowl! No hand mixer required.
- Simple ingredients - you probably have most, if not all, of the ingredients in your house. Make these cookies whenever you want!
- Whole foods ingredients - no refined sugar here! We use maple syrup and coconut sugar for sweetness. And no eggs or butter. Just ground flax and nut butter
- Oil-free, but they don't taste it - not only do these cookies not use butter, they have no oil at all! These cookies use nut butter as a healthier, less processed alternative to oil.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Cashew or Almond Butter: I use nut butter in cookies instead of vegan butter - it is much healthier! I used cashew butter, because it is the most neutral-tasting nut butter and has a slightly sweet flavor, but any neutral-tasting nut butter like almond butter will work!
- Maple Syrup: a liquid sugar is helpful in WFPB cookies, because without regular butter there is less moisture
- Coconut Sugar: I used coconut sugar in these cookies - I love the caramel-like flavor. I listed substitutions in the recipe card to use date sugar or white sugar instead
- Flax Egg: a mixture of ground flaxseed and milk or water.
- Vanilla Extract
- Peppermint Extract: for peppermint flavor. A little goes a long way, so don't add any more than called for
- Oat Flour: I love using oat flour in cookies because it's naturally gluten-free and can be made easily at home! If you make it at home, be sure to grind the oats into a fine powder - coarse oat flour will create a rougher texture.
- Cocoa Powder: use unsweetened cocoa powder
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Vegan Chocolate: to avoid added sugar, choose unsweetened chocolate chips. If you want a bit of sweetness I recommend the enjoy life or pascha brands
- Crushed Candy Canes: candy canes aren't exactly whole food plant-based, so definitely leave them out if you're looking for a WFPB treat. But if you'd like to include them, they add a nice pop of color and some extra peppermint flavor to these cookies
How to make Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2. In a large bowl whisk the nut butter, date sugar, maple syrup, non-dairy milk, ground flaxseeds, and vanilla extract.
Step 3. Add in the oat flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until a dough forms and all the flour is incorporated.
Step 4. Transfer to a cutting board sprinkled with flour or cocoa powder. Use a rolling pin or drinking glass to roll the dough flat (about ⅛" thickness). You can do this in two batches. Use a cookie cutter to cut out circles. Re-roll any remaining dough and continue until all the dough has been portioned.
Step 5. Transfer the circles to the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let sit on the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to let the cookies cool completely.
Step 6. When the cookies are cool, melt the chocolate. Place the chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl (ideally a bowl with high sides). Heat in the microwave on 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate is smooth.
Step 7. Dip each cookie halfway into the chocolate. Set on a parchment-lined pan or wire rack. Before the chocolate is fully solid, sprinkle with candy canes. Allow the chocolate to solidify before serving.
FAQ & Expert Tips
No. If you want, you can scoop the dough into balls like normal cookies. Use a wet hand to flatten each cookie before baking.
Store these cookies in in an air-tight container at room temperature. These cookies will last 7-10 days.
You can also freeze these cookies. Place in a zip top bag and freeze for up to six months.
Recipe Prayer
Thank you God for this healthy version of holiday cookies. Help us to celebrate You this Christmas. Amen.
More Vegan Christmas Cookies
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Equipment
- Rolling Pin optional
- Cookie Cutter or Jar Lid optional
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Cashew or Almond Butter
- ½ Cup Maple Syrup
- ⅓ Cup Coconut Sugar see notes for substitutions
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Flaxseeds + 2 Tablespoons Non-Dairy Milk
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- ¾ Teaspoon Peppermint Extract
- 2 Cups Finely Ground Oat Flour
- ½ Cup Cocoa Powder + extra for rolling
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- ¾ Cup Vegan Chocolate Chips
- ¼ Cup Crushed Candy Canes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl whisk the nut butter, date sugar, maple syrup, non-dairy milk, ground flaxseeds, and vanilla extract.
- Add in the oat flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until a dough forms and all the flour is incorporated.
- Transfer to a cutting board sprinkled with flour or cocoa powder. Use a rolling pin or drinking glass to roll the dough flat (about ⅛" thickness). You can do this in two batches. Use a cookie cutter to cut out circles. Re-roll any remaining dough and continue until all the dough has been portioned.
- Transfer the circles to the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let sit on the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to let the cookies cool completely.
- When the cookies are cool, melt the chocolate. Place the chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl (ideally a bowl with high sides). Heat in the microwave on 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate is smooth.
- Dip each cookie halfway into the chocolate. Set on a parchment-lined pan or wire rack. Before the chocolate is fully solid, sprinkle with candy canes. Allow the chocolate to solidify before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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