emmakitchen Merry 3-days-until Christmas, everyone! I seriously cannot believe it snuck up on me so fast. Don’t get me wrong, I’m prepared⏤ all my gifts are wrapped, I’m way ahead of my holiday baking, and I dropped off all my friends’ presents earlier today. However, that doesn’t make it any less exciting that Christmas is merely 72 hours away. To express my excitement (and to get myself in the holly-jolly mood!) I created this batch of Peppermint Oreo Swirl Cookies. I know, right?! Sounds divine.
inspiration
And I promise you, they are. That’s what brings me into the inspiration for these cookies⏤ honestly, more-so for the post than the actual recipe. Originally, I wasn’t even going to post these cookies. I made the first batch indulgently on a peaceful Monday morning, flour sprinkling my clothes and a steady stream of Lifetime movies playing in the background. I didn’t take pictures of it or document the process. However, when I (inevitably) showed off the finished product on my Snapchat story, I instantly got a (very welcome) influx of messages asking for the recipe, which is the biggest compliment EVER to a baker!
It always warms my heart to hear that somebody wants to try a recipe I made. So, I knew what I had to do come Tuesday morning: wake up, put on my apron, and give the people what they want.
Though my family and I certainly don’t need any more Christmas cookies (I swear we made like 6 dozen), so I opted to freeze this batch. They’re holding up very well! Peppermint Oreo Swirl Cookies could definitely be made ahead and frozen; saved for when the time for gift exchanges & old movies has long passed. Ugh, I’m getting teary just thinking about it.
designing these cookies
So, for these Peppermint Oreo Swirl Cookies, I put a lot of effort into making them interesting. My family and I make your traditional gingerbread, sugar, & PB-blossom cookies every year, and I wouldn’t change it FOR THE WORLD. It wouldn’t be Christmas without them. However, for this year, I wanted to mix it up a little and try something different. Something extraordinary. My thought process was actually very similar to what I talked about in my Brown Butter Double-Chip Pumpkin Cookies recipe, the way I wanted to create something as ~extravagantly seasonal~ as possible.
For Christmas, what fits that bill more than candy canes, Oreos, and marbled chocolate-vanilla dough?! The look is whimsical, the taste is great, and they’ll be the first ones gone at any cookie exchange. You need no other explanation for why you should make these cookies. However, I’ll keep giving one, as it is the season of giving.
This cookie recipe features sharp crushed peppermint pieces, creamy white and semisweet chocolate chips, deliciously bitter Oreo chunks, and two types of dough, swirled together to create an indulgent flavor combination. My Peppermint Oreo Swirl Cookies start out with a basic cookie dough base, but I take it up a notch by stirring a tablespoon of cocoa powder into half of it, effectively creating a dessert that I’ve been told is not unlike a brookie.
Seriously, they are very, very good. And versatile, too; I’ll get into this more in the techniques section, but these cookies can easily be customized to your exact tastes by tweaking the baking times or ingredient ratios slightly. Perfect for a holiday gift exchange, a (socially distanced) Christmas party, or to leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve Night (my sources tell me that you’ll get more presents if you do).
ingredients & technique
Here’s the breakdown of what ingredients & techniques I used to make these cookies as extra-special as they are. 🙂
- Butter: Gotta used softened in these; there’s no way around it. It’s essential to get the butter up to room-temp before baking so that it can be evenly dispersed into the dough during the creaming process. I also opted for unsalted, but I’m sure either would work.
- Egg: Usually, I am a huge fan of beating the absolute life out of a cookie dough after the egg has been added. It gives it a meringue-y, crinkly texture that I chase after in the majority of my cookie recipes, like my Accidental Confetti Cookies. However, with Peppermint Oreo Swirl Cookies, you actually don’t want to work the dough very much after adding in the egg. Don’t worry, they still turn out perfectly tender and delicious⏤ crunchy edges and soft middle, the only “good” texture for a cookie in my opinion. That type of cookie is sadly rare, so if you see me promo a cookie recipe, you can know it’s good.
- Cocoa powder: Few ingredients in these cookies are as important as the cocoa powder. The base dough recipe I was following didn’t originally call for it, but I thought it would elevate the flavor and determined that the perfect amount is about one tablespoon. It gives the chocolate dough that fudgy, almost brownie-like taste without overpowering the other elements in the cookie. And let’s be honest, there are a lot, so you don’t want to miss out! I used Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa, but for a lighter chocolatey taste, you can sub in regular.
- Mix-ins: Yum, the best part. Okay, so for my batch of Peppermint Oreo Swirl Cookies, I used mini Oreos, mini Brach’s candy canes, white chocolate chips, and dark chocolate chips. For the crushed elements, I just put them in a big plastic bag and broke them into chunks using the flat side of a meat tenderizer. And let me just say, the flavor combination is incredible. Coupled with the dueling doughs? Yum. I don’t recommend substituting or leaving anything out, but you can play with the amounts if you want.
- Customizations: These cookies leave a lot of leeway for creativity. Play with the ratios! Prefer chocolate over vanilla? Up the cocoa powder to two tablespoons and add it to all of the dough. Vice versa? Omit it. Add more Oreos, more white chocolate, whatever your heart desires. Crispy cookie lover? Bake for 15 minutes. Love chewy cookies, like me? Go for 9 and let them cook extra on the baking tray. The world is your cookie⏤ er, oyster. And with that, we shall discuss the process.
process for peppermint oreo swirl cookies
dough
The dough for these Peppermint Oreo Swirl Cookies starts by creaming softened butter, tightly packed brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. Then, you add in the egg and vanilla. As I said earlier, be careful not to overmix! Their chewy, soft texture is the thing that makes these cookies so addicting, so definitely don’t be too zealous with your stand mixer. You want the egg and butter/sugars to be just combined.
While that’s beating, you’ll whisk together the dry ingredients until evenly mixed. Once the wet ingredients are looking good and combined (I have a picture above for reference), start pouring in the flour, baking soda, and salt. I usually work in batches to make it easier on myself, but this dough isn’t delicate by any means, so feel free to dump it all in at once! I am not responsible for the possible resulting flour spray, though.
the fun stuff: mix-ins ✯
Now, things get exciting. Separate the dough into two equal halves and add a tablespoon of (preferably dark) cocoa into one half. This will be your chocolate dough! Try not to sneak too many nibbles of it, though I know it will be tempting. To be completely honest, the dough was a little too tough for me to effectively stir in the cocoa powder, so I kneaded it in with my hands, and followed suit for the mix-ins. Hey, it works.
Time for the Christmassy part! Mix the white and dark chocolate chips together in a small bowl and add half into each type of dough. Then, I poured in equal parts Oreo pieces and candy cane chunks into both the chocolate and vanilla base. In my first batch, I regulated Oreo crumbs to the chocolate and peppermint to the vanilla, but after remaking the cookies I don’t think it really matters. Mix in freely!
forming the cookies
The “forming” of a cookie is usually the least complicated part in any recipe, but not here! However, I promise it’s all worth it. If you’re using a cookie scoop, you’ll start by taking half a scoop of vanilla dough and filling the rest up with chocolate, like so. If you’re using your hands, just tear off an equal hunk of each! You could also use a tablespoon measurement; that’s nearly the amount I did to constitute 24 servings.
Cookie-scoop or spoon users, you’ll next want to remove your split truffle of dough from the scoop and get handsy with it! It may not come out easily with the removal mechanism, but don’t be afraid to dig it out with another utensil or your fingers, it won’t affect the overall aesthetic of the cookies because we’ll be rolling them into rounded balls at the end anyway.
Next comes a ~very~ crucial step for the distinctive look of these Peppermint Oreo Swirl Cookies. Take the half-and-half ball of dough and squish it between your fingers, folding over the two sides so that the two colors are perfectly marbled together. This is what makes the cookies look so whimsical, and not just like a black-and-white cookie⏤ no shade, they’re just not Christmassy. Ensure that the two doughs are sufficiently molded together before moving on.
Finally, roll the squished cookie dough between your palms until you get a smooth, rounded ball. This will prevent the edges from looking jagged. Make sure you are folding and smoothing your dough and not blending it! Don’t smush it too much, or else you won’t get that wonderful contrast of colors and flavors. It should look layered and, as I said earlier, marbled, like my pic on the left.
bake
Lastly, gently press down on the tops of the cookies with your fingertips to flatten them. After that very high-maintenance cookie marbling process is finished, they’re ready to be placed on a lined baking tray and baked for 10 minutes! For the bake itself, I recommend erring on the side of underbaked for these. If they come out crunchier, they’ll still be really tasty, but these are meant to have a more tender crumb. Sooo, take ’em out early.
If you want to add a little flair to your cookies, before placing them in the oven, press some leftover candy cane pieces into the tops! I especially recommend this in case you plan to give these as gifts. That’s exactly what I did, and they went over great! My cookies looked extra festive and tasted even better with the addition of the peppermint garnish. You could do the same with any of the mix-ins, really.
After your cookies get golden and crisp around the edges, take them out! The middle should still be jiggly, so you’ll let them set up on the hot baking tray for about 5 minutes. This cooks the interior without getting it dried-out and cakey, and it’s personally a method that I am a HUGE proponent of. Then, transfer the cookies to a wire rack, let cool, and enjoy! Hint: they’re best fresh.
Then, your Peppermint Oreo Swirl cookies are officially done! Best served with a cup of cold milk during a movie marathon or game night with your family. <3
Let the fudgy chocolate dough, dreamy melty chocolate, minty candy cane pieces, and bitter Oreo wafers whisk you into a sugar-induced sleep. Or, eat them for breakfast on Christmas morning. I’ve certainly been there, done that, and cookies first thing in the morning make for a holly-jolly start for your day. In short, enjoy in whatever way makes you happy. 🙂 Here’s how you can make them yourselves.
recipe
Peppermint Oreo Swirl Cookies
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking tray
- Parchment paper
- Tenderizer
Ingredients
cookies
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
mix-ins
- 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
- 20 mini candy canes crushed, about 1/3 cup
- 1/2 cup Oreos crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking trays with parchment paper. Place Oreos and candy canes in a zip-top plastic bag and smash, using a tenderizer or the back of a wooden spoon, until they are in large chunks. Set aside.
- Cream softened butter and both sugars until fluffy. Pour in the vanilla and the egg and beat until just combined; if the cookies are overmixed at this stage, they'll be tough.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, salt, and baking soda). Mix into the dough in 3 batches on medium speed. Once the dry and wet ingredients are well-combined, split the dough into two halves (I just eyeball it). To one half, stir in the tablespoon of cocoa powder.
- Toss together both varieties of chocolate chips and divide them equally among the two doughs. Then, stir the Oreo pieces into the chocolate dough, and the candy cane pieces into the vanilla dough.
- Scoop the cookie dough onto the baking sheets. If you are using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop half of each type of dough into the spoon. Remove from the scoop and fold/squish the two doughs together, giving the chocolate & vanilla a "marbled" look. Do NOT blend them together! Roll the ball of dough in between your palms until is it smooth, then place on your baking sheet and flatten slightly using your fingertips. If you are using your hands, simply grab equal parts chocolate & vanilla dough and follow the same instructions.
- Place cookies in the oven and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the middle is slightly set. Do NOT overbake! Once cookies are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to finish setting up on the hot baking tray for around 5 minutes.
- Transfer finished cookies onto a wire rack, let cool, and enjoy, preferably with a glass of milk while opening presents. 😉
Notes
- Recipe from www.SoCosmopoliteen.com
- Merry Christmas!
fín
So, there you have it! A holly-jolly, excessively festive Christmas cookie recipe. These are so delicious and addicting and the flavors compliment this wintry time of year so well. The cookies themselves are a real crowd-pleaser and will be a well-appreciated component of any Christmas gift or holiday party, but the baking experience in of itself is also really fun. It would be a perfect chance to bond with family members during the season, and kids would also enjoy helping make these Peppermint Oreo Swirl cookies, what with all the tasty mix-ins and their inviting look.
In short, MAKE THESE! They were highly requested for a reason, and to me, the product of all the best Christmas flavors.
As always, if you bake these, let me know what you think! And have a very merry Christmas. 🙂
I seriously hope you love this post,
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