Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
Made with a sugar cookie mix and 6 simple staples, then topped with crushed candy canes, this recipe for Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies is a holiday classic!
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Table of Contents
  1. Why We Love This Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
  2. Ingredients
  3. Substitutions and Additions
  4. How to Make the Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
  5. TIPS
  6. Storage Tips
  7. Other Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes
  8. Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

This recipe for Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies is a holiday favorite at our house. These are so simple to make using sugar cookie mix, a few pantry ingredients and then topped with crushed bits of candy cane. They are so festive and are perfect for a holiday cookie exchange or to serve at your Christmas party.

Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies

Why We Love This Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

  • Quick and easy to make because of the sugar cookie shortcut.
  • Only uses 6 basic ingredients and a cookie mix.
  • The filling for these cookies is simply melted chocolate–no need for a complicated chocolate ganache.
  • Freezer-friendly so they can be prepared in advance, then defrosted just in time for all the festivities.
  • Fun to make with kids and decorate with festive candy.
  • Perfectly pretty for any Christmas cookie platter, holiday party, or cookie exchange.
Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

  • Package sugar cookie mix: I used a Pillsbury Cookie Mix but have also used Betty Crocker mix and it worked great. 
  • Salted butter: Unsalted butter can be used, but add an extra pinch of salt for some flavor. 
  • Cocoa powder 
  • Eggs
  • Peppermint extract
  • Chocolate almond bark: Semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate baking bars can work as well for this recipe. 
  • Candy canes: If you don’t have any candy canes, you can use peppermint candies, though they are easiest to crush in a food processor.

Substitutions and Additions

  • Top Your Treat: You can top your chocolate with a Hershey’s kiss, some holiday sprinkles, crushed candy, or chopped nuts.
  • Fun Fillings: For a traditional holiday cookie, feel free to fill the thumbprint with jelly, jam, or caramel.
  • Choose Your Chocolate: While I prefer to use semi-sweet chocolate for this recipe, you can use your favorite flavor–milk chocolate, white chocolate, dark chocolate, or whatever you like best.
Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies

How to Make the Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies

This Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies recipe is so quick and easy because it is made from a cookie mix combined with a few pantry staples. These soft and sweet treats perfectly pair chocolate with peppermint, plus a sprinkle of crushed candy canes for a festively delicious decorative crunch.

  1. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar cookie mix, salted butter, cocoa powder, eggs and peppermint extract until completely combined.Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
  2. Scoop cookie dough using a 1 T measurer and roll into a ball with your hands to create a smooth surface.
  3. Place dough balls on the sheet pans. 
  4. Press an indent into the center of each cookie.
    Pro Tip: Use your thumb or a 1 teaspoon measurer to create the indent. If the cookie starts to crack, mold it back together. To save a step, you can choose to make only one indent into the cookies after they are done baking. You can simply roll the dough into balls and bake as usual. However, I have found that the cookies tend to crack when there’s no indent before baking, but it doesn’t affect anything else.Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
  5. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes or until the middle begins to set. 
    Pro-Tip: If you would like the dough to keep its shape throughout the entire baking process so that you don’t have to make an indent twice, chill the dough for 2-3 hours before baking.
  6. Remove the cookies from the oven and make another indent in the center with your teaspoon measurer.
    Pro Tip: Make sure the hole is nice and prominent. Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
  7. Melt chocolate almond bark in the microwave by heating it in 20 second increments, stirring in between intervals until all the chocolate has melted. 
  8. Pour melted chocolate into the wells of baked cookies with a spoon until it fills the wells completely.Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
  9. Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top before the chocolate sets. Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
  10. Cool, plate, and serve warm. Enjoy!

TIPS

  • For perfect thumbprints, don’t actually have to use your thumb! Instead, I find a round measuring spoon (about 1 teaspoon in size) is perfect for making indentations.
  • Make sure to follow my recipe and NOT the instructions on the back of the cookie mix. 

Storage Tips

  • To Store: If left on the countertop, you can keep your cookies in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Otherwise, keep them in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
  • To Freeze: Once completely cooled, you can store your cookies in an airtight container in the freezer for about 3 months. When thawing frozen cookies, put them at room temperature until they have warmed. 
Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
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Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies

Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies

Author — Jake
Serves — 24
Made with a sugar cookie mix and 6 simple staples, then topped with crushed candy canes, this recipe for Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies is a holiday classic!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 17.5 ounce package sugar cookie mix
  • ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter softened
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 large eggs
  • tsp peppermint extract
  • 8 ounces chocolate almond bark chopped (about 1 cup or 4 squares)
  • ¼ cup crushed candy canes

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Use a beater to mix the sugar cookie mix, salted butter, cocoa powder, eggs and peppermint extract together in a large bowl until completely combined.
  • Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  • Scoop 1-inch balls of the cookie dough (I used a 1 Tablespoon measurer). Roll each ball in between hands to create a smooth surface and place on the sheet pans.
  • Use your thumb or a 1 teaspoon measurer to press an indent into the center of each cookie. If the cookie starts to crack, mold it back together.
  • Bake the cookies in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until the middle begins to set.
  • Take cookies out of the oven and carefully make another indent in the center with your teaspoon measurer to make sure the hole is nice and prominent.
  • Allow to cool while preparing the chocolate almond bark.
  • Melt chocolate almond bark in the microwave by placing chopped bark in a microwave safe bowl. Heat the bark in 20 second increments, stirring in between intervals until all the chocolate bark has melted.
  • Pour melted chocolate almond bark into the wells in the cookies with a spoon until it fills the wells completely.
  • Before the almond bark sets, sprinkle crushed candy canes on top.
  • Let the almond bark cool for 3-5 minutes before plating and serving while the cookies are still slightly warm.

Notes

Storage:
  • To Store: If left on the countertop, you can keep your cookies in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Otherwise, keep them in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
  • To Freeze: Once completely cooled, you can store your cookies in an airtight container in the freezer for about 3 months. When thawing frozen cookies, put them at room temperature until they have warmed. 
Tips:
  • The easiest way to crush the candy canes is by placing them in a plastic baggie and smashing them with a rolling pin. You can also use a food processor, but it creates more pink powder than candy cane pieces. 
  • To get more cookies out of this mix, make the dough balls slightly smaller. They will expand a little bit in the oven, so even small balls of dough will be able to hold the melted chocolate. This recipe is slightly different from other thumbprint cookie recipes, because it is made with a premade cookie mix, which is why the cookie expands a little bit. Keep that in mind when making your dough balls and make them on the smaller side.
  • To save a step, you can choose to make only one indent into the cookies after they are done baking. You can simply roll the dough into balls and bake as usual. However, I have found that the cookies tend to crack when there’s no indent before baking, but it doesn’t affect anything else.
  • If you would like the dough to keep its shape throughout the entire baking process so that you don’t have to make an indent twice, chill the dough for 2-3 hours before baking.
  • For perfect thumbprints, don’t actually have to use your thumb! Instead, I find a round measuring spoon (about 1 teaspoon in size) is perfect for making indentations.
  • Make sure to follow my recipe and NOT the instructions on the back of the cookie mix. 

Nutrition Info

Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 100mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 138IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
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About MOMMA MADE MEALS

Hi! We are Jenn & Jake. Mom and son working together to pass our family favorite recipes down from generation to generation.

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