Chocolate Peppermint Cake Mix Cookies
Chewy chocolate cake mix cookies topped with vanilla buttercream and crushed peppermint candies. These festive cookies are simple to make, full of holiday flavor, and perfect for cookie trays or Christmas party desserts.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
- 1 box chocolate cake mix 15.25 oz
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder or crushed instant coffee (optional)
Buttercream Frosting and Decoration
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened *See note about frosting
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tbsp milk or heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup crusted peppermint candies or candy canes
Instructions
Make Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, oil, eggs, flour, and espresso powder (or instant coffee) until a thick dough forms.
- Scoop about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough per cookie onto prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each.
- Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft. Let the cookies cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosted and Decorate
- If you haven’t already, place your peppermint candies or candy canes into a zip-top bag and crush them into small pieces.
- Beat softened butter in a large bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low until combined. Add 1 tablespoon milk (or cream) and vanilla and beat until smooth and fluffy. Adjust with more milk or powdered sugar if needed.
- Spread or pipe the vanilla buttercream onto each cooled cookie (I like to pipe the frosting on with a piping bag with no tip). Immediately sprinkle crushed peppermint candies over the top, gently pressing them in so they stickl
Notes
*A note about frosting: This recipe as written makes enough for a thin-ish layer of frosting for each cookie. If you like a thicker swirl of buttercream (like I do!), consider making 1.5x the frosting recipe to be safe.