Stack of peppermint chocolate ganache thumbprint cookies surrounded by crushed peppermint and a glass of milk and brown towel behind all on a wooden surface (with logo overlay)

Peppermint Chocolate Ganache Thumbprint Cookies

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Traditional thumbprint sugar cookies get a holiday twist with a chocolate ganache filling sprinkled with peppermint pieces.

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My boys (ok, Justin and me too) are loving all the holiday cookies and desserts we have been trying lately. It’s all for the blog, right?! Well, this week we made another delicious recipe: Peppermint Chocolate Ganache Thumbprint Cookies.

I started with a recipe from one of my many magazines. Unfortunately, the dough did not come out right at all so I had to modify a little bit as I went. The dough didn’t look pretty, but they still tasted amazing!

Tyler tried to help with making the thumbprints in the cookies. After making the first batch, I noticed that his little thumbs weren’t making enough of an indent in the cookie. Even some of the ones I did the first batch weren’t enough. You have to make a decent dent in the cookies because it will close up a little as they bake.

Peppermint Chocolate Ganache Thumbprint Cookies Step by Step

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter (softened)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips (semisweet)
  • 3 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup peppermint candies (crushed)

Preparation

Start by combining the sugars and the softened butter.

Whisk attachment lifting whisked butter and sugar from a stand mixer on a white surface

Add the rest of the dough ingredients and mix it up. When I added the flour, the dough was still very dry, so I added an extra egg and some more vanilla extract until it became a little more of a dough that would stick together. Don’t worry, I updated the recipe to reflect this change.

Young boy pouring ingredients into a stand mixer
Prepared cookie dough in a stainless steel bowl on a wooden surface

Gather about a tablespoon of dough, and roll it into a ball. Then flatten the dough on a baking stone.

Young boy using a cookie scoop to place cookies on a baking stone on top of a white surface
Balls of cookie dough on a baking stone with a cookie scoop on a white surface

Use your thumbs to make indents in the center of the cookies. Make the indent bigger than you think you need because it will close up as they bake.

Young boy pressing thumbprints into balls of cookie dough on a baking stone on a white surface

Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes and then let them sit on the pan for a couple of minutes. Then move them to a wire rack to let them cool completely.

Baked thumbprint cookies on a wire cooling rack on a white surface

Once the cookies are cool, make the ganache by melting the chocolate chips with the cream and stir it up.

Round white bowl with melted chocolate in front of baked thumbprint cookies on a wire cooling rack all on a white surface

Add a spoonful of the ganache to the center fo the cookies, and sprinkle the peppermint pieces on the chocolate.

Stack of peppermint chocolate ganache thumbprint cookies surrounded by crushed peppermint and a glass of milk and brown towel behind all on a wooden surface (vertical)

Recipe

Originally Published On: February 7, 2017

Last Updated On: July 31, 2023

Stack of peppermint chocolate ganache thumbprint cookies surrounded by crushed peppermint and a glass of milk and brown towel behind all on a wooden surface

Peppermint Chocolate Ganache Thumbprint Cookies

Traditional thumbprint sugar cookies get a holiday twist with a chocolate ganache filling sprinkled with peppermint pieces.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
American
Keyword:
chocolate
|
cookies
|
holidays
|
peppermint
Servings: 36 cookies
5 from 4 votes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter (softened)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips (semisweet)
  • 3 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup peppermint candies (crushed)

Recommended Equipment

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375F
  • Mix the butter and sugars together
  • Add the eggs, vanilla, and salt
  • Stir in the flour and baking powder gradually until a dough forms
  • Grab 1 tablespoon of dough and roll into a ball then flatten
  • Use thumbs to make a large indent in the cookies
  • Bake for about 12 minutes then let sit on the pan for another 5
  • Transfer to a wire cooling rack until completely cool
  • Combine chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl and melt, 30 seconds at a time, until they are fully melted
  • Let the ganache rest for about 5 minutes, then drop a spoonful on each cookie
  • Top with crushed peppermint candies
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Nutrition Facts
Peppermint Chocolate Ganache Thumbprint Cookies
Amount Per Serving (1 cookie)
Calories 141 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 4g20%
Cholesterol 24mg8%
Sodium 84mg4%
Potassium 25mg1%
Carbohydrates 18g6%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 200IU4%
Calcium 14mg1%
Iron 0.6mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

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51 thoughts on “Peppermint Chocolate Ganache Thumbprint Cookies”

  2. lovecoconilla

    yumm, I’m a sucker for christmas cookies like these! Saving this for later! I love that you added peppermint pieces!

    Reply
  9. toastycritic

    These cookies do look so cool. And I can think of good uses, but I think we would do some other candy than peppermint. My daughter just doesn’t seem to get into that. But thanks for the great recipe nevertheless.

    Reply
  19. Angela Tolsma

    One of our friends was just saying that I needed to make thumbprint cookies and it’s something I have never done. These look delicious and I love that you did ganache instead of baking fruit.

    Reply
  20. Becca Wilson

    Thumbprint cookies are so very good. I love that this has so many great flavors in it and not just a chocolate kiss.

    Reply
  21. Marcela

    5 stars
    The cookies are looking amazing. I love peppermint and chocolate on the cookies. I have saved this recipe so I can try it on the Christmas. We are hosting this year family lunch 🙂.

    Reply
  25. Di

    These look delicious. I love that it’s a project can do together with the kids too! I’m sure they love putting their thumbprints in the cookies!

    Reply

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