Healthy Peppermint Brownie Sandwich Cookies

I can't believe it's the last day of the 2nd annual Cookie Week! It's gone too fast.

So far, we've made oatmeal cranberry cookies, kitchen sink cookie bars, chocolate chip sugar cookies, and oatmeal snickerdoodles.

(If you haven't tried any of those cookies yet, you're missing out!)

When I was deciding on the fifth and final recipe, I realized I'd released some variation of chocolate peppermint cookies each year since I started blogging, so why not add another one?

These healthy peppermint brownie sandwich cookies are just... incredible. Fudgy chocolate cookies, candy canes, dark chocolate chips, and peppermint buttercream. Are you drooling yet?

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Why you'll love this recipe

No chill time: you can have your cookies ready in less than an hour, start to finish.

No brownie mix: these brownie cookies are made from scratch!

Low sugar: thanks to some healthier swaps, each cookie has about 40% less calories than a regular recipe.

Easy to make: unlike other brownie cookie recipes that require you to melt the chocolate and butter, whip the eggs and sugar endlessly, and very very quickly portion the "cookie dough" onto a baking sheet, this recipe mimics the flavor and texture of a fudgy brownie without actually making thick brownie batter. Sure, the cookies don't have perfectly crinkly tops, but they're way easier to make, don't require a double boiler, and taste just as amazing!

Festive: the chocolate and peppermint combination is perfect for the holiday season.

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Equipment you'll need

• Cookie sheets with parchment paper
• Stand mixer with whisk attachment and paddle attachment (or electric hand mixer and large bowl)
• Rubber spatula (for the dough and the buttercream)
• Cookie scoop or measuring spoon
• Wire rack or cooling rack
• Piping bag and piping tip (optional)

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Ingredients you'll need

• Vegan butter: I like this brand (not sponsored) because it's 100% plant based without any inflammatory oils or artificial stabilizers. Feel free to use any unsalted butter you like, though. You'll need some for the cookies and for the buttercream frosting.
• Brown sugar: to create stability in the cookie dough and help it spread. You could substitute coconut sugar, but your cookies might be a bit more granulated and have a slight caramel flavor.
• Stevia: a plant-based, zero-calorie sweetener to replace granulated sugar.
• Large egg: to bind the wet and dry ingredients. Make sure it's room temperature!
• Vanilla extract: to bring out the chocolate flavor
• Peppermint extract: a necessity! You'll need some for the chocolate
• Gluten free all purpose flour: use a high quality brand like Bob's Red Mill that has xanthan gum in it. Or use regular all purpose flour. Whichever is best for you.
• Cacao powder: a more nutrient-dense version of cocoa powder with vitamins, antioxidants, and no added sugar. I love this brand and you can find it at most stores. Do not use dutch-process cocoa powder! To learn why, check out this article from Sally's Baking Addiction.
• Baking soda and baking powder: a mix of both gives the cookies the perfect texture without any chill time. Don't go changing the recipe here.
• Salt: to balance the sweetness of the cookies and buttercream.
• Crushed peppermint candies: you can use the round ones or candy canes.
• Dark chocolate chips: I used a Stevia sweetened brand, but any chocolate chips will work. You could even use white chocolate chips!
• Powdered sugar: I used sugar free powdered sugar to keep the overall added sugar to a minimum, but you can use regular powdered sugar too. Just check the recipe notes on the recipe card if you make the swap. If you want to use the SF version but can't find any at your grocery store, you can get them here on Amazon.
• Greek yogurt: to replace some of the butter in the buttercream. You can use plain, vanilla, or dairy free greek yogurt here.
• Red or pink food coloring: totally optional, but I love the color of the light pink frosting. It really screams "peppermint filling" to me! I love this set of vegan, non-toxic food coloring.

How to make chocolate peppermint sandwich cookies

Step 1: prep the kitchen

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add the peppermint candies to a ziplock bag and crush into tiny pieces. Set aside.

Step 2: cream the wet ingredients

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, and Stevia on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Scrape down the sides and the bottom, then mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until well combined, about 1 more minute.

Step 3: mix the dry ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Slowly incorporate the flour mixture into the wet ingredients on low speed until a few streaks of flour remain.

Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in 1/2 cup of the crushed candy canes and all of the chocolate chips.

Step 4: bake the cookies

Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out all of the cookie dough into equal sized balls. Place 10 balls of dough on each of the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, then let cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before frosting.

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Step 5: make the buttercream

Combine butter, greek yogurt, powdered sugar, peppermint extract, red food coloring, and salt in a large bowl or stand mixer. Mix on medium high speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth.

Add more salt to taste, then fold the remaining crushed peppermint candies into the buttercream with a rubber spatula a few times.

Step 6: sandwich the cookies

Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, generously frost the bottom of half of the cookies until the frosting is finished.

Gently press the bottom of another cookie on top of a frosted cookie to create a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining cookies. You should have 10 brownie cookie sandwiches.

How to store sandwich cookies

Place the cookies in a single layer in an airtight container. Store on the counter at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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More holiday cookies

Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Mini Chocolate Peppermint Pies

Healthy Oatmeal Snickerdoodles

Mini Banana Cream Pie Cookie Cups

Chewy Snowman Molasses Cookies

Frosted Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies

I hope you absolutely love these peppermint brownie cookies. They're fudgy, filled with peppermint candies, and just the perfect holiday cookie.

Be sure to leave a star rating and review if you try the recipe so other readers know how you liked it! You can also take a picture and tag me on social media. Happy baking!