Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the center.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

If you plan to chill dough, set aside a small plate or tray for the dough balls.

In a medium bowl, measure and add: all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.

Whisk the dry ingredients together until evenly combined and there are no visible streaks.

Pro tip: Sift the cocoa powder if it’s lumpy, then whisk continuously to prevent lumps — it makes the batter much smoother.

In a large bowl, pour in the melted unsalted butter. Let it sit 1–2 minutes so it cools slightly (you don’t want to scramble the eggs).

Add granulated sugar and brown sugar to the butter. Stir or beat for about 60 seconds until the mixture is glossy and most of the sugar is dissolved.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition so the batter becomes smooth.

Stir in the vanilla extract and the ½ teaspoon peppermint extract. Taste a tiny bit of the batter (optional) to check peppermint level — peppermint extract is strong, so a little goes a long way.

Pro tip: Use a hand mixer on low for the sugars + butter step if you want a silkier texture; otherwise vigorous whisking works fine.

Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in two additions. Fold with a spatula until just combined — stop as soon as you don’t see streaks of flour.

Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

Pro tip: Don’t overmix here. Overworking the dough develops gluten and will make the cookies cakier instead of fudgy—this recipe aims for a brownie-like chew.

If you prefer thicker, fudgier cookies, cover the bowl and chill the dough for 20–30 minutes. Chilling firms the butter and prevents spreading.

If you’re short on time, you can skip chilling — the cookies will spread a little more and still taste delicious.

Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop (or a rounded tablespoon for slightly smaller cookies) to portion dough. Drop scoops onto the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

Gently press a few extra chocolate chips on top of each dough mound and sprinkle with the crushed candy canes so they stick while baking.

Bake on the center rack for 10–12 minutes:

10 minutes — center will be soft and fudgy (my personal favorite).

12 minutes — slightly more set and a bit cakier.

Look for slightly cracked tops and set edges; the centers should still look a touch underbaked.

Pro tip: Remove the cookies when the centers are still a bit soft — they’ll finish setting on the hot sheet and stay gooey instead of dry.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (this helps them firm up), then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Layer with parchment to avoid sticking.

To freeze: flash-freeze baked cookies on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. You can also freeze scooped raw dough (flash-freeze, then bag) and bake from frozen — add 1–2 minutes to bake time.