27 Best Peppermint Recipes for the Holiday Season
Festive cookies, cakes, cocktails to make all December long.
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It's no secret that we love peppermint around here. Ree Drummond even had her very own Christmas movie set in a fictional town called Peppermint Hollow! "If there's one thing that's guaranteed to get me in the holiday spirit, it's peppermint," Ree says. So it's no wonder she has a ton of peppermint recipes that are perfect for your Christmas dessert spread. Whether you're after a candy cane-inspired layer cake or a new Christmas cookie recipe, this list of festive minty treats is full of holiday flavor. We've even included the peppermint brownie bites that Ree's character in Candy Coated Christmas was known for! (The movie might be fictional, but the brownie recipe is very real. 😎)
Of course, this list of peppermint recipes features plenty of chocolate desserts, too. "Chocolate-peppermint is a go-to Christmas combo for me!" says Ree. No matter if you're in the mood for classic Christmas candy like Ree's three-ingredient peppermint fudge, a minty cheesecake, or a holiday-inspired cupcake, you'll find recipes to satisfy all your cocoa cravings. But that's not all! There's also light and airy peppermint meringues and candy cane cookies to add to your holiday baking list. Speaking of candy canes, there's no dessert more spectacular than the candy cane cake for Christmas. Just be sure to save a candy cane or two to garnish a peppermint martini! After all, it's the ultimate Christmas cocktail to celebrate the season.
Peppermint Fudge
An excellent and easy homemade food gift, this three-ingredient candy is a wonderful addition to Christmas gift boxes. Slice it into small squares—it's ultra rich!
Get Ree's Peppermint Fudge recipe.
Peppermint Martini
Kick off happy hour or finish a big holiday meal with this festive peppermint martini. The red sugared rim is completely optional, but highly encouraged.
Get the Peppermint Martini recipe.
Candy Cane Cake
Impress your entire family with this stunning layer cake! The cake is made using boxed cake mix (plus some peppermint extract stirred in). And don't worry, frosting it is easier than it looks.
Get Ree's Candy Cane Cake recipe.
Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting
This chocolate cupcake recipe can work throughout the year, but you can top with a festive peppermint frosting come Christmastime.
Get Ree's Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting recipe.
Peppermint Cheesecake
This show-stopping Christmas cheesecake has a chocolate cookie crust, a peppermint cream cheese filling, and a decadent topping of chocolate ganache with peppermint candies for good measure.
Get Ree's Peppermint Cheesecake recipe.
Peppermint Brownies
These brownies have double the peppermint flavor thanks to peppermint extract in the brownie batter and crushed peppermint candies on top.
Get Ree's Peppermint Brownies recipe.
Peppermint Bark
You only need three ingredients to make this festive Christmas treat. Place the bark in a festive tin and wrap it in ribbon for a sweet holiday gift.
Get Ree's Peppermint Bark recipe.
Chocolate Peppermint Sheet Cake
Looking for a Christmas dessert that feeds a crowd? You can't go wrong with a big sheet cake in a festive holiday flavor.
Get Ree's Chocolate Peppermint Sheet Cake recipe.
Peppermint Hot Cocoa Mix
Make jars of homemade peppermint hot cocoa for your friends, family, or your kid's teachers this holiday season. If you have extra, make one for yourself. You'll be happy to keep a jar in the pantry for those chilly winter nights.
Get Ree's Peppermint Hot Cocoa Mix recipe.
Chocolate-Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
These rich chocolatey cookies are filled with a milk chocolate center that's hard to resist. For an added crunch (and holiday flavor), sprinkle crushed peppermint candies over before the milk chocolate sets.
Chocolate-Peppermint Slice-and-Bake Cookies
This chocolate cookie dough will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months so it's perfect for making ahead of your annual cookie swap. When the time comes, just slice, bake, and decorate with melted chocolate and peppermint candy.
Get Ree's Chocolate-Peppermint Slice-and-Bake Cookies recipe.
Candy Cane Cookies
These cute treats don't just look like candy canes, they have a classic minty peppermint flavor, too!
Get the Candy Cane Cookies recipe.
Chocolate-Ribboned Peppermint Ice Cream
Ice cream in winter? Yes, please! This holiday-flavored treat starts with a creamy, vanilla peppermint base and has fun mix-ins, like thick ribbons of dark chocolate-peppermint fudge and crushed peppermint candies.
Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
Here's a fun Christmas activity: Get the kids to help dip the cookies in melted almond bark and decorate with red and green peppermint candies.
Get Ree's Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies recipe.
Peppermint Meringues
These meringues are light, airy, and filled with peppermint flavor. Plus, they have pretty red and white swirls that will stand out on any Christmas cookie plate.
Get Ree's Peppermint Meringues recipe.
Peppermint Chocolate Pie
Holiday pies aren't just for Thanksgiving! This one with melt-in-your-mouth chocolate filling and a hint of peppermint extract is perfect for Christmas.
Frosted Peppermint Brownie Cookies
Is it a cookie or is it a brownie? Who cares when it's topped with a fluffy peppermint cream cheese frosting?!
Get the Frosted Peppermint Brownie Cookies recipe at Mike Bakes NYC.
Red Velvet Peppermint Poke Cake
This recipe starts with a box of red velvet cake mix, and transforms into a peppermint treat topped with hot chocolate frosting.
Get the Red Velvet Peppermint Poke Cake recipe at Beyond Frosting.
Pink Peppermint Popcorn
Whether you're trimming the tree or watching your favorite Christmas movie, this sweet candy-coated popcorn is the perfect snack. It's sweet, salty, and loaded with peppermint.
Peppermint White Chocolate Cookies
These soft and chewy cookies have plenty of vanilla and white chocolate flavor, but it's the crushed candy canes that make them perfect for the holidays.
Get the Peppermint White Chocolate Cookies recipe at Sally's Baking Addiction.
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