Santa Claus is coming to town, so be sure to make some No-Bake Chocolate Peppermint Cookies with a light and fluffy Marshmallow Peppermint Frosting that is cooling, sweet, and decadent! Santa’s new favorite house will be yours, too.
Happy Holidays! Do you have kiddos asking when it’s time to bake cookies for Santa? Well, the time is now! Baking cookies for Santa is a favorite pastime of many and it’s fun to change up the cookies every now and then. After all, Santa needs some cookie variety on his quest to deliver gifts to all of the children.
That said, make sure you and your kids bake these incredible No-Bake Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, perfect for the festive season. Chewy, chocolatey oat cookies are made and topped with a Marshmallow Peppermint Frosting that is out of this world! These minty, rich delights take less than an hour to make and are perfect for a Christmas party, work get-together, or for holiday snacking!
What is a No-Bake Cookie?
Quite literally, a no-bake cookie is one that does not require any oven time. Instead, the cookies sit at room temperature to set and firm up. These cookies require no eggs or raw ingredients that need cooking, so they can be ready in a snap!
Other types of no-bake cookies include marshmallow cereal treats, no-bake energy balls, cow patties (if you’re from the Southern US) and more. They are all chewy, delicious, and easy to make, hence why they are loved by so many!
Ingredients in No-Bake Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
For the cookies:
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2 sticks butter, unsalted
- ½ cup milk, dairy or plant-based
- ¼ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups quick-cooking oats
For the Marshmallow Peppermint Frosting:
- 2 cups whole marshmallows, about 18 large-sized marshmallows
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract (optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 5-6 candy canes, crushed into bits
How to Make No-Bake Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Begin by making the cookies.
In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter together using a hand mixer. Once light and fluffy, add the milk, cocoa, vanilla, and salt. Combine well.
Finally, mix the oats into the sugar mixture, coating each oat with chocolate. The mixture should be easy to work with.
Place heaping tablespoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly into a cookie shape using the back of a spoon. Allow to sit for 1 hour to set up.
Meanwhile, make the Marshmallow Peppermint Frosting.
Place the marshmallows in a microwave-safe bowl and cook in 20-second bursts, stirring in between, until the marshmallows have fully melted. Allow to cool slightly.
Using a hand mixer, beat the lukewarm marshmallow along with the butter. Once combined, add the heavy cream, vanilla, peppermint extract if using, and the powdered sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.
Frost the top of each cookie. While the frosting is still tacky, sprinkle the tops with the crushed candy canes. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
No-Bake Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2 sticks butter, softened and unsalted
- 1/2 cup milk, dairy or plant-based
- 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 cups quick cooking oats
For the Marshmallow Peppermint Frosting:
- 2 cups whole marshmallows, about 18 full-sized marshma
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp peppermint extract (optional)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 5-6 candy canes, crushed into bits
Instructions
- Begin by making the cookies.
- In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter together using a hand mixer. Once light and fluffy, add the milk, cocoa, vanilla, and salt. Combine well.
- Finally, mix the oats into the sugar mixture, coating each oat with chocolate. The mixture should be easy to work with.
- Place heaping tablespoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly into a cookie shape using the back of a spoon. Allow to sit for 1 hour to set up.
- Meanwhile, make the Marshmallow Peppermint Frosting.
- Place the marshmallows in a microwave-safe bowl and cook in 20-second bursts, stirring in between, until the marshmallows have fully melted. Allow to cool slightly.
- Using a hand mixer, beat the lukewarm marshmallow along with the butter. Once combined, add the heavy cream, vanilla, peppermint extract if using, and the powdered sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.
- Frost the top of each cookie. While the frosting is still tacky, sprinkle the tops with the crushed candy canes. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
