Shaped like candy canes or rounds, these Peppermint Swirl Cookies are a soft and chewy cake mix cookie recipe that’s easy to make.
When it comes to holiday cookies, there are plenty out there to choose from. But this year I have really been feeling the peppermint craze and it shows with these Peppermint Swirl Cookies.
I love how easily they come together with the help of cake mix. This also ensures that they have a delicious flavor and are super soft and chewy too.
I really love how fun these cookies are. We made them in both traditional rounds that turned into a marbled look when using the two colors of dough.
But then we took those colors and twisted them together to make adorable candy canes too.
swirl cookies
Once we finished baking these up we decided that a little extra chocolate drizzle would really give these a holiday feel. You can add some too or leave them plain.
Either way, these cookies are filled with great peppermint flavor, and definitely didn’t last long around here.
Here are some commonly asked questions
How do I properly measure the flour?
The official way is to spoon the flour into the measuring cup & level off. This makes sure the flour isn’t packed tightly into your measuring cup, adding more than you need, as that will make your recipe too dry.
However – if you fluff your flour with a spoon, then gently scoop the flour into the measuring cup, taking care to not pack the flour – that should work for this recipe.
Can these cookies be frozen?
If you wish to freeze these cookies it is best done before they are decorated. Make sure to wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then place them in either a zip-top bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 4 months.
Can I use a gluten-free flour?
I’m not sure just yet. I have been meaning to give this a try but haven’t had a chance. If you do try this, I would recommend using a 1:1 flour like this one as I don’t believe it would require additional ingredients that are typically called for when trying to make baked recipes in a gluten-free version. Please come back & tell me how it turned out.
HOW DO YOU MAKE Peppermint Swirl Cookies?
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the cake mix, oil, flour and extract into a mixing bowl and blend on medium until well mixed.
- Divide the dough in half.
- Add red food coloring to ½ of the dough and work together until it has disbursed throughout the dough and it is all one color.
- Using a small scoop or one level tablespoon, make 12 dough balls out of each color.
- Divide each ball of cookie dough in half – ending with 24 small dough pieces of each color.
- Using one red and one white dough ball, roll together until the desired “swirl” is achieved.
- Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 7-9 minutes.
- Allow to cool on pan for approximately 1 minute before transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Decorate
- Place the candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second increments at 50% power, stirring in between each interval until melted and smooth.
- Drizzle the cookies with the melted chocolate and add sprinkles.
Candy Canes
- Start with each color side by side. Pressing gently, roll the dough until they are about 1.5” long.
- Start to twist a few times, keeping the dough portion short still.
- Lay on a flat surface and continue to roll until each portion is about 5” in length.
- Carefully pick up and place the dough on the cookie sheet and then bend the top portion to create the hook.
- Bake 7-9 minutes.
- Allow to cool on pan for approximately 1 minute, transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Decorate as desired using the same method as the round cookies.
Notes
*In a liquid measuring cup, place one tablespoon of peppermint extract. Then add the vegetable oil to the ½ cup mark. If you add the extract first, you will ensure the TOTAL oil content is ½ cup.
** You could use a ½ tablespoon measuring spoon if you have it. In that case, make 24 out of each color.
Remember that if they are scraggly looking going in the oven, they will be scraggly coming out.
peppermint cookie recipes
To make Peppermint Swirl Cookies you will need…
- white cake mix
- vegetable oil *
- all-purpose flour
- peppermint extract*
- Red food coloring
Decorating
- white chocolate candy melts
- holiday sprinkles if desired
cookies swirl
Can I make these in a different color?
Yes, absolutely, that will work just fine. That’s the fun part about these cookies is that they can be made in any color for any occasion.
Products I love when making peppermint swirl cookies…
This peppermint cookie recipe is SUPER EASY and delicious – and if you’re like me this time of year, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made cake mix cookies before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love them. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this cookie recipe.
- white cake mix
- vegetable oil
- all-purpose flour
- peppermint extract
- Red food coloring
- white chocolate candy melts
- holiday sprinkles if desired
- mixing bowls
- mixer
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
peppermint cookie recipe
If you love this peppermint cookie recipe, you’re going to love these other cookies too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
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Peppermint Swirl Cookies
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz white cake mix
- ½ cup vegetable oil *
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp peppermint extract*
- Red food coloring I used 10 drops for half the dough
Decorating
- 6 ounces white chocolate candy melts
- holiday sprinkles if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the cake mix, oil, flour and extract into a mixing bowl and blend on medium until well mixed.
- Divide the dough in half.
- Add red food coloring to ½ of the dough and work together until it has disbursed throughout the dough and it is all one color.
- Using a small scoop or one level tablespoon, make 12 dough balls out of each color.
- Divide each ball of cookie dough in half – ending with 24 small dough pieces of each color.
- Using one red and one white dough ball, roll together until the desired “swirl” is achieved.
- Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 7-9 minutes.
- Allow to cool on pan for approximately 1 minute before transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Decorate
- Place the candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second increments at 50% power, stirring in between each interval until melted and smooth.
- Drizzle the cookies with the melted chocolate and add sprinkles.
Candy Canes
- Start with each color side by side. Pressing gently, roll the dough until they are about 1.5” long.
- Start to twist a few times, keeping the dough portion short still.
- Lay on a flat surface and continue to roll until each portion is about 5” in length.
- Carefully pick up and place the dough on the cookie sheet and then bend the top portion to create the hook.
- Bake 7-9 minutes.
- Allow to cool on pan for approximately 1 minute, transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Decorate as desired using the same method as the round cookies.
Notes
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
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