Soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie bars are topped with white chocolate peppermint buttercream frosting. These White Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Bars will become a holiday favorite!
If you're looking for more holiday inspired cookies, check out some of my other favorites like my Eggless Sourdough Molasses Cookies, Cranberry Orange Thumbprints, or my Tree Sugar Cookies.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This is a simple chocolate chip cookie bar with a white chocolate peppermint icing. I felt it was the perfect recipes to kick off the season. I used light brown sugar in place of dark brown sugar (which is my usual go to) because I wanted these cookie bars to have a lighter flavor than that of a dark brown sugar.
I made a simple white chocolate peppermint icing to top these easy and simple chocolate chip cookie bars. This is the perfect holiday or Christmas cookie recipe to add to your list this month! They would make an amazing addition to a holiday cookie box.
Tips for White Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Bars
• Make sure your butter is soft, just like when you're making cookies! I like to leave butter out on the counter overnight, as I think it softens best at room temperature. You can soften it in the microwave, but don't do more than 10 seconds at one time. If you microwave too long it can melt parts of the butter, which isn't good.
• Make sure you are using large eggs, if you don't have large and only have medium or extra large then be sure to weigh your eggs so you have the right amount of eggs. Using eggs that are too small will yield in a dry cookie dough, and using eggs that are too large will yield in a wet/sticky cookie dough. One large egg weighs about 50 grams, so if you're using a different size the trick is to scramble them in a separate bowl, and weigh out exactly what you need. Store the extra in an airtight container in the fridge and use them for breakfast or egg was for pies.
• When forming the dough into the pan, make sure it's even so the bars bake up evenly. Otherwise, one side will be thinner and one side will be thicker.
• After frosting the bars, I like to place them in the freezer for 15 or so minutes. This allows me to get really clean cuts. It also hardens the frosting so I can easily cut through it. After that, I wrap each bar up individually in plastic wrap so it stays soft and chewy.
Ingredients for White Chocolate Peppermint Cookie Bars
Homemade Organic Light Brown Sugar
Simply Organic Vanilla Extract
Cairnspring Mills Organic All Purpose Flour (use code MIMIORGANIC15 for 15% off your order!)
Equal Exchange Organic Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
Florida Crystals Organic Powdered Sugar
Organic Valley Heavy Whipping Cream
Frontier Co-Op Organic Peppermint Flavor
Why Organic
Why use organic ingredients in this recipe? You all know I’m a huge organic advocate, and I bet you may be thinking sometimes, Why would I even bother to use organic ingredients in something that is so sweet and indulgent? But, that is the exact reason why you should use organic ingredients! Sweet things need to have flavor in order to be good, otherwise they are just sweet and they don’t taste like much else. Organic ingredients are more pure than conventional ones, therefore they actually have more flavor than the non organic options. Say it with me, organic means more flavor! And not just more flavor but a more true and pure flavor. And organic ingredients are much healthier for you to eat in general as they do not contain GMOs or anything artificial. Plus, you are being environmentally friendly when you choose organic ingredients!
So, I highly recommend that you buy the best organic ingredients for this recipe! You can also shop my Amazon Storefront for all my favorite organic ingredients here. Tip – hover over each ingredient to see the name. And if you want to learn more about organic foods and the difference, read my post here on Food Labels and What They Mean.
Simple and delicious, that's all you need for the holiday and these cookie bars are both! Soft and chewy chocolate chip bars, topped with a white chocolate peppermint icing – it doesn't get anymore festive than this!
Ingredients
- Dough
1/2 cup (113 grams) organic salted butter, softened
113 grams (1/2 cup) organic cane sugar
57 grams (1/4 cup) organic packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
2 organic large eggs
255 grams (2 cups) organic all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
142 grams (3/4 cup) organic semi sweet chocolate chips
- Icing
43 grams (1 1/2 ounces) organic white chocolate, finely chopped
185 grams (1 1/4 cups) organic powdered sugar, sited
2 tablespoons organic salted butter
1/4 cup organic heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon organic peppermint flavor (like Frontier Co-Op)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- To make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cane sugar, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined and there are no chunks of butter. Add the eggs and mix on low to combine.
- In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking soda, and sea salt and whisk together. Add to the butter mixture and mix on low until a stiff dough forms. Add the chocolate chips and mix until combined. Press the dough into the prepared pan so it is evenly dispersed.
- Bake for 32 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely. Remove from the pan and flip over.
- To make the icing: In a double boiler, melt the white chocolate. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the powdered sugar, butter, heavy whipping cream, and peppermint flavor. Mix on low until combined, then add in the melted white chocolate. Speed mixer up to high for 1 minute or until light and fluffy.
- Spread the icing over top of the bars, cut into 9 squares. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Gluten Free – Replace the flour with 269 grams (1 3/4 cups) organic gluten free flour blend.
- Sea Level – Bake at 325°F for 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
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