Sourdough Peppermint Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

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These Sourdough Peppermint Double Chocolate Chip Cookies are a favorite every winter in our home (and truly throughout the year). We love that they taste just as good when you replace the cane sugar with coconut sugar. Although we haven't found a candy cane made with any natural sweetener except cane sugar, we use YumEarth Candy Canes; a naturally-dyed alternative that we feel comfortable using.

Same-Day Recipe (Short Ferment)

Follow the recipe as laid out below for a cookie that will be ready in about 3 hours after mixing, chilling, and baking is all said and done.

The Next Day Recipe (Long Ferment)

Most of the time, we plan for a next-day bake to take advantage of the longer fermented benefits. This gives the sourdough starter more time to break down the gluten and make the cookie easier to digest.

When to add the candy cane dust?

If you want a crunchy bite, add the dust BEFORE you bake. But if you're all about presentation (and albeit a plenty satisfying bite) then add the candy cane dust IMMEDIATELY AFTER removing from the oven. If you wait too long, the candy cane will not stick to the cookie as well.

Dust with candy canes before baking for a crunchier bite!

Recipe

Ingredient List

Dry Ingredients

• 1¾ cup (220 g) all-purpose flour

• 4 Tbsp raw cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon (5 g) fine sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

Wet Ingredients (Bowl 1)

• 1 large egg

• ½ cup (125 g) sourdough starter discard

• 1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract

Wet Ingredients (Bowl 2)

• 8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter (cold, cubed)

• 1 cup (200 g) coconut sugar

• 1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk chocolate)

Topping

• 2-4 full-sized candy canes, crushed

Instructions

Mix dry ingredients

• Mix the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

Mix wet ingredients (Bowl 1)

• In a separate small bowl, beat the egg, vanilla extract and sourdough starter until smooth. Set aside.

Mix wet ingredients (Bowl 2)

• Mix the cold, cubed butter and coconut sugar, preferably in a stand mixer. Beat on low-speed until a dry crumbly texture begins to form. Add the chocolate chips and mix on low-speed for about 30 seconds to help break up the crumbles. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

• Add the dry ingredients and mix on low-speed; this will become dry and crumbly as well. Pour in the mixture from Bowl 1 and mix on low-speed until the dough comes together but not overmixed. Use a spatula to stir the batter, ensuring all of the ingredients have been fully incorporated.

• Use a scoop to portion the dough into 12 to 18 balls. Place them on a parchment-lined baking tray. Cover with a tea towel and chill in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours. Leave in the fridge at least overnight (12-24 hours) for a more fermented sourdough cookie!

Peppermint Dust and Baking the Cookies

• Using a mortar and pestle, grind 2 to 3 candy canes into a dust. The coarseness is up to you.

  • Sprinkle the dust on the cookies BEFORE baking for a crunchier but less presentable cookie. Or, sprinkle the dust IMMEDIATELY AFTER removing from the oven for a more presentable but less crunchy cookie.

• Bake in a preheated, 375°F (190°C) oven for 11 minutes TO START, if you want crisp edges and a chewy center, check at 11 minutes and add 2 minutes repeatedly until the edges are done but the middle is slightly under-baked. We use the convection setting on our oven. Depending on the size of the cookie, and your oven, it can take anywhere from 11 to 17 minutes for the perfect texture when cooled.

• Remove and allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Notes:

• The keys to a cookie that is NOT cake-like (as most sourdough cookies end up):

  • Under mix during the final step of the mixing

  • DO NOT press the cookie balls down flat. The ball shape allows for a softer center while the edges finish more crispy.

  • Put the cookies straight into the preheated oven from the fridge.

  • Remove the cookies when the edges appear fully baked, but the center is still a tad soft.

    • If you find that you removed the cookies too early and the center doesn't stiffen up when cooled, you can bake the cookies a little longer. We've even gone an extra 5 minutes in these instances.

  • Let the cookies sit on the hot sheet pan for 5 minutes, but not too much longer. The cooling rack helps to lock in the texture!