45+ Festive Peppermint Dessert Recipes

Updated November 18, 2019
Credit: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox

From cakes, to brownies, and even ice cream, the classic candy of the holidays gets its time to shine as the star of these delicious and creative peppermint recipes. The minty flavor compliments these great desserts perfectly and provides a beautiful look that makes these fantastic treats an impressive addition to any dessert table.

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Instant Pot Peppermint Brownie Cake

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Stylist: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin

Instant Pot Peppermint Brownie Cake Recipe

This festive cake will make you smile. The tiny pieces of peppermint candy offer a delightful crunch that plays well with the gooey chocolate, while their red and white colors look beautiful against the deep, dark chocolate. 

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Peppermint Cannoli

Credit: Daniel Agee

Peppermint Cannoli Recipe

Take the traditional Sicilian cannoli, a pastry with a crispy outer shell and dreamy cream filling, and give it holiday flair with chopped peppermint candy. This dish is very simple, though it does require a cannoli tube to shape the shell. Try our flavor variations, including Eggnog, Rugelach, or Orange-Pistachio for a one-of-a-kind dish at your next holiday gathering,

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Chocolate and Peppermint Snowflake Roulade

Credit: Sheri Giblin; Food Styling: Margaret Dickey; Prop Styling: Amy Stone

Chocolate and Peppermint Snowflake Roulade Recipe

The irresistable holiday flavor combination, peppermint and chocolate, is perfected in a light, sweet roulade cake. Crunchy cushed peppermint and a creamy filling provide a nice texture. Print an online template of snowflakes and place it under the parchment when you make your designs for easy tracing. To keep from covering your designs in powdered sugar when rolling your cake, leave it on the parchment paper, roll both, and let it cool. Then unroll it, spread the filling and sprinkle 1/2 cup of crushed peppermint, and remove the parchment. 

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White Cake with Peppermint Frosting

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

White Cake with Peppermint Frosting Recipe

Garnish with a fondant bow or Peppermint Meringue Cookies.

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Peppermint Ice-Cream Cake

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Peppermint Ice-Cream Cake Recipe

This is a towering peppermint-lover's dream. Clear about 14 square inches of room in your freezer before you begin. Finish off this cake by decorating it with crushed candy canes.

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Copycat Peppermint Mocha

Credit: Daniel Agee; Food Styling: Blakeslee Giles; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Copycat Peppermint Mocha Recipe

Get that irresistable, chocolatey-mint coffee at home, anytime with this Peppermint Mocha recipe. Add more syrup for a sweeter, stronger mint flavor. If you can't steam milk at home, warm the milk slowly in a saucepan and froth the milk by shaking it in a tightly sealed jar, using a frother, or whisking thoroughly while heating.

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Chocolate-Peppermint Cheesecake

Credit: Linda Pugliese, Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas, Buffy Hargett Miller

Chocolate-Peppermint Cheesecake Recipe

This chocolate cheesecake is decadent, simple, and adorned with a beautiful crowned of whipped topping and crushed peppermints.

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Peppermint-Pretzel Bark

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Peppermint-Pretzel Bark Recipe

Make even larger quantities for gifting this easy microwave treat by skipping the jelly-roll pan and covering your counter with parchment. It'll take longer to harden at room temperature, but you can make large batches without pans or the refrigerator.

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Fudgy Chocolate-Peppermint Cookies

Credit: Linda Pugliese; Styling: Kaitlyn Du Ross Walker

Fudgy Chocolate-Peppermint Cookies Recipe

When a soft, fudgy cookie meets crunchy candy cane shards, it's a match made in heaven.

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Peppermint Patty Frappés

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Peppermint Patty Frappés Recipe

This easy holiday drink is akin to an off-the-charts milkshake. The peppermint candies add bold mint flavor as well as a kick of sweet chocolate.

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Chocolate-Peppermint Pocky Sticks

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Chocolate-Peppermint Pocky Sticks Recipe

"I loved to eat these when I lived in Asia," says Rasmussen. "Pocky sticks are Japanese but they're all over Taiwan and Hong Kong too." The flexible dough lends itself to myriad shapes, but long pocky sticks look great on a dessert bar in a glass because they bring height to the table.

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Peppermint-Coated Pretzels

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Peppermint-Coated Pretzels Recipe

Turn pretzel nuggets into holiday treats by dipping them in melted white chocolate and peppermint candy pieces. The salty-sweet combination is irresistible.

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Chocolate Chunk Candy Cane Cheesecake

Credit: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro

Chocolate Chunk Candy Cane Cheesecake Recipe

Loaded with chocolate hunks and peppermint candies, slathered in a decadent chocolate ganache, and decorated with classic Christmas candies, this cheesecake is a "must-make" for the holidays.

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Peppermint Layer Cookies

Credit: Annabelle Breakey

Peppermint Layer Cookies Recipe

Dip these colorful red – and green-colored sugar cookies in a mixture of melted white chocolate and crushed peppermint candy for a festive holiday cookie that’s perfect for holiday entertaining and for holiday gifts.

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Peppermint-Mousse Cake

Credit: Miki Duisterhof

Peppermint-Mousse Cake Recipe

Start with a frozen pound cake loaf for this easy cake filled with a sweetened mascarpone cheese filling and topped with melted chocolate and chopped peppermint candies.

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Peppermint-OREO Cookie Balls

Peppermint-OREO Cookie Balls Recipe

When classic Oreo balls are sprinkled with crushed candy canes, how can we resist?

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Milk Chocolate-Peppermint Bark

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Milk Chocolate-Peppermint Bark Recipe

Perfect for gift giving during the holidays, this 5-ingredient recipe features chopped cookies, peppermint candies, and pretzels stirred into melted chocolate. You’d better make an extra batch because this sweet treat won’t last long.

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Peppermint Brownie Tarts

Credit: Tina Corbett; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Peppermint Brownie Tarts Recipe

Crushed candy canes and rich Chocolate Glaze hide a sweet surprise inside this can't-miss cake. With some simple packaging, it makes for a great gift too.

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Candy Cane Cake

Credit: Leigh Beisch

Candy Cane Cake Recipe

This cake is almost too pretty to eat. But after one bite, your guests will be back for more. Sprinkle the crushed candies over the cake just before serving, since the moisture from the whipped cream can make the mints begin to "melt" together after about half an hour. Don't worry, though—we suspect the cake will be long gone by then.

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Peppermint Divinity Bars

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Peppermint Divinity Bars Recipe

Make this recipe all the way through without stopping, spreading the warm divinity onto a still-warm cookie base. If the divinity is too cool, it will tear the cookie base as you spread it.

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Peppermint Bonbon Cookies

Credit: Oxmoor House

Peppermint Bonbon Cookies Recipe

Bonbon means "very good" in French, and that's certainly what these peppermint-flavored cookies are! Between the gooey chocolate center and crunchy peppermint topping, it will be hard to decide what you like most about these Christmas treats. They also make great homemade gifts for chocoholics.

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Peppermint Candy Cheesecake

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Peppermint Candy Cheesecake Recipe

Forget traditional cheesecake, the holidays call for something much more festive and uniquely tasty. This Peppermint Candy Cheesecake is sure to bring smiles and delight to hungry family and friends who want to delve into the holiday spirit.

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Chocolate-Peppermint Candy Cupcakes

Chocolate-Peppermint Candy Cupcakes Recipe

Top chocolate velvet cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting, then sprinkle with a white-chocolate-and-peppermint bark crumble. The pint-sized treats are ideal after a hearty holiday dinner.

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Peppermint Ice Cream

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Lydia DeGaris-Pursell

Peppermint Ice Cream Recipe

Snuggle under a blanket with a minty bowl of homemade peppermint ice cream. Make a basic vanilla recipe, then stir in the crushed candies and freeze to give the treat a red-tinted hue.

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White Peppermint Snowballs

Credit: John Kernick

White Peppermint Snowballs Recipe

With just three ingredients, these cookies just might be the easiest addition to the holiday spread this year!

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Peppermint Hot Fudge Sundaes

Credit: Ryan Benyi; Styling: Lynn Miller

Peppermint Hot Fudge Sundaes Recipe

Top your frozen dessert with something even more cool, crushed candy canes!

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Peppermint Patties

Credit: Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro

Peppermint Patties Recipe

Make a classic cookie sandwich with thin chocolate wafers and creamy ice cream, then add a little spice by rolling the finished cookies in crushed peppermint. Wrap the individual cookies tightly and freeze to set.

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Peppermint Cookies

Credit: Kate Sears; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Peppermint Cookies Recipe

Dipped in chocolate and topped with crushed peppermint candies, these cookies make a great addition to this year's cookie swap.

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Layered Peppermint Cheesecake

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell

Layered Peppermint Cheesecake Recipe

We love this peppermint cake recipe for its childlike whimsy, candy crunch, and—hello!—hidden layers of cheesecake.

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Peppermint Stick Cocoa

Credit: David Prince

Peppermint Stick Cocoa Recipe

Make simple gifts for coworkers, teachers, or friends by packing pretty cocoa jars with colorful ingredients. The chocolate chips and crushed peppermints will make the gift extra sweet.

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Peppermint Molasses Cookies

Credit: James Carrier

Peppermint Molasses Cookies Recipe

A simple peppermint icing, made with crushed hard candies and a few drops of red food coloring, adds bright flavor to these savory homemade molasses cookies. Sprinkle extra peppermint dust over the icing as it sets for great presentation.

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Candy Cane Martini

Credit: Howard L. Puckett; Styling: Lindsey Ellis Beatty

Candy Cane Martini Recipe

We dare you-- look at this cocktail and try not to fall in love. Raise a glass and toast friends and family this holiday season.

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Peppermint-Bark Brownies

Credit: Kate Sears; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Peppermint-Bark Brownies Recipe

As if brownies weren't already great enough, these brownies feature a rich chocolate glaze and peppermint bark topping. Substitute for crushed peppermint candy if desired.

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Crushed-Peppermint Cheesecake

Credit: Christina Schmidhofer

Crushed-Peppermint Cheesecake Recipe

Peppermint extract, crushed peppermint candies, and crumbled chocolate cookie sandwiches pack a punch of flavor in this cheesecake. Make it ahead to ensure it has time to set.

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Peppermint-topped Brownies