Festive Peppermint Desserts

November 15, 2008
Photo: Daniel Agee; Food Styling: Blakeslee Giles; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

Photo: Thomas J. Story
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

Photo: Oxmoor House
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

Photo: 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

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

Photo: 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 Pinwheel Cookies

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

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Milk Chocolate-Peppermint Bark

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

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

Photo: 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

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

Gooseberry Patch
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

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

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

Photo: 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

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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

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

Photo: Leigh Beisch
Peppermint-topped Brownies Recipe
This peppermint-topped brownie recipe is perfect for holiday parties, cookie swaps, and any time you just plain crave a peppermint-chocolate flavor blast.

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White Chocolate-Peppermint Mousse

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Linda Hirst
White Chocolate-Peppermint Mousse Recipe
This sweet and creamy white chocolate mousse is made even better by crushing peppermint candies and sprinkling them on top.
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Red Velvet Peppermint Cake

Photo: Caitlin Bensel
Red Velvet Peppermint Cake Recipe
Transform a classic red velvet cake into a festive holiday dessert by adding peppermint extract to the rich cream cheese frosting and garnishing the cake with peppermint candies.

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Peppermint-Marshmallow Ice Cream Pie

Becky Luigart-Stayner
Peppermint-Marshmallow Ice Cream Pie Recipe
Brushing melted ice cream into the pie plate "glues" the crust into place. Crushed chocolate wafers create the crust, while whole cookies define the edges of the pie.

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White Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake

Photo: Thomas J. Story; Styling: Karen Shinto
White Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake Recipe
At Boka restaurant in Seattle, chef Peter Birk serves this extravagantly dense and creamy cheesecake that's big enough for a party. He infuses his base with fresh mint, but we opted to keep it simple and use pure peppermint extract.
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Dark Chocolate Peppermint Brownies

Photo: Thomas J. Story; Styling: Karen Shinto
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Brownies Recipe
If you can manage to wait, chief baking officer Arnold Eric Wong of Raison d'Être bakery in South San Francisco recommends serving his moist brownies a day after baking because they develop an even fudgier texture and mintier flavor.

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Peppermint Syrup

Photo: Daniel Agee; Food Styling: Blakeslee Giles; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis
Peppermint Syrup Recipe

This sweet, minty syrup adds brightness to coffee, tea, and cocktails. Use it to make our Copycat Peppermint Mocha, or package in an air-tight jar for a deliciously creative holiday gift.

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