Right around the second week of December ever year, I resolve to start my holiday shopping in July when the following summer rolls around. I feel like a sardine squashed in a tin can trying to navigate around the hundreds of other shoppers frantically searching for the perfect present for Aunt Sally or Cousin Bob…
And since I blog full-time and work from home with my dog as my only company, those utterly jam-packed stores feel a little claustrophobic to me! Yet every year, I completely forget until I start writing down my gift list, and this year followed the exact same pattern. Whoops!
At the beginning of this week, I stopped by Target mid-afternoon before the rest of the world left work for the day, which meant I found far fewer shoppers in the store. Thank goodness! I navigated around the baking aisles, card game displays, and holiday chocolate sections to pick out a large portion of the presents on my list without bumping into anyone like a salmon swimming upstream. (But because those family members and friends read my blog, I can’t actually tell you what I bought! ?)
After stopping by a few other stores, I actually checked off almost everyone, including those basically-impossible-to-figure-out people. With Starbucks right across the parking lot, I was sorely tempted to stop by for a celebratory peppermint mocha—my favorite wintertime drink! But seeing the clock strike 6 pm and knowing my caffeine sensitivity (one cup of coffee can make me jittery for hours!), I drove straight home instead…
And compromised with these Fudgy Peppermint Mocha Cookies! With the same rich, festive flavors as my favorite holiday drink but far less caffeine (especially when made with decaf, like I did!), the entire batch of cookies never lasts long with me around. Especially since they taste like a cross between cookies and fudgy brownies… But they contain no refined flour or sugar and only 89 calories!
Which I totally use to justify sneaking a second… Or third… Or… Um… ?
To make these healthier cookies, you’ll start with two key ingredients: white whole wheat flour and unsweetened cocoa powder. White whole wheat flour sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? But it’s actually made by finely grinding a special type of white wheat, which has a lighter taste and texture (similar to all-purpose flour!), whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. Even better, both white whole wheat flour and regular whole wheat flour have the same health benefits, like extra fiber!
As for the cocoa powder, just use the regular unsweetened kind! You’re adding so much cocoa powder to the dough that the cookies already taste really rich and decadent without Dutched or special dark cocoa powder. I prefer Hershey’s cocoa powder, and I always buy it in the jumbo-sized cans… Can you tell I’m a chocoholic??
For the festive flavor, you’ll use a combination of peppermint extract and instant coffee. You’ll actually dissolve the instant coffee into a hint of melted butter and warm milk! (It takes a little extra stirring, so be patient!) It produces a strong coffee flavor without making the cookie dough really runny, like brewed coffee would, or creating a grainy texture, like if you used regular coffee grounds. It’s a great trick!
Rather than granulated sugar, you’ll use coconut sugar to sweeten these cookies. Coconut sugar is exactly what it sounds like: an unrefined sweetener that comes from coconuts! However, it does not actually taste like coconut. It has a rich caramel-like flavor, very similar to brown sugar, and you can find it at most grocery stores near the regular sugar (or online here!)
Finally, my favorite part… The chocolate chips! (Seriously. I’m a huge chocholic, which is why I published my Healthier Chocolate Treats cookbook!) You’ll use two types: dark chocolate chips and miniature chocolate chips. ← Those are my favorite brands! The regular-sized dark chips create that big burst of chocolate we all know and love, and the mini-sized ones ensure that every bite contains a morsel of chocolate. Pure bliss!
Hello gorgeous! ?? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! ?) I’d love to see your cookies and feature them in my Sunday Spotlight series!
| Fudgy Peppermint Mocha Cookies | | Print |
- 1 ⅓ cups (160g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- ⅔ cup (53g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp (42g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp (30mL) nonfat milk, room temperature
- 4 tsp instant coffee crystals
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 1 cup (192g) coconut sugar
- 4 tbsp (56g) dark chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp (28g) miniature chocolate chips, divided
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter and milk. Stir in the instant coffee until fully dissolved. (It takes a little bit of time, so be patient!) Whisk in the egg whites and peppermint extract. Stir in the sugar. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in the dark chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of miniature chocolate chips.
- Using a spoon and spatula, drop the cookie dough into 24 rounded scoops onto the prepared baking sheets, and flatten to your desired thickness and width using the spatula. Gently press the remaining miniature chocolate chips into the tops. Bake at 350°F for 9-11 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
For a gluten-free flour, I recommend the following: ⅓ cup (40g) millet flour, ⅓ cup (40g) tapioca flour, ¼ cup (28g) coconut flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Many store-bought gluten-free flour blends will work as well, if measured like this.
Be extremely careful when measuring the cocoa powder! Too much will dry out your cookies and make them taste bitter. I highly recommend a kitchen scale (I own this one) for measuring both the cocoa powder and flour to avoid that issue!
The cornstarch helps keep the cookies soft and chewy.
Do not substitute coconut oil for the butter! The instant coffee does not dissolve in coconut oil. Earth Balance buttery sticks or stick-style margarine may be substituted for the butter.
Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.
Light brown sugar may be substituted for the coconut sugar. Do not substitute a liquid sweetener (i.e. honey, pure maple syrup, or agave) because the cookie dough will be too runny.
Semisweet chocolate chips may be substituted for the dark chocolate chips.
If you aren’t a coffee fan, the instant coffee may easily be omitted for plain chocolate peppermint cookies!
This recipe is easily halved, and it also freezes really well.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
View Nutrition Information
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♥ Fudgy Triple Chocolate Cookies
♥ Triple Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
♥ Fudgy Peppermint Mocha Brownies
♥ 35-Calorie Peppermint Mocha
♥ Fudgy Mocha Brownies with Coffee Drizzle
♥ Dark Chocolate Peppermint Mocha Truffles
♥ Fudgy Raspberry Mocha Brownies
I have a coconut allergy and suggestions
I appreciate your interest in my recipe Larissa! I’ve already included a substitute for the coconut sugar in the Notes section underneath the Instructions. It can be easy to miss! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the cookies!
Could you clarify the yield? The recipe says 24 cookies but the nutrition information says 12. So I’m not sure if its 89 calories for 1 or 2 cookies. This recipe looks amazing. Cant wait to try them.
Thanks for catching that Mary! I’ve updated the nutrition information. I decided at the last minute to double the recipe to yield 24 cookies, hence the discrepancy. 😉 If you decide to use granulated Splenda (not the packets!) or their baking blend, you’ll need to add a few extra tablespoons of milk to compensate. Otherwise, the cookie dough will be too dry and won’t come together. I can’t wait to hear what you think of the cookies!
Oops sorry, forgot to ask. Will this recipe work with .splenda instead of the coconut sugar?Thanks so much.
YES! I love that you are using coconut sugar now- I’m obsessed with it!! Maybe you’ve used it before on here, but I missed it…
I do the SAME thing every year… I always pine after the cute DIY gifts I could have made on Pinterest and say that next year I’ll start early and make all my gifts… never happens. 😉
You’re too cute with your DIY gifts Andrea — I wish I were the same way! 🙂 I’ve been using coconut sugar in recipes for about 2 years now. It’s wonderful!
Hi.. These sound so good and decadent. I cannot wait to try them. There is one challenge though – I cook for vegetarians who do not eat eggs. Could you suggest something to replace the eggs? Thanks in advance
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Anuradha! That’s so sweet of you to want to share these cookies with your loved ones. Ener-G is my favorite egg replacer. My brother is allergic to eggs, so I use it all the time. Ener-G is a shelf-stable powder and keeps for ages. It works in almost all of my recipes! For each egg white, you’ll need 1½ teaspoons of Ener-G + 2 tablespoons warm water, and for each egg yolk, add an additional ½ tablespoon of the fat of your choice (i.e. butter, coconut oil, etc). 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the cookies!
can i use sorgum flour instead of the gluten free flour
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Rachel! For best results, I recommend using the blend I included or a store-bought gluten-free flour blend. Gluten-free flours have very different flavors and textures compared to wheat flours, so using a blend of them better simulates the taste and texture of wheat flour. You can substitute your sorghum flour for the millet flour in my blend, though! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these cookies!