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Healthy Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies are low calorie and gluten free. Made gooey on the inside and chewy on the outside, these lighter holiday cookies are fun and easy! Gluten Free + Low Calorie

This recipe was originally posted in 2015. I have re-tested the recipe and updated the pictures for you!

Imagine if a brownie married a cookie... that's what these peppermint hot chocolate cookies taste like!

Chocolate goes well with almost anything, but mint and chocolate together are the perfect combination especially during the holidays. These cookies go so well with my homemade skinny peppermint mochas!

And even if you're not a lover of peppermint flavors, these cookies are just as delicious by swapping the peppermint flavor with vanilla or almond. They're incredibly versatile! You can use this base recipe for a number of things.

They're also gluten free and only 122 calories!

While I wholeheartedly believe in eating real cookies, I also think it's important to lighten up recipes where you can. There are many ways to make recipes like cookies just as delicious with fewer calories and less fat content.

This recipe does just that for you!

Why These Hot Chocolate Peppermint Cookies Are Better For You

Lower Calorie - Only 122 calories per cookie! There are so many simple ways to lighten up cookies while making them taste delicious. This recipe does just that.
Gluten Free - These cookies are made gluten free. If you are not gluten free, see the substitutions section below for how to make them not gluten free.
Dairy Free - These cookies are made dairy free. You do not have to make them dairy free though. See the substitutions sections below for more information.
Lower Carb - There's only 22 carbs per cookie, which is actually very low. I added less sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder and used oat flour to keep the carbs lower in this recipe.

healthy hot chocolate cookie ingredients

Ingredients For Hot Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint

Here's what you need to make these low calorie hot chocolate cookies. Please see the bottom of the blog post for the full ingredient list and method.

Egg
Coconut Oil
Peppermint Extract
Gluten Free Oat Flour
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Coconut Sugar
Tapioca Flour
Baking Powder
Salt
Dairy Free Chocolate Chips
Vegan Mini Marshmallows

Scroll down for recipe ingredient substitution recommendations!

How To Make Healthy Hot Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint

Step One - Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper. I like using parchment paper for baking to prevent sticking and easy removal.

Step Two - In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and tapioca flour.

Step Three - In a separate mixing bowl, mix together the egg white, melted coconut oil and peppermint extract.

Step Four - Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients until it becomes a brownie-like texture. Fold the chocolate chips into the batter.

Step Five - Scoop the dough onto the cookie sheet in 12 round balls, flattening them slightly. Use your thumb to press the center of each cookie to make a little dent for the marshmallow after baking.

Step Six - Bake 9-12 minutes or until the outside edges are firm.

Step Seven - Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Place a marshmallow in the center of each cookie, then remove and cool completely on a wire baking rack. You can optionally sprinkle with crushed candy canes if you like.

Tips For Making The Best Hot Chocolate Cookies

These cookies are simple to make, but here's a few tips to ensure they turn out with the best results!

Indents - Be gentle when pressing your thumb into the center of the cookies to prevent them from cracking. Use your thumb, or if you prefer something more uniform using the back of a half tablespoon measuring tool will help you perfect them. The cookies do rise so you do need to make the indent BEFORE baking to ensue you have the space to add the marshmallow at the end.

Prevent Cookies From Spreading - These cookies may spread a bit during baking. If you want to prevent the cookies from spreading, chill the dough for 30-minutes up to one hour prior to baking.

Measuring Ingredients Properly - It is very important when baking to measure ingredients properly especially flours! Check out this tutorial I did on how to measure properly for baking.

Watch When Baking - All ovens operate differently which can result in over-baking. I recommend checking the cookies at 9 minutes to see if the outer edges are set. If they are set, the cookies are done and you can remove them from the oven. They will continue baking a bit once removed from the oven.

Hot Chocolate Cookie Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my hot chocolate cookies spread?

Your cookies spread because of the coconut oil (or fat). Fat causes baked goods to spread. You can avoid this by placing your dough in the refrigerator 30-minutes to one hour prior to baking.

Do you bake the marshmallows in the cookies?

No, you do not bake the marshmallows inside the cookies. You add the marshmallows AFTER baking.

Can you make this cookie dough ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the dough ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator up to 24 hours.

Can you make the cookies without peppermint?

Yes, you can use vanilla extract or almond extract instead of the peppermint. See the substitutions section of the blog post for more information on this.

Storing Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies

Storing - I recommend storing these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator. You can keep them up to 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature.

Freezing - Yes, you can freeze hot chocolate cookies in an airtight container or in a plastic storage bag up to 3 months.

Substitutions For Hot Chocolate Cookies

Here are the substitutions I recommend for this recipe. I have not tested all these substitutions, but these are ones I believe should work.

Also, keep in mind that any substitutions you make will result in different nutritional data than what you see in the recipe card below.

Egg - I have not tried replacing the egg in this recipe. If I were to try, I would use an egg replacer like this one.
Peppermint Extract - You can substitute with vanilla extract or almond extract.
Coconut Oil - You could substitute with olive oil (since the cookies are baked at 350 F) or another oil of choice. Butter or ghee could also be substituted.
Gluten Free Oat Flour - You can use regular oat flour if you are not gluten free. Regular gluten free baking flour should work with this recipe as well as whole wheat flour. Please make sure you measure the flour properly.
Tapioca Flour - Do not omit this! You could also substitute with arrowroot powder.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - You can use regular cocoa powder or cacao powder. Do not use hot chocolate mix in place of cocoa or cacao powder.
Marshmallows - I used these vegan marshmallows, but you can use regular mini marshmallows.
Chocolate Chips - You can use either dairy-free chocolate chips or regular.

More Healthy Cookie Recipes

Here are some of my favorite healthier cookie recipes! If you need more dessert ideas, check out my Healthy Holiday Recipes and Low Calorie Holiday Cookie Recipes.

Healthy Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies are low calorie and gluten free. Made gooey on the inside, these lighter holiday cookies are easy!

About Megan

Megan is a certified nutrition practitioner, author, freelance food photographer and fitness instructor living in Phoenix, Arizona. On her blog, Skinny Fitalicious she shares EASY, gluten free recipes for weight loss. Follow Megan on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates.

Healthy Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies {GF, Low Cal}