20 Peppermint Dessert Recipes Perfect for the Holiday Season

By Southern Living Editors
Updated November 12, 2020
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Peppermint desserts are a delicious sign that the holiday season is in full swing. Once peppermint candy canes hit store shelves, we know it's time to indulge in the frosty season. The cool red and white candies—no matter if they’re hanging from the Christmas tree as decoration or incorporated into the table settings for holiday parties or Christmas dinner—are quintessential part of the season. Serve a decadent peppermint dessert after the traditional Christmas spread or bring one to your next holiday party. Crumble these crunchy hard candies atop a cake, bake it in a slice of chocolate heaven, or sprinkle it over a cool ice cream dessert. Our favorite cool peppermint recipes show the many ways to use peppermint candies in desserts, drinks, and everything in between. No matter which way you choose to incorporate peppermint into your Christmas confections, these delicious mint desserts will have guests grabbing seconds.

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Peppermint Pinwheels

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Peppermint Pinwheels

For a super-festive cookie tin, swap out red and green food coloring in your batches.

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Chocolate Peppermint Cake

Credit: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner

Recipe: Chocolate Peppermint Cake

This centerpiece-worthy, three-layer cake is fluffy, tender, and ultra-rich. Chocolate cake layers and minty Italian meringue are topped off with soft peppermint candies for a fun and festive holiday look.

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No-Bake Dark Chocolate-Peppermint Sandwich Cookies

Credit: GREG DUPREE; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL; PROP STYLING: AUDREY DAVIS

Recipe: No-Bake Dark Chocolate-Peppermint Sandwich Cookies

Store-bought wafers get a serious upgrade with peppermint cream filling and a melted chocolate coating. The result? Homemade, holiday-worthy cookies that no one will believe didn't require a single minute of baking.

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Peppermint Divinity

Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Peppermint Divinity

Making this vintage candy recipe should become a Christmas tradition for you and your kids or grandkids.

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Peppermint Cake with Seven-Minute Frosting

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Peppermint Cake with Seven-Minute Frosting

How gorgeous is the pink buttercream layer on this festive cake?

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Chocolate-Peppermint Cheesecake

Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Chocolate-Peppermint Cheesecake

This decadent cheesecake can be made up to two days in advance, which makes it the ultimate make-ahead dessert for the busy holiday season.

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Peppermint Meltaways

Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Peppermint Meltaways

These festive cookies live up to their name and “melt away” in your mouth, leaving behind a rich and delicate peppermint sweetness.

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Christmas Buttermints

Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Christmas Buttermints

We’ll have a tray of these pretty vintage candies out for guests all holiday season.

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White Chocolate-Peppermint Blondies

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: White Chocolate-Peppermint Blondies

This festive bar recipe has a high yield, so everyone on your Christmas list can get a few.

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Duke's Peppermint Fudge Brownies

Credit: Mary Britton Senseney, The Duke's Mayonnaise Cookbook

Recipe: Duke's Peppermint Fudge Brownies

Mayonnaise is the secret to the fudgiest brownies you've ever baked. Add a crushed peppermint topping, and you'll have a holiday dessert that will put any peppermint bark to shame. 

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Chocolate-Peppermint Swirl Sandwich Cookies

Credit: Victori Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Chocolate-Peppermint Swirl Sandwich Cookies

These adorable cookie sandwiches will spruce up any dessert table this Christmas.

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Chocolate-Mint Whipped Cream Cake

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Chocolate-Mint Whipped Cream Cake

This stunning layer cake is pretty enough for the dressiest Christmas party of the season.

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Chocolate-Peppermint Crackle Cookies

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Chocolate-Peppermint Crackle Cookies

We think Santa would be thrilled to see these crackle cookies by the tree on Christmas Eve.

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Mint-and-White-Chocolate Milk Punch

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck

Recipe: Mint-and-White-Chocolate Milk Punch

This wintry drink recipe will be a mainstay cocktail on your holiday bar.

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Mint Chocolate Chip Ice-Cream Cake

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Mint Chocolate Chip Ice-Cream Cake

This dreamy ice-cream cake is the ultimate make-ahead dessert.

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Milk Chocolate-Peppermint Bark

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Recipe: Milk Chocolate-Peppermint Bark

As if milk chocolate morsels and peppermint candies weren't perfect enough a mixture, we added rich cream-and-mint-filled chocolate sandwich cookies and salty pretzel sticks to our peppermint bark. This recipe is great for giving as gifts, but be sure to save a few pieces as a holiday treat for yourself.

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Triple Mint Cookies

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Triple Mint Cookies

These brownie-like bites are filled with mint flavor and make more than two dozen cookies for your biggest Christmas crowd.

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Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Credit: Micah Leal

Recipe: Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Our Test Kitchen’s secret for keeping cookies crisp on the outside and gooey on the inside? Adding a bit of corn syrup to the batter.

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Red Velvet Peppermint Cake

Credit: Tina Cornett

Recipe: Red Velvet Peppermint Cake

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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Chocolate Ganache Thumbprints with Crushed Peppermints

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Chocolate Ganache Thumbprint Cookies with Crushed Peppermints

The kids will love to make these fun thumbprint cookies on an afternoon when they’re off school.

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