If you are looking for the perfect dessert for holiday entertaining, these Gluten Free Peppermint Cookie Cups are really easy to make! Fill these chocolate mint cookies with frosting, pudding, or mousse, and top with crushed candy canes!
These homemade gluten free chocolate cookie cups are made with chocolate lovers in mind. The cookie base is full of rich chocolate flavor, and you can fill them with chocolate filling or use another flavor filling!
Make a batch for your next holiday party and watch your guests devour them. Nobody will even know these are gluten free!
If you want more cookie recipes to make into cookie cups, here are some great gluten free cookie recipes to try.
Why This Recipe Works:
- You can make 24 bite-sized desserts with one batch of this cookie dough.
- You can fill them with anything!
- The cookie cups freeze easily for future use. It makes prepping ahead for a party so easy!
- This gluten free peppermint cookie cups recipe is a holiday version of my Gluten Free Chocolate Cookie Cups recipe.
This is one of my favorite gluten-free flour blends for cookies, cakes, pie crust, biscuits, and muffins! (Do not use this flour blend for yeast recipes.)
Ingredient Notes:
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – Most blends should work for this recipe, but some are starchier than others, so keep an eye on the moisture of your cookie dough.
- Xanthan Gum – If your blend doesn’t contain either xanthan or guar gum, add one teaspoon to your dry ingredients.
- Cocoa Powder – If your cocoa powder has lumps, it is best to sift it to remove the lumps before adding it to your dry ingredients.
- Baking Soda – You can also use baking powder if you prefer.
- Chocolate – Use chocolate chips or melting wafers.
- Vanilla Extract – Use pure vanilla extract if you can.
- Egg – Use size large.
- Peppermint Extract – I use one teaspoon, but you can use more or less depending on how strong you like your peppermint flavor.
Tips For Success:
- Use room-temperature butter and eggs. It dramatically helps how your cookies will turn out. You’ll thank yourself later if you try it.
- Take special care to measure correctly. If you add in too much gluten free flour or other ingredients, it can mess with the cookies as they bake. If they don’t have the proper ratios of ingredients, you may end up with a mess.
- Chill the dough when possible. I know you are probably ready to eat your cookies, but taking a few minutes to chill the batter makes them less likely to spread.
You may also love making these festive Gluten Free Funfetti Cookie Cups.
Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients to a large
Step 2: Soften the butter and chocolate in the microwave. Cook for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat for 20 seconds if needed.
Add the rest of the wet ingredients and mix.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix into cookie dough.
Step 4: Use a small cookie scoop to drop cookie dough balls into a mini muffin pan. Press the cookie dough down with your fingers or a spoon.
Step 5: Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, depending on how full the cookie cups are.
While the cookies are still hot, use a small bottle to press down in the middle of each cookie to make a cup to fill.
Step 6: Let the cookies cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then carefully remove them to a cooling rack. If you try to remove the cookie cups when they are hot, they will fall apart.
Step 7: Fill with frosting, mousse, or pudding. If you are using frosting, here is a great frosting recipe. There are also tips for flavor and color frosting. Top with crushed candy canes or peppermint candy.
Recipe FAQ:
Store cookie cups in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep fresh for up to four days.
You can easily freeze cookie cups in a freezer bag. I recommend freezing them unfilled. They will keep fresh for up to 3 months in the freezer. To thaw, remove them from the freezer and place them on a rack. Let them thaw to room temperature, then fill.
More Gluten Free Cookies Recipes:
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Molasses Cookies
- Easy Gluten Free Circus Cookies
- Gluten Free Toll House Cookies
- Gluten Free Spritz Cookies
Gluten Free Peppermint Cookie Cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten free flour blend * see note
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 ½ ounces chocolate chips
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup candy canes crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients and mix well.
- In a smaller microwave safe bowl, add the butter and chocolate chips. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir. Microwave an additional 20 seconds and stir. If you need another interval, do 15 seconds. You want to be careful not to burn the chocolate.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix them into cookie dough.
- Use a cookie scoop to drop cookie dough balls into a mini muffin pan.
- Press the dough balls down with your fingers or a spoon.
- Bake for 10 minutes until done.
- Remove the cookie cups from the oven. Use a small jar to press down into the center of each cookie to form a cup. Let sit in the pan for 5-10 minutes.
- Gently remove the cookie cups onto a cooling rack.
- Fill with your chosen filling and top with crushed candy canes. See notes below for filling ideas.
Notes
- I tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure. Other blends will also work. Add one teaspoon if your blend doesn’t contain xanthan or guar gum.
- To make this dairy-free, use dairy-free chips and plant-based butter.
- Fill with frosting, pudding, ice cream, or chocolate mousse. Here is a fantastic frosting recipe.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
These look delicious and would be loved by most of my family, but chocolate triggers migraines in my daughter. You don’t have a vanilla cup do you? Or even white chocolate?
Hi Barbara, I recommend using this sugar cookie recipe with the same process as the chocolate mint cookie cups: https://www.fearlessdining.com/quick-and-easy-gluten-free-sugar-cookies/