Gluten-Free Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies

By Amanda Paa – Updated December 3, 2022
5 from 2 votes
Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Fudgy Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies {made with teff flour, gluten-free, gum-free}

I have a few favorite Christmas cookies — Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Blossoms and these Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. Okay, maybe I have more than a few, as evident of the 16 Gluten-Free Christmas Cookie recipes that I’ve shared over the years. :)

I do quite a bit of testing each holiday season to make gluten-free versions of some of the classics, trying to nail the recipes that would fool any gluten-full eater as well. And now I’ve got my Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle and Red Velvet Crinkle Cookie recipes. 

Robustly chocolate, the richest flavor that’s more reminiscent of a truffle than a cookie ….. with a slightly crisp edge and plush, fudgy middle. Crackles break through each snowy, powdered sugar bite with a hint of cool mint that is so commonly associated with the holidays.

Fudgy Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies {made with teff flour, gluten-free, gum-free}
Teff Flour Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies {gluten-free, gum-free}

Star ingredients for gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies:

These gluten-free crinkle cookies are made with teff flour, which I’ve fallen madly in love with (my favorite brownie recipe uses it too). It’s a gluten-free baking dream, with a sweet and nutty flavor, and consistency that turns a bit sticky when it hits moisture, therefore not needing any gums to bind.

There are two doses of chocolate, mostly melted dark and dutch-processed cocoa to add richness. And the real trick to making them super soft and fudgy is a few tablespoons of cashew or sunflower seed butter.

And last note: be liberal with the powdered sugar coating. I tested this several times, and that’s how you get it to really stick and crackle. If it’s too light, it melts right into the cookie.

Fudgy Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies -- the browniest, holiday cookie
Fudgy Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies -- the browniest, holiday cookie
Fudgy Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies {made with teff flour, gluten-free, gum-free}

The hand illustrated, modern recipe cards and wooden box, along with towels you see in this post are from 1canoe2, a favorite midwest partner of mine. Clean and classy, they’d be the perfect holiday gift for someone who loves to cook, or loves their kitchen. And they inspired me.

You see, I’ve been wanting to bring back the tradition of exchanging recipe cards with friends and families, as I cherish the ones I have from my grandmother so much (as well as a very old recipe box I recently found at a thrift shop, full of hundreds of vintage recipes). Although we have access to so much food content online, there’s something about handwriting that lets more than just a recipe live on. So I’ve decided I’m sending these as holiday cards this year to those closest to me, in hopes that it will do just that. Handwriting, words, food stains, and scribbles write their own memories.

xo, Amanda

Fudgy Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies -- the browniest, holiday cookie {made with teff flour}
Fudgy Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies -- the browniest, holiday cookie {made with teff flour}
Fudgy Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies -- the browniest, holiday cookie {made with teff flour}
Fudgy Peppermint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies -- the browniest, holiday cookie {made with teff flour}
Gluten-Free Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

More Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies:

Save This Recipe Form

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email below & we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get more great recipes and tips from us each week!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies

These gluten-free chocolate crinkle cookies are super chewy, and fudgy, with a hint of peppermint! They're a holiday favorite, coated in powdered sugar that creates a beautiful snowy cookie.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time :15 minutes
Cook Time :11 minutes
Additional Time :20 minutes
Total Time :46 minutes
Yield: 15 cookies
Author: Amanda Paa

SCALE:

Ingredients

Instructions 

  • Over low heat, melt the butter, sunflower butter, and dark chocolate in a saucepan, stirring the entire time, until all chocolate is just melted. Remove from heat and set aside for 3 minutes.
  • In a medium sized bowl, vigorously whisk the eggs, egg white, and sugar until light colored and frothy, with little bubbles sneaking out the top. While whisking this batter, slowly pour in the chocolate mixture and continuing whisking to incorporate.
  • Add cocoa powder and stir. Then teff flour in 2 additions, then tapioca starch, salt, peppermint extract, whisking to combine, until no flour streaks remain.
  • Cover bowl with a cloth and freeze for 20 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • When cookies are done chilling, use a cookie scoop to make tablespoon sized balls, and drop them in the powdered sugar. Press the powdered sugar around the dough with your hands, liberally. Don’t shy away from the powdered sugar coating. I tested this several times, and you want a thick coating -that’s how you get it to really stick and crackle. If it’s too light, it melts right into the cookie.
  • Set balls on cookie sheet, and lightly push them down a bit.
  • Bake for 11 minutes, and take out from oven. Lightly push down on top with a spatula to achieve even prettier crackles.

Notes

I use this size 40 Cookie Scooper {oxo size medium}.

Did you make this?

tag @heartbeetkitchen on instagram and hashtag it #heartbeetkitchen

December 11, 2016

COMMENT & RATE

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

21 comments

  1. Nicole Becker

    Do you think buckwheat flour could substitute for teff? I can’t get teff flour near me and don’t have time to order online. Thanks!

    • Amanda Paa

      yes, i think buckwheat flour would work great!

  2. Amber - Loves Food, Loves to Eat

    I can’t wait to try these! I’ve never made (maybe never had?!?) chocolate crinkle cookies, but love chocolate and mint combo. Peanut butter blossoms are one of my mom’s holiday cookie go to recipes also!

  3. Helen

    will the recipe works if i dont use powdered sugar at the end? and sub.ing teff with all purpose? i dont have access to teff in my area :(

    • amandapaa

      Hi Helen! You could use all-purpose, and yes, they will be fine without the powdered sugar, just not as pretty.

  4. Cassie

    I LOVE peanut butter blossoms and chocolate peppermint crinkle cookies as well! I cannot wait to make this recipe and use a vegan egg and coconut oil instead of the egg and butter!

    • amandapaa

      Hi Cassie! Unfortunately this recipe doesn’t work with vegan eggs. They have a different chemical reaction with the other ingredients that are key to success. You can maybe google search vegan crinkles though and find something! xo

  5. Sue H.

    So, the world did not end and they are wonderfully delicious! Thank you, Amanda!

    • amandapaa

      oh gosh, i updated it, sorry! i’m so glad it worked out and you like them. happy cookie baking! xo

  6. Sara @ Cake Over Steak

    These look so good!! My family doesn’t make either of the cookies you mentioned for the holidays, but one of my mom’s absolute favorites is the “peanut butter temptations” (a pb cookie made in a mini muffin tin with a mini reese’s pb cup pushed into the center) << I could eat those bad boys all day long. I'm so glad you figured out a gluten free version of one of your favorites!

  7. Sarah @ Snixy Kitchen

    These look like the most perfectly moist and chewy chocolate peppermint cookies! I LOVE the addition of teff flour – I bet it adds just a hint of caramel flavor that enhances that gooey chocolate. I’m melting for these cookies!

    • amandapaa

      Teff FTW. seriously. where has it been all my life? We should do a cookie exchange next year. :) xo

  8. Rachel @ Bakerita

    I love these photo so much, Amanda! Your two holiday classic cookies sound like definitely winners – I can most definitely see why these chocolate peppermint crinkles are a favorite. I haven’t even worked with teff flour, but now I’m wanting to get my hands on some!

    • amandapaa

      Thank you Rachel! I still love watching them turn into crinkles as they bake. :) And I’d highly recommend teff flour! I can actually find it at my coop for $4.99 a pound too, which is so much cheaper than some gf flours. xo

  9. Emily

    You are completely rockin all of your photos lately, Amanda! I need lessons from you on how to get good action shots. :)I have a bag a teff flour sitting in my pantry right now and it’s still unopened- I’ve got to give it a try. What a great spin on classic crinkle cookies!

    • amandapaa

      Ooo… between these cookies and the brownies i posted in October, I really think you should open that bag of teff! I pretty much use it in all gf baking now. And thank you for the comments about the action shots. Trying to work with a tripod can be interesting, lol! There were a few eggs used to get that one where I’m cracking it. Lol. xoxo

  10. Sarah | Well and Full

    I saw these on insta and I was just like :O :O :O And now I’m just :O-ing at the gorgeous towel that’s hanging on your oven!

    • amandapaa

      Hi Sarah! Those towels are favorites. I even considered framing that milk one, which i still might do. So classic yet fun. And cookie love to you!

  11. Liz @ Floating Kitchen

    Ok, I’m having a little chuck over the similarity of our first paragraphs today! These cookies looks delicious – I can totally imagine the fudgy-ness. Teff flour is so great. I used to use it a lot, but sort of forgot about it (typically problem with me it seems!). I need to pull that bag out of the back of my freezer and try these babies out. Love that cute kitchen towel! XOXO.

    • amandapaa

      Yes, I see we both have cookies on the brain as of late! Nothing wrong with that. :) I’d love to know how you were using teff too. Such an intriguing ingredient. I’ve made porridge using it too and loved that. xo

  12. Alison @Foodbymars

    IN Love with these little beauties. Aren’t they just the best cookies? I love that you added mint, I literally just made chocolate chip mint cookies and had to stop myself. The combo is my fave. Lovely, darling! XO