Stack of Peppermint Mocha Crinkle Cookies - Amy Myers MD®
These Peppermint Mocha Crinkle Cookies are a festive and healthier spin on the classic holiday treat! Made with nutrient-dense tigernut flour, antioxidant-rich raw cacao powder, and a seasonal peppermint mocha protein powder, these cookies are gluten-free, dairy-free, and packed with flavor. The use of a flax egg adds a vegan-friendly touch while supporting gut and heart health. With their soft, chewy texture and rich, chocolatey-peppermint taste, these cookies are perfect for indulging without compromising on nutrition. Grab your mixer and enjoy this delicious holiday dessert!

Let’s be honest, part of what makes the holidays so memorable is all the homemade treats! From pies to cakes to festively decorated cookies, there’s something we can all enjoy — even when you’re eating healthier. Crinkle cookies have become a nostalgic part of the season. Their frosted, cracked appearance paired with warm, chocolatey center is the perfect embodiment of the wintery season!

We can thank Betty Crocker for this fun and sweet treat, but we can’t ignore how inflammatory traditional crinkle cookies are. After all, part of what makes these cookies so soft and chewy is the flour and egg. It also uses vegetable oil, which contains trans fats and Omega 6s.

I knew I could recreate a healthier version, so today I’m bringing you my Peppermint Mocha Crinkle Cookies recipe. These cookies are The Myers Way® approved for several reasons. Not only do you swap out the wheat flour for tigernut flour, but you also get the heart-healthy benefits of flax in the flax egg. They also feature a boost of protein in every bite thanks to my Peppermint Mocha Paleo Protein. Grab your apron and let’s get baking!

Ingredients to make Peppermint Mocha Crinkle Cookies - Amy Myers MD®

Tigernut Flour

Despite its name, tigernuts aren’t actually nuts. Tigernuts are little tubers people have consumed for thousands of years. Local to parts of Africa, Asia, and the Mediterranean, tigernuts contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, and healthy fats that make them a great addition to a healthy diet. 

Tigernut flour comes from dried, ground-up tigernuts. Since we’re using tubers, tigernut flour is naturally gluten and nut-free. It’s also surprisingly light, which helps when you want to make fluffy, cakey confections. You still get that chewy, tender texture without the need for refined flour. Tigernut flour’s high fiber contents act as prebiotics, feeding healthy gut bacteria and keeping your microbiome in check. 

Raw Cacao Powder

Crinkle cookies are famous for their rich, chocolatey flavor. While many recipes call for cocoa powder, I’m using raw cacao powder instead. You might think they are the same, but they’re actually quite different! I like using raw cacao powder because it adds such a deep, rich chocolate flavor to these peppermint mocha crinkle cookies. Cocoa tends to have a milder chocolate flavor.

One major difference between raw cacao powder and cocoa powder is how they’re processed.  Raw cacao powder comes from cold-pressed, un-roasted cacao beans. This process helps preserve the cacao's living enzymes. Cold pressing also removes the fat, which is then turned into cacao butter.

To get cocoa powder, you need to roast the raw cacao at very high temperatures. This process breaks enzymes down and changes the molecular structure of the cacao bean. What you’re left with is a less nutritional version.

You’ve probably heard that a little chocolate is good for you, and it’s true, as long as you opt for cacao. Raw cacao powder contains flavonoids, which act as antioxidants. Your body uses antioxidants to combat free radicals and reduce oxidative stress. In turn, this helps lower inflammation in your body.

Peppermint Mocha Protein Powder

A scoop of the Peppermint Mocha Paleo Protein - Peppermint Mocha Crinkle Cookies - Amy Myers MD®

Why settle for only chocolate when you can add a peppermint mocha twist? In addition to the raw cacao powder, I add a scoop of my Peppermint Mocha Paleo Protein to take these crinkle cookies to the next level. No doubt this is my star ingredient. The peppermint mocha brings the season’s flavors together while also supporting your health. 

A nutritious and delicious holiday treat, you ask? How is that possible? I’ll tell you. This limited-time Peppermint Mocha Paleo Protein powder meets all your health and beauty nutritional needs in one easy scoop! It comes with 21 grams of hydrolyzed, grass-fed beef collagen to support gut, skin, and hair health. It also gives these crinkle cookies a hint of heartiness, keeping you fuller and helping you resist cravings. Not all holiday treats give you the best of both worlds!

Flax Egg

Those with egg allergies or sensitivities need other options. Eggs can also trigger gut and immune inflammation, so those following The Myers Way® should avoid eating them. This is where a flax egg comes in! 

Traditional baked goods use eggs to hold all the ingredients together. It also helps give that chewy texture. Making a flax egg makes a wonderful vegan or dairy free substitute for these peppermint mocha crinkle cookies. All you have to do is combine the correct ratios of ground flax and water and wait a few minutes while the flax egg gels. 

Flax contains fiber and omega-3s, which support healthy digestion and inflammation levels. Fiber can also support healthy blood sugar levels and cardiovascular support. 

How To Make Crinkle Cookies

Are you ready to make your new all-time favorite Peppermint Mocha Crinkle Cookies? I know I am! Start by preheating your oven to 350 F (175 C). Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. 

Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients

Sift all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Start with the tigernut flour, arrowroot starch, and raw cacao powder. Follow with a scoop of Peppermint Mocha Paleo Protein, along with the sea salt and baking soda. Stir to combine and set aside. 

Now it's time to make the flax egg. In a small bowl, mix the ground flaxseed with water. Set this aside to thicken. It should take about five minutes.

Using an electric mixer, cream together the coconut oil with coconut sugar until you reach a smooth consistency. Add in the flax egg and vanilla and continue mixing until creamy.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Give it a good stir until a thick dough forms. If the mixture seems a bit dry, add melted coconut oil until you reach cookie dough-like consistency. 

Mixing dry and wet ingredients with a hand mixer - Peppermint Mocha Crinkle Cookies - Amy Myers MD®

Fold in the chocolate chips. Stir until just mixed, but don't overmix! Then, place the dough in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.

Assembling the Peppermint Mocha Crinkle Cookies

Once the dough is ready, place about 1/4 cup arrowroot starch in a wide bowl. 

Rolling dough into a ball - Peppermint Mocha Crinkle Cookies - Amy Myers MD®

Use a small cookie scoop to measure 1 ½ Tbsp of dough and roll it into a ball. 

Roll the ball thoroughly in the arrowroot starch. Then, place the crinkle cookies on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

Rolling the dough ball into arrowroot starch - Peppermint Mocha Crinkle Cookies - Amy Myers MD®

Space the cookies two inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake at 350 F for about 11 minutes.  

Once they're finished baking, remove the crinkle cookies from the oven. Allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Letting the cookies cool on a rack - Peppermint Mocha Crinkle Cookies - Amy Myers MD®

You're going to love how soft and chewy these peppermint mocha crinkle cookies are!

Enjoy these decadent desserts with a hot cup of tea this holiday season, or any day!

Overhead view of cookies on a plate with mint leaves and a bag of Peppermint Mocha Paleo Protein - Peppermint Mocha Crinkle Cookies - Amy Myers MD®

Peppermint Mocha Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup tigernut flour
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot starch (plus ¼ cup more for coating cookies)
  • 2/3 cup raw cacao powder
  • 3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips
  • 1 scoop Peppermint Mocha Paleo Protein
  • 3/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 8 TBSP coconut oil, room temperature 
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • Flax egg (see instructions)
  • 2 tbsp Flaxseed, ground
  • 5  tbsp water

Directions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper
  2. In a large bowl, sift together the tigernut flour, arrowroot starch, cacao powder, Peppermint Mocha Paleo Protein, sea salt, and baking soda. 
  3. Make the flax egg by mixing the flaxseed and water together in a small bowl.  Set aside to thicken for 5 minutes
  4. In a separate large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the coconut oil with coconut sugar until creamy.
  5. Add in the flax egg and vanilla until creamy.
  6.  Add the dry mixture into the wet until a thick dough forms. If you find the mixture a little dry, add melted coconut oil until you reach cookie dough consistency. 
  7. Fold in the chocolate chips until just mixed, being careful not to overmix. 
  8.  Refrigerate the batter for 15-20 minutes.
  9.  Place about 1/4 cup arrowroot starch in a wide bowl. 
  10.  Use a small cookie scoop to measure 1 ½ tbsp of dough and roll it into a ball. 
  11. Roll the ball generously into the arrowroot starch then place on the prepared baking sheet.  Keep the spacing of the cookies 2” apart on the baking sheet.
  12. Bake for 11 minutes.  
  13. Once you take them out of the oven, let cool for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack as they will be very soft and chewy. 
  14. Enjoy these cookies with a cup of herbal tea or simply on their own. Perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up or a delightful dessert!
Meet the Author

Dr. Amy Myers

Dr. Myers is an accomplished, formally-trained physician who received her Doctorate of Medicine from Louisiana State University Health Science Center in 2005.
Along the way, she made it her mission to help those who've also been failed by the conventional medical system restore their own health and live their best lives.

Leave a Comment