Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, this keeps your cookies from sticking and makes cleanup a breeze.

In a large bowl, toss in the salted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat them together until the mixture is fluffy, creamy, and smells like cookie magic. Don’t forget to scrape the sides so every bit of goodness is mixed in, this little step makes a big difference in texture.

Add the eggs one at a time, then pour in the vanilla extract. Mix just until everything comes together into a glossy, smooth batter.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, being gentle to avoid overworking the dough. Finally, fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips so each cookie is full of melty chocolate pockets.

Scoop generous portions of dough onto your prepared baking sheet, leaving space for each cookie to spread as it bakes.

Bake for about 9 minutes; the edges should be set, and the centers may still jiggle slightly. That’s the sweet spot for soft, chewy cookies. Let them rest for a few minutes on the tray, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cookies cool, make the frosting by beating the cream cheese and salted butter together until silky and smooth.

Add the powdered sugar and peppermint extract, and mix until the frosting is light, fluffy, and perfectly minty. If it feels too soft to spread nicely, pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes, it makes frosting a breeze.

Once your cookies are fully cooled, spread a generous layer of frosting on each one. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes for that festive crunch and extra sparkle, because holiday cookies should always look as good as they taste.