Peppermint Cookies

I love a delicious holiday cookie that’s all dressed up. Furthermore, I also love an easy cookie recipe that comes together in no time! This recipe is both. The sugar cookie base comes together quickly and easily, you don’t even need to chill the dough! The cream cheese frosting comes together easily too. 

The cookies also have the most delicious buttery flavor that literally melt in your mouth. They’re the perfect holiday cookie! 

If you’re looking for something festive during the holiday season and don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen doing it – this is the recipe for you. As a mom of two littles, I got your back! Let’s make these delicious and EASY peppermint cookies. 

• Unsalted Butter – be sure to use room temperature butter,  this will ensure that the batter comes together
• Granulated Sugar – provides sweetness and contributes to the slight crispness of the cookie. 
• Egg and Egg Yolk – A whole egg provides structure, moisture, and lift to cookies, while the egg white helps bind the ingredients. Adding an extra egg yolk increases fat, enhancing richness, chewiness, and a soft texture.
• Peppermint candy canes – to crush up and put on top of the cookies for texture! 
• Flavorings – you’ll need vanilla extract and peppermint extract – be careful not to add too much peppermint extract. The peppermint flavor is STRONG. When it comes to vanilla extract, I measure with my heart. With peppermint extract, it has to be exact! Just something to note here. Also, you should be able to find peppermint extract at your local grocery store.
• Baking Powder – this will give the cookies a little bit of rise, but they won’t spread! 
• Cornstarch – the cornstarch prevents the cookies from spreading AND makes these into nice and chewy cookies.
• Cream Cheese – this is the for peppermint cookie frosting! Use cold cream cheese to make sure that the icing is pipable and sturdy! 
• Powdered Sugar – the powdered sugar goes in the frosting and makes the frosting stable enough to pipe on top of the cookies.
• Red Food Coloring – I recommend using red gel food coloring, it has better pigment and will give the frosting a true red color.

How to make Peppermint Cookies 

Make the Cookie Dough

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Mix together dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl – all purpose flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, and baking powder.

Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Mix for 1 minute on medium speed, then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

Step 3: Continue to mix until the cookie dough has a smooth consistency, it should have the consistency of clay. 

Step 4: On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough until it’s about a 1/2 inch thick. Use a 3 inch round cookie cutter to cutout the cookies. Place cookies onto a baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the centers of the cookies are slightly puffy and the edges of the cookies are set. Be careful not to overbake as this will make the cookies dry. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting

Step 5: While the cookies are baking, prepare the cream cheese frosting. Add butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute, then begin adding powdered in one cup increments. Once all of the sugar is added, scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix on medium speed. Add in the peppermint extract, kosher salt, and cold cream cheese. Continue to mix until the cream cheese is just combined, about 30 seconds.

Step 6: Add about 2/3 of the cream cheese frosting to a separate bowl and mix in the red food coloring with a spoon until it appears to be uniform red color. Fit 2 piping bags with your favorite piping tips (I used the 1M piping tip). Add the red frosting to one and the white frosting to another.

Decorate the Cookies

Step 7: Add candy canes to a ziploc bag. Use a rolling pin to smash the candy canes into pieces.

Step 8: Once the cookies have cooled completely, use the red piping bag to draw a line down the middle on the cookie. Then draw a line to make a cross on the cookie. Draw one more line to make a 6-point star on the cookie.

Step 9: Sprinkle crushed candy cane pieces on top, then use the white frosting to fill in the empty space on the cookie to make them look like real peppermint candies!

Tips

• Use a kitchen scale to measure out your ingredients. It’s far more accurate than a measuring cup and allows for the best results every time!

• Be careful not to overbake the cookies. Once the centers are a little puffy and the edges appear set, remove them from the oven. You do not want them to be golden brown, if so, they are overbaked.