Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
‘Tis the season for Christmas cookies with all the flavors of the season. In this case, we’re talking peppermint!
If you need a festive cookie for your Christmas cookie platter, I highly recommend these delicious peppermint meltaway cookies. They have a delightful texture, and the corn starch and confectioners’ sugar are the ingredients that give the cookies its unique mouth feel. Let’s just say that if sugar cookies and shortbread got married, this would be their baby. Peppermint meltaway cookies are aptly named as they really do melt away in your mouth.
As a bonus, these cookies are versatile in that you can freeze the dough or the baked cookie which makes the logistics for Christmas baking a lot easier.
OK, I hear a cup of hot cocoa calling out for one of these tasty treats. Now, there’s a match made in heaven!
Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
Yield: 30 to 32 cookies
Ingredients for Cookies
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Ingredients for Buttercream
- 6 tbl. unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1 to 2 tbl. milk, at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
- 1 drop red or pink food coloring, optional
- 1/4 cup crushed candy canes (about 2 to 3 large candy canes) OR Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips (I used the baking chips)
Directions
Make the cookie dough: Whisk together the flour, corn starch, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 2 full minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract and beat on high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Add the set aside dry ingredients. Beat on low speed until combined. The cookie dough will be thick and creamy. Cover dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory for this creamy cookie dough.
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
Scoop and roll dough into balls, about 1 tablespoon (or 20 to 22g) each. Place dough balls 3 inches apart on the baking sheets, and then flatten each slightly with the palm of your hand; they should be just under 2 inches in diameter.
Bake the cookies for 13 to 14 minutes or until the edges appear set. The cookies won’t darken/brown, so be careful not to overbake them.
Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make the buttercream: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 2 full minutes. Taste. To thicken the buttercream, beat in more confectioners’ sugar. To thin out the buttercream, beat in more milk. To help offset more sweetness, beat in a pinch of salt.
If you’d like to tint the frosting, beat in 1 tiny drop of food coloring. Add more to deepen the color, if desired. Using a knife or icing spatula, spread frosting onto the cooled cookies. Sprinkle each lightly with crushed candy canes or Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips
Cover and store frosted cookies at room temperature for 1 day, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Frosting “soft sets” on the cookies after a few hours, meaning it will slightly dry on top.
Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions:
You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can freeze the unbaked flattened cookie dough balls for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time. Baked plain or frosted cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Source: A recipe from Sally’s Baking Addition