Description
Delightfully soft and tender Peppermint Meltaway Cookies feature a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture combined with refreshing peppermint flavor. These buttery shortbread-style cookies are topped with a creamy peppermint frosting and sprinkled with crushed peppermint bits, perfect for holiday gatherings or a festive treat year-round.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Cookies
- 1 1/4 cups (178g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level)
- 1/2 cup (68g) cornstarch (scoop and level)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (68g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
Frosting
- 2 Tbsp (28g) salted butter, softened
- 2 Tbsp half and half
- 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
- 1 1/2 cups (200g) powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup (42g) finely crushed peppermint bits or candy canes
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Cream butter and sugar. Using an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened unsalted butter and powdered sugar until just combined and smooth.
- Add peppermint and flour mixture. Mix in the peppermint extract. Then, on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined to form the dough.
- Chill dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough until it is nearly firm, about 1 hour. During the last 15 minutes of chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Shape and arrange dough. Scoop out dough using a tablespoon measure, rolling each portion into a ball. Place the dough balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased 18×13 inch baking sheet. Keep any unused dough chilled until ready to bake.
- Bake cookies. Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are set and their bottoms turn lightly golden brown, approximately 10 to 13 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare frosting. In the electric stand mixer bowl, cream together salted butter, half and half, peppermint extract, and powdered sugar until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Frost and decorate cookies. Working with one cookie at a time, spread the frosting over the cooled cookie. Immediately sprinkle crushed peppermint bits over the frosting before it begins to set. Repeat with all cookies.
- Store cookies. Store the frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential to prevent spreading and to achieve the perfect meltaway texture.
- You can substitute crushed candy canes or peppermint candies for the peppermint bits if preferred.
- Ensure cookies are completely cooled before frosting to prevent melting the frosting.
- Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week.
- For stronger peppermint flavor, adjust peppermint extract to taste, but do not exceed recommended amounts as it can become overpowering.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 55mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
