Peppermint Meltaways

Every year when I am choosing Christmas cookie recipes for the year, I look at what is new in the world of peppermint cookies. It’s a flavor that you can’t avoid during the holidays, and I am glad to find the flavor in everything from ice cream to hot chocolate. This year is no exception, and I have this cookie and some peppermint bark brownies to make for you.

One thing that I don’t enjoy about baking with peppermint is that I find I need crushed peppermints. Yes, I could crush candy canes myself, but that never provides the consistency that I need for baking. You can buy packages at the store, and typically I tell myself that I will pick it up later if I need it. What am I thinking, I always need it! Then when I go to but crushed peppermints, I can’t find them. This year, I bought them super early, when I first saw them in the store. Yay!

I made a full batch of these cookies, and it made about 2 dozen, so it isn’t a large batch by any means. The dough is quite fragile, so the refrigeration is critical. When a recipe says to chill the dough that isn’t being baked, I typically ignore it. In this case, the cookies spread if they are too warm, so after I shaped the second batch of cookies, I refrigerated them for about 10 minutes, which was a good idea. I piped the frosting on and that made quick work of topping these cookies. I piped about 6 cookies and then topped with peppermints, so that the frosting wouldn’t set too much. These have a nice peppermint flavor, but they are very fragile so you must be careful!

Peppermint Meltaways
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Crushed peppermints

In a medium bowl, combine the flour and cornstarch; set aside. In a large mixer bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar until smooth. Stir in the peppermint extract. With the mixer running on low, gradually add the flour mixture. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.

Shape dough into tablespoon-sized balls and place on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until barely golden. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cookies are cool, make the frosting: in a large mixer bowl, combine the butter, milk, peppermint extract and powdered sugar. Beat on medium until light. If the frosting is too thick, add additional milk, if too thin, add more powdered sugar.

Spread or pipe the frosting on each cookie and then top with crushed peppermints.

Recipe from Cooking Classy