Peppermint Meltaway Cookies Recipe
Peppermint Meltaway Cookies are delicate, buttery cookies with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture infused with refreshing peppermint flavor. These festive treats are topped with a light peppermint frosting and finished with crushed peppermint bits, making them perfect for holiday celebrations or a sweet winter snack.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: About 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (178g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level)
- 1/2 cup (68g) cornstarch (scoop and level)
- 1/4 tsp salt
Cookie Dough
- 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
- Prepare 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: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the unsalted butter and powdered sugar until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add Peppermint Extract and Flour Mixture: Mix in the peppermint extract. Then, with the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Chill Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator until it firms up but isn’t completely solid, about 1 hour. Begin preheating your oven to 350°F (177°C) during the last 15 minutes of chilling.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop out the dough one tablespoon at a time and shape each portion into a ball. Place the balls on an ungreased 18 by 13-inch baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Keep any unused dough chilled until ready to bake.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 13 minutes, or until the cookies are set and their bottoms are lightly golden brown. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Frosting: In a clean mixing bowl, cream together the salted butter, half and half, peppermint extract, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
- Frost and Decorate: Spread the frosting over one cookie at a time, then immediately sprinkle with finely crushed peppermint bits before the frosting sets. Repeat this process with all the cookies.
- Store: Store the finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential for the perfect texture and ease of shaping.
- Use finely crushed peppermint bits or candy canes for best decorative effect and crunch.
- Ensure butter is softened to room temperature for smooth creaming with sugar.
- Do not overmix the dough after adding flour to avoid tough cookies.
- Cookies should be baked until set but not browned heavily to maintain meltaway quality.
Keywords: Peppermint cookies, Meltaway cookies, Holiday cookies, Christmas cookies, Peppermint frosting, Melt-in-your-mouth cookies, Festive treats
