Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
These peppermint meltaway cookies are soft, buttery, and dissolve the second you take a bite. Each one gets a swirl of pale pink peppermint buttercream and a sprinkle of peppermint crunch. They're the prettiest cookie on the Christmas tray, and they're so easy to make.
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Servings: 24 cookies
INGREDIENTS
Meltaway Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Buttercream Frosting
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature room temperature
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted sifted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- Red food coloring preferably gel
- Andes Peppermint Crunch baking chips or crushed candy canes for topping
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cream the butter and sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and peppermint extract, scraping down the bowl as needed.1 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- Make the dough: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup cornstarch, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Prep and shape: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into approximately 1½-tablespoon portions and roll into balls. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. If the dough chilled overnight, let it soften just enough to scoop easily.
- Bake: Bake for 7-9 minutes, until the edges and tops are just set. The cookies should remain pale. Let cool on the baking sheets for 5–10 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the frosting: Beat the butter until smooth. Gradually add the sifted confectioners’ sugar, mixing on low speed until incorporated. Add the vanilla and peppermint extracts, then beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, 1–2 minutes. Use a toothpick to add a tiny dab of red food coloring. Beat until evenly tinted, adding more a little at a time to reach a pale pink.¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract, Red food coloring
- Decorate: Spread or pipe the frosting onto the completely cooled cookies. Sprinkle with peppermint crunch or crushed candy canes before the frosting sets.Andes Peppermint Crunch baking chips or crushed candy canes
Notes
Chilling is optional. In testing, chilled and unchilled dough baked up nearly the same. If your kitchen is warm or the dough is too soft to roll, chill it for a few minutes.
Spoon and level the flour and cornstarch. Extra cornstarch makes the edges crumbly.
Pull the cookies while they're still pale. They won't turn golden like other cookies.
For make-ahead, bake the cookies ahead and frost them the day you serve so the topping stays crunchy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 26mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.4mg
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