These peppermint meltaways cookies have a simple frosting and crunch candy pieces for sweetness.
Prep Time2 hourshrs10 minutesmins
Cook Time12 minutesmins
Total Time2 hourshrs22 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Peppermint Meltaways Recipe
Servings: 24cookies
Calories: 183kcal
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
1¼cupsall-purpose flour,
½cupcornstarch
1cupunsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1cuppowdered sugar, sifted
½teaspoonreal peppermint extract
Frosting
2cupspowdered sugar,sifted
3tablespoonsunsalted butter,room temperature
3tablespoonshalf & half
½teaspoonreal peppermint extract
¼cupcrushed peppermint candies or candy canes for garnish
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and cornstarch until fully incorporated.
In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium speed, beat together the softened unsalted butter, sifted powdered sugar, and peppermint extract for 1-2 minutes or until the butter is light and fluffy.
Add the flour mixture to the butter and beat again until combined. The cookie batter will be thick. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Using a one-inch cookie scoop, scoop a level amount of dough and roll, in the palm of your hand, into a smooth ball. Place the rolled cookie dough ball onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough until all the balls have been rolled, being sure to space the cookies 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes or just until the center of the cookies is set. These cookies should not be browned. They should be very pale in color.
Allow the baked cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing them to cool completely on a wire rack on the counter.
While the cookies are cooling, you will make the frosting by adding to a medium mixing bowl the sifted powdered sugar, softened unsalted butter, half & half, and peppermint extract. Beat on medium-high speed, using a handheld mixer, for 1-2 minutes or until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. The frosting should be soft enough to spread easily onto the delicate peppermint meltaway cookies.
Using an offset spatula, or a butter knife, frost each cookie making sure to not go all the way to the edge of the cookie.
While handling these delicate cookies very carefully, use an offset spatula to spread approximately 2-3 teaspoons of frosting to the tops of each cookie. Do not frost all the way to the edges. Garnish the frosted cookies with a sprinkle of crushed peppermint candies.
Notes
You are NOT looking for golden brown here. They should be pale but fully set in the center.
Remember not to frost your cookies until they are completely cooled.
Be very very careful when handling your cookies to frost them. They are an extremely delicate cookie.
During the winter holiday season you can find pre-crushed peppermint candies in the sprinkles section of your grocer or where you would find your specialty cookie decorating supplies. This makes making these cookies even easier. You can also crush up a couple of candy canes into very fine pieces.