Soft, melt-in-your-mouth peppermint cookies topped with creamy frosting and crushed candy canes. Perfectly festive for the holidays!
If you’re looking for a holiday cookie that practically disappears in your mouth, these peppermint meltaways are a perfect choice. They’re tender, buttery, and have just the right amount of peppermint flavor. The addition of a creamy peppermint frosting and a sprinkling of crushed candy canes makes them wonderfully festive and irresistibly good. These cookies are sure to be a favorite addition to your holiday baking list, adding a touch of winter magic to your cookie tray.
Why You’ll Love These Peppermint Meltaways
- Melt-in-your-mouth texture. These cookies are incredibly tender thanks to the combination of butter and cornstarch.
- Festive peppermint flavor. Just enough peppermint to taste like the holidays without being overwhelming.
- Easy to decorate. A simple frosting and crushed candy canes make these cookies look as good as they taste, with minimal effort.
- Perfect for gifting. Pack these in a tin with some festive ribbon, and they make the perfect edible gift for friends and family.
What You’ll Need
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Unsalted butter – Let this soften before mixing. It should hold a thumbprint when pressed and still be cool. Learn more: How to Soften Butter
- Confectioners’ sugar – Also labeled as powdered sugar or 10X sugar.
- Peppermint extract – Don’t confuse this with mint extract.
- All-purpose flour – Measure by weight for the best results. Otherwise, use the spoon and sweep method to prevent over-measuring. Learn more: How to Measure Flour
- Cornstarch – This helps give your cookies that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Heavy whipping cream – You can use either heavy cream or heavy whipping cream.
- Candy canes – Crush these or use crushed peppermint candies for a crunchy, sweet garnish.
How to Make Peppermint Meltaways
- Make the cookie dough. Beat together the butter, confectioners’ sugar, and peppermint extract until smooth. Mix in the flour and cornstarch until combined, then chill the dough for at least 2 hours.
- Prepare for baking. Heat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- Form and bake the cookies: Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls, then bake until the bottoms are lightly browned. Cool the cookies before frosting.
- Make the frosting: Beat the butter, confectioners’ sugar, cream, and peppermint extract together until smooth. Frost the cooled cookies and top with crushed candy canes.
Tips for Success
- Chill the dough. Chilling the dough is crucial for maintaining the shape of these delicate cookies. It also helps develop the best flavor.
- Use parchment or silicone liners. This will prevent the cookies from sticking and help them bake evenly.
- Don’t over-bake. Peppermint meltaways are delicate, so keep a close eye on them while baking. Bake just until the bottoms are lightly browned. Over-baking will make them lose their soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Get the frosting just right. If the frosting is too thick, add a bit more heavy cream, one teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency. If it’s too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar until it thickens. The frosting should be thick but spreadable, similar to the consistency of softened butter. It should hold its shape when spread but not be stiff.
- Make-ahead option. You can prepare the dough ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to bake, simply roll and bake as directed.
Variations
- Vanilla meltaways. Substitute the peppermint extract with vanilla extract for a simple and classic version. Keep the candy cane topping, or sprinkle with chopped chocolate, nuts, sprinkles, or another favorite topping.
- Chocolate drizzle. Add a drizzle of melted dark or white chocolate over the frosted cookies for an extra special touch.
- Tinted frosting: Add a drop or two of red food coloring to the frosting for a festive look. You can also divide the frosting and tint each portion a different color for variety.
- White chocolate. Instead of the frosting, dip half of each cookie in melted white chocolate and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
- Other frostings. Try white chocolate, marshmallow, or cream cheese frosting for something a little different that tones down the peppermint a bit.
- Sprinkles! Add some festive sprinkles along with or instead of the crushed candy canes.
How to Store
- Room temperature: Store your peppermint meltaway cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Keep them in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight or heat, which could affect the texture.
- Refrigerator: If you have a warm kitchen, consider storing these cookies in the refrigerator for up to 7 days to prevent the frosting from becoming too soft. Just make sure they are in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out. Let them come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
- Freezer: You can freeze the unfrosted cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw and frost before serving for the freshest taste. You can also freeze the frosted cookies for up to 1 month. Freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet first to set the frosting. Then, store in a single layer in an airtight container. When ready to serve, thaw the cookies in the refrigerator and bring them to room temperature for the best texture.
More Peppermint Treats
Get the Recipe:
Peppermint Meltaways
Yield
about 24 cookies
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Additional Time
2 hours
Total Time
2 hours 25 minutes
These peppermint meltaways are tender, buttery cookies with a light peppermint flavor, topped with creamy frosting and crushed candy canes for a festive touch. Perfect for your holiday cookie platter!
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (110g) confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 & 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 (56g) cup cornstarch
For the frosting:
- 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (220g) confectioners' sugar
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1/4 cup crushed candy canes
Instructions
To make the cookies:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, confectioners' sugar, and peppermint extract until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually mix in the flour and cornstarch until well combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- Using a tablespoonful of dough at a time, roll the dough into balls and place them about 2 inches apart on the pans.
- Bake one pan at a time for 10 minutes or until the bottom edges are lightly browned.
- Cool on the pans on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes, then transfer the cookies from the pans directly onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting:
- In a medium mixing bowl beat together the butter, confectioners' sugar, heavy cream, and peppermint extract to make the frosting. The frosting should be thick but spreadable.
- Once the cookies are cooled completely, spread the frosting on each one using an offset spatula or knife. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
Notes
Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.
For tips, step-by-step photos, and extra details, be sure to read the full post above before starting. It’s packed with helpful info to answer common questions!
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