Crunchy Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

This recipe is both pretty and easy. The sugar cookie dough comes together quickly—no chilling required—and bakes into buttery cookies that almost melt in your mouth. The cream cheese frosting is simple to prepare and is sturdy enough to pipe, while still tasting light and minty.

If you want a festive cookie that doesn’t take all day, these peppermint cookies are ideal. They’re family-friendly and fast to make—perfect when you need a holiday treat without the fuss.

• Unsalted butter – room temperature so the batter comes together smoothly.
• Granulated sugar – adds sweetness and a touch of crispness on the edges.
• Egg and egg yolk – the whole egg gives structure and moisture; the extra yolk adds richness and chew.
• Peppermint candy canes – crushed for topping and extra texture.
• Flavorings – vanilla extract and peppermint extract. Peppermint is strong, so measure carefully.
• Baking powder – gives a bit of lift without making the cookies spread.
• Cornstarch – helps prevent spreading and creates a tender, chewy texture.
• Cream cheese – cold cream cheese makes a stable, pipeable frosting.
• Powdered sugar – sweetens and stabilizes the frosting so it can be piped.
• Red gel food coloring – gel gives a bright, true red without thinning the frosting.

How to make Peppermint Cookies

Make the Cookie Dough

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, and baking powder.

Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl, then add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and peppermint extract and mix about 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low, increasing speed as needed until the dough is smooth and has a clay-like consistency.

Step 3: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll to about 1/2-inch thickness. Use a 3-inch round cutter to cut cookies and place them on the prepared sheet about 2 inches apart.

Step 4: Bake 8–10 minutes, until centers are slightly puffy and edges are set. Avoid browning to keep the cookies tender. Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting

Step 5: While cookies bake, make the frosting. Beat butter in a stand mixer on medium for 1 minute. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until incorporated. Scrape the bowl, add peppermint extract, kosher salt, and cold cream cheese, and mix just until combined, about 30 seconds.

Step 6: Separate about two-thirds of the frosting into another bowl and stir in red gel food coloring until uniform. Fit two piping bags with tips (a 1M works well); fill one with red frosting and one with white.

Decorate the Cookies

Step 7: Place candy canes in a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin until you have small pieces and some fine crumbs for sprinkling.

Step 8: Once cookies are fully cooled, pipe a red line down the center, then across to make a cross, and add another line to create a six-point star pattern. Sprinkle crushed candy cane over the top, then use the white frosting to fill the remaining areas so the cookie resembles a peppermint candy.

Step 9: Finish with any extra crushed cane and let the frosting set before storing.

Tips

• Weigh ingredients when possible. A kitchen scale gives more consistent results than volume measures.
• Don’t overbake. Remove cookies when centers are slightly puffy and edges are just set. They should not turn golden brown.

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