Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus 1 1/2 cups for rolling
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup finely crushed peppermint candies or candy canes (about 6–8 small candy canes)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat the softened butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and peppermint extract until well combined.
- Add the flour, salt, and cornstarch to the butter mixture, then beat on low speed until just combined and a soft dough forms.
- Fold in the crushed peppermint candies using a spatula or wooden spoon until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls (about 1 tablespoon each) and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes until the bottoms are just lightly golden but the tops remain pale.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then roll each warm cookie in the remaining powdered sugar until completely coated.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely, then roll them in powdered sugar a second time for that classic thick, snowy coating.
Notes
- Crush the candy canes in a sealed plastic bag using a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pan, pulse them in a food processor if you want a finer texture
- If your dough feels too soft to roll, refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes until it firms up
- This recipe makes about 30 cookies depending on how large you roll them
- Use pure peppermint extract rather than imitation for the best flavor
- The cornstarch helps create that signature tender, shortbread-like texture
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg