Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
Peppermint meltaway cookies are small, pale rounds with a delicate crumb, a soft mound of white peppermint buttercream, and crushed candy on top. Powdered sugar and cornstarch help give the dough its tender texture. A brief chill helps the portioned cookies hold their shape, while a light bake keeps them from turning dry.
This recipe makes about 24 cookies in roughly 1 hour 20 minutes, including chilling, cooling, and decorating. Begin checking the cookies at 10 minutes: they should look set but remain pale on top.
Ingredients for Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (225g)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (60g)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (190g)
- 1/2 cup cornstarch (65g)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, for the frosting (30g)
- 1 cup powdered sugar, for the frosting (120g)
- 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract, for the frosting
- 1–2 tablespoons milk, as needed
- 2 tablespoons crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
How to Make Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, cornstarch, and salt together until evenly combined.
- Make the dough: Beat the 1 cup softened butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, then add the dry ingredients and mix just until a soft dough forms. It should hold together when pressed. Use softened butter, not melted butter, to help the cookies keep their shape.
- Portion and chill: Scoop level 1-tablespoon portions and gently roll them into balls. Place on a parchment-lined tray and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, until cool and slightly firmer. This brief chill helps these small rounds hold their shape; other meltaway doughs may need different chilling times.
- Preheat the oven: Heat a conventional oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Line a cool baking sheet with parchment.
- Bake: Arrange the chilled dough balls about 2 inches apart. Bake uncovered for 10–12 minutes, beginning to check at 10 minutes. The tops should look set rather than wet or shiny but remain pale; the bottoms or outer edges should be only barely golden. Bake in batches on a cool sheet if needed. Rotate the sheet only if your oven browns unevenly.
- Cool: Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer them carefully to a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting; the cookies are fragile while warm, and the buttercream can soften on warm cookies.
- Make the buttercream: Beat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter until smooth. Gradually beat in the frosting powdered sugar and 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract. Add milk a little at a time until the frosting is thick enough to hold a soft swirl but still spreadable.
- Frost and finish: Pipe or spread a small swirl or mound of buttercream on each cooled cookie. Sprinkle each one with crushed peppermint immediately, while the frosting is still fresh. Let the frosting set before stacking.
How to Keep the Cookies Tender
Powdered sugar and cornstarch are key to the fine, delicate crumb. Mix the flour into the butter only until the dough comes together, and use the set, barely golden edges as your baking cue. Waiting for deep browning can leave these cookies dry.
Serving Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
Arrange the cookies with their frosted tops facing up. For another delicate cookie on the same platter, try Classic Pecan Snowball Cookies.
How to Store Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
Once the frosting has set, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature with parchment between layers. Handle them gently when packing. You can bake the cookies ahead and frost them once they have cooled completely.
Finished cookies can be frozen, though a specific storage duration and thawing method are not established. Separate the layers with parchment and protect the cookies from being crushed.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per cookie, based on 1 cookie (about 30g): 145 calories, 1g protein, 9g fat, and 17g carbohydrates. Per 100g: about 500 calories, 3g protein, 30g fat, and 57g carbohydrates. Values will vary with portion size and the amount of frosting used.
Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Electric mixer
- 1-tablespoon scoop
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Wire rack
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (225g)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (60g)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (190g)
- 1/2 cup cornstarch (65g)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
For the frosting and topping
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (30g)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
- 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1–2 tablespoons milk, as needed
- 2 tablespoons crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl.
- Beat 1 cup softened butter with 1/2 cup powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Mix in 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, then add the dry ingredients and mix just until a soft dough forms.
- Scoop level 1-tablespoon portions, roll them into balls, and place them on a parchment-lined tray.
- Refrigerate the dough balls for about 30 minutes, until cool and slightly firmer.
- Preheat a conventional oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Line a cool baking sheet with parchment.
- Arrange the chilled dough balls about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, beginning to check at 10 minutes. Remove when the tops look set and pale and the bottoms or edges are barely golden.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Beat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter until smooth. Gradually mix in the frosting powdered sugar and 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract.
- Add milk a little at a time until the frosting is thick enough to hold a soft swirl but remains spreadable.
- Pipe or spread a small mound of frosting onto each cooled cookie, then immediately sprinkle with crushed peppermint.
- Let the frosting set before stacking the cookies.
Tips
- Use softened butter, not melted butter, to help the cookies hold their shape.
- Mix the flour into the butter only until the dough comes together.
- Start checking the cookies at 10 minutes; they should be set but remain pale.
- Bake batches on a cool baking sheet, and rotate the sheet only if your oven browns unevenly.
- Wait until the cookies are completely cool before frosting them.