Description

These peppermint sugar cookies are festive slice-and-bake treats with crisp edges, soft and chewy middles, and a beautiful peppermint candy design at the center. Featuring a chocolate peppermint outer layer, these cookies deliver a refreshing minty flavor perfect for holiday cookie exchanges or Christmas boxes. The recipe is easy to make ahead and results in showstopper cookies that taste as good as they look.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

¾ cup butter (softened slightly)
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 large egg (room temperature)
2 cups all purpose flour (240g)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (dutch processed)

Coloring and Decoration

red gel food coloring (as needed)
white gel food coloring (optional)
¼ cup coarse sugar (for coating)
2 tablespoons crushed peppermint candies (or crushed candy canes)

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Instructions

Combine Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat together the butter and granulated sugar just until combined, avoiding overmixing to keep the texture right.
Add Flavors and Egg: Mix in sea salt, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and the egg just until incorporated, even if the mixture looks slightly split.
Add Flour: Sift the all-purpose flour directly into the bowl and fold or mix just until a dough forms, then separate about one third of the dough and set aside.
Color Red Dough: Divide the smaller portion of dough in half. Add red gel food coloring drop by drop to one half and mix well until the color is vibrant. Shape into a 4-inch log on parchment and freeze for 20 minutes until firm.
Color White Dough: Color the other half of the smaller dough portion with white gel food coloring if desired, shaping into a similar 4-inch log, then freeze for 20 minutes until firm.
Prepare Chocolate Dough: Mix cocoa powder into the larger dough portion and set aside at room temperature to be used later.
Slice Colored Logs: Remove the red and white logs from the freezer. Slice each log lengthwise into eight equal rectangular wedges by cutting in half lengthwise twice and then halving again.
Reassemble Logs: Alternate red and white wedges, pressing them together to form two logs. Join the logs by pressing ends together and smoothing seams, then wrap in parchment and freeze 10 minutes to firm.
Wrap with Chocolate Dough: Flatten out the chocolate dough into a rectangle about the same length as the colored logs on parchment. Once the colored logs are firmed, place one on the chocolate dough and wrap it completely, smoothing the surface and redistributing dough as needed.
Coat with Sugar and Peppermint Candies: Mix coarse sugar and crushed peppermint candies on parchment paper. Roll the cookie log in the sugar mixture until fully coated, wrap in parchment, and freeze 20-30 minutes to chill completely.
Preheat and Slice Cookies: Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C). Remove chilled log, slice into ½ inch slices with a sharp knife, and place on a parchment-lined or non-stick baking sheet spaced 1-2 inches apart.
Bake Cookies: Bake for 10 minutes or until cookie tops lose their shine but centers remain soft and slightly underbaked.
Cool and Repeat: Transfer baked cookies to a cooling rack with a spatula. Bake remaining slices in batches following the same process.

Notes

Use room temperature ingredients for best mixing results.
The white gel food coloring is optional but adds a nice contrast to the peppermint pattern.
Freezing the dough logs is crucial to keep the shape and make slicing easier.
The cookies remain soft in the center, so avoid overbaking for optimal texture.
Store baked cookies in an airtight container to preserve freshness.
Crushed peppermint candies add festive crunch but can be swapped for candy canes if unavailable.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 174 kcal
Sugar: 12 g
Sodium: 129 mg
Fat: 8 g
Saturated Fat: 5 g
Unsaturated Fat: 2.4 g
Trans Fat: 0.3 g
Carbohydrates: 24 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 2 g
Cholesterol: 29 mg