Peppermint Shortbread Cookies

Crisp, buttery, and infused with a refreshing burst of peppermint, Peppermint Shortbread Cookies are a delightful winter treat, offering a sophisticated twist on classic shortbread with a cool and invigorating flavour. These are not just ordinary shortbread cookies; they are a festive celebration of buttery richness and minty freshness, perfectly capturing the spirit of winter with their delicate crumb and invigorating peppermint essence, creating a cookie that is both comforting and subtly sophisticated, balancing the rich buttery base with a refreshing and cool peppermint lift. Imagine the delightful aroma of buttery shortbread and peppermint filling your kitchen, the delicate white glaze glistening on top of each cookie, and the first crisp bite delivering a melt-in-your-mouth texture with a burst of cool peppermint flavour, promising a baking experience that is both simple and utterly delightful to share. This recipe is your secret to winter baking success, bringing the delightful coolness of Peppermint Shortbread Cookies to your celebrations, ready to impress with their elegant simplicity and effortless deliciousness.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe?

Cool and Refreshing Winter Flavor

Appreciate the invigorating flavour of Peppermint Shortbread Cookies. These cookies offer a delightful departure from typical winter spices, showcasing the cool and refreshing taste of peppermint, making them a uniquely enjoyable treat for the colder months, offering a crisp and buttery cookie with a burst of minty freshness. The peppermint flavour provides a welcome coolness that balances the richness of the shortbread. Enjoy a winter cookie that is both comforting and refreshingly different, making them a perfect choice for those seeking a minty twist on holiday baking.

Melt in Your Mouth Buttery Shortbread Texture

Indulge in the exquisite texture of Peppermint Shortbread Cookies, a cookie that boasts a melt-in-your-mouth buttery shortbread base that is both delicate and incredibly satisfying, offering a textural experience that is truly irresistible and elevates the peppermint flavour. The classic shortbread texture is crumbly, tender, and melts in your mouth with every bite. Savour the buttery richness and delicate crumb that makes these cookies so enjoyable, offering a truly luxurious and pleasurable eating experience.

Simple Festive Presentation

Discover the understated elegance of Peppermint Shortbread Cookies, a cookie that is not only delicious but also visually appealing in its simplicity, with a delicate white glaze and optional peppermint candy sprinkles, making them a beautiful addition to any holiday cookie platter or gift box. The clean lines and simple glaze create a sophisticated and festive presentation. Enjoy the satisfaction of creating cookies that are as beautiful to look at as they are delicious to eat, making them a perfect choice for elegant holiday gifting and displays.

Easy to Make with Minimal Ingredients Baking Simplicity

Embrace the surprising ease of making Peppermint Shortbread Cookies, a recipe that is remarkably simple to prepare with minimal ingredients, requiring just a few pantry staples for maximum flavour and impressive results, making it perfect for busy bakers who want to create a special holiday treat without spending hours in the kitchen. The straightforward steps and readily available ingredients make this recipe accessible to bakers of all skill levels. Enjoy the satisfaction of creating an elegant and delicious cookie with minimal fuss, making it a perfect choice for stress-free holiday baking.

Versatile Base for Creative Decorations Endless Possibilities

Discover the adaptable versatility of Peppermint Shortbread Cookies, a cookie that serves as a perfect blank canvas for creative decorations, allowing you to personalize them with various glazes, sprinkles, and even chocolate drizzles, making each batch uniquely festive and expressive of your baking creativity. Experiment with different coloured glazes, festive sprinkles, or even crushed peppermint candies to customize your cookie decorations. Enjoy the flexibility to adapt this recipe to any holiday theme or personal preference, offering a truly versatile and endlessly creative baking opportunity.

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Ingredients

For the Crisp and Buttery Shortbread

• 1 cup unsalted butter, 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened unsalted butter. Softened unsalted butter is essential for creating a smooth dough that is easy to work with and results in a tender shortbread. Softened butter incorporates air and creates a crumbly texture. Unsalted butter allows for better control over salt level.
• ½ cup granulated sugar. Granulated sugar adds sweetness and crispness to the shortbread cookies, contributing to their overall flavour and texture. Granulated sugar provides a clean sweetness that complements the peppermint flavour.
• ¼ teaspoon salt, kosher salt or sea salt. Salt balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavours in the shortbread cookies, preventing a flat or bland taste. Kosher salt or sea salt are preferred for their pure flavour and even seasoning. Adjust to taste.
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled all-purpose flour. All-purpose flour provides the structure for the shortbread cookies, creating a tender crumb when properly measured. Spooning and leveling ensures accurate measurement and prevents dry cookies.
• ½ teaspoon peppermint extract, pure peppermint extract. Pure peppermint extract is the key flavouring, providing the refreshing and cool peppermint taste that defines these cookies. Pure peppermint extract provides the best peppermint flavour.

For the Simple and Elegant Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar, confectioners’ sugar, sifted powdered sugar. Sifted powdered sugar forms the base of the glaze, providing sweetness and a smooth consistency. Sifting powdered sugar prevents lumps and ensures a smooth glaze.
• 2-3 tablespoons milk, whole milk or reduced-fat milk. Milk is used to thin the powdered sugar into a glaze consistency. Whole or reduced-fat milk works equally well. Adjust amount to reach desired glaze consistency.
• ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract, pure peppermint extract. Pure peppermint extract enhances the peppermint flavour of the glaze, adding an extra layer of minty freshness. Pure peppermint extract provides the best peppermint flavour.

Optional Festive Decorations for Extra Cheer

• Crushed peppermint candies, or peppermint candy canes, finely crushed (optional). Crushed peppermint candies or candy canes are used for decorating the cookies, adding extra festive cheer, peppermint flavour, and visual appeal. Finely crushed candies are ideal for sprinkling.

How to Make Peppermint Shortbread Cookies ?

Step 1: Prepare the Peppermint Shortbread Dough

In a large bowl, cream together softened butter, granulated sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter, granulated sugar, and salt using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Creaming butter and sugar incorporates air and creates a tender shortbread.

Beat in peppermint extract until combined. Beat in peppermint extract until just combined, infusing the butter mixture with peppermint flavour.

Gradually add all-purpose flour to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined and dough comes together. Gradually add all-purpose flour to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined and dough just comes together, forming a ball. Do not overmix. Overmixing can lead to tough shortbread.

Form dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 hours. Form dough into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 hours. Chilling dough is crucial for firming it up and making it easier to roll out and prevent spreading. Chilling allows butter to firm up and gluten to relax.

Step 2: Roll, Cut, and Bake the Shortbread

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Preheat oven to the specified temperature to ensure even baking of the shortbread cookies.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal of baked cookies.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out chilled dough to ¼ inch thickness. On a lightly floured surface, roll out chilled dough to ¼ inch thickness, rolling evenly for consistent cookie thickness.

Cut out cookies using cookie cutters of your choice. Cut out cookies using cookie cutters of your choice, such as circles, squares, stars, or holiday shapes.

Place cookie cutouts on prepared baking sheets, spacing them slightly apart. Place cookie cutouts on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them slightly apart to allow for even baking and browning.

Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden brown and cookies are set but not browned. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden brown and cookies are set but not browned. Shortbread should remain pale in colour, with just lightly golden edges. Baking time may vary slightly depending on cookie thickness and oven. Watch closely to prevent overbaking.

Let cookies cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Let cookies cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cooling slightly makes them easier to handle. Cooling completely before glazing prevents glaze from melting.

Step 3: Prepare the Peppermint Glaze and Decorate

In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and peppermint extract until smooth glaze forms. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together sifted powdered sugar, milk, and peppermint extract until smooth glaze forms, adding milk gradually to reach desired consistency. Glaze should be smooth and pourable but not too thin.

Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies, or dip tops of cookies into glaze. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies using a spoon or piping bag, or dip tops of cookies into glaze for a more even coating.

Sprinkle crushed peppermint candies over glazed cookies, if desired, before glaze sets. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candies or candy canes over glazed cookies, if desired, immediately before glaze sets, allowing candies to adhere to the glaze.

Let glaze set completely before serving or storing. Let glaze set completely and harden before serving or storing, ensuring a smooth and non-sticky glaze finish.

Step 4: Serve and Enjoy

Serve Peppermint Shortbread Cookies immediately or store in an airtight container. Serve immediately for best crispness or store in an airtight container at room temperature for later enjoyment.

Enjoy each crisp, buttery, and peppermint-infused bite.

Tips for Variations

Chocolate Drizzle Decadent Swirl

Drizzle melted chocolate or chocolate ganache over the peppermint glaze for an extra decadent touch and visual appeal, creating a chocolate peppermint combination. Melted chocolate or chocolate ganache adds visual contrast and rich chocolate flavour. Ensure to use halal certified chocolate.

Different Extracts Vanilla, Almond, or Lemon

Substitute vanilla extract, almond extract, or lemon extract for peppermint extract in the shortbread dough and glaze for different flavour variations. Vanilla, almond, or lemon extract add unique flavour notes to the cookies.

Spice it Up Cinnamon or Cardamom Warmth

Add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or ground cardamom to the shortbread dough for a warmer and more spiced cookie flavour, especially for winter holidays. Cinnamon or cardamom add comforting spice flavours.

Colored Sugar Sparkle Festive Shine

Sprinkle colored sugar or sanding sugar over the cookies before baking or over the glaze before it sets for extra sparkle and festive shine. Colored sugar or sanding sugar adds visual appeal and festive touch.

Peppermint Bark Inspired Layered Treat

Spread melted chocolate over half of the cooled shortbread cookies and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies to create peppermint bark-inspired shortbread. Melted chocolate and peppermint candies create a peppermint bark flavour profile. Ensure to use halal certified chocolate.

Serving Suggestions

Holiday Cookie Platter Winter Dessert Display

Showcase Peppermint Shortbread Cookies on a festive holiday cookie platter, alongside other winter cookies and treats for a beautiful and varied dessert display. Holiday cookie platter setting highlights the festive appeal of peppermint shortbread.

Hot Beverage Pairing Cozy Winter Treat

Serve Peppermint Shortbread Cookies with a cup of hot cocoa, tea, or coffee for a cozy and comforting winter treat, perfect for enjoying by the fireplace. Hot cocoa, tea, or coffee are classic winter beverage pairings.

Gift in a Tin Homemade Holiday Cheer

Package Peppermint Shortbread Cookies in a decorative tin or box as a thoughtful homemade gift for friends, family, or neighbours during the holiday season. Homemade cookie tins are always appreciated as presents.

Party Favors Elegant Take-Home Treat

Package Peppermint Shortbread Cookies individually in small cellophane bags or boxes as elegant party favors for holiday gatherings, allowing guests to take home a sweet and minty treat. Party favors setting makes cookies portable and shareable.

Dessert Board Centerpiece Festive Arrangement

Include Peppermint Shortbread Cookies as part of a festive dessert board or charcuterie board, alongside other sweets, fruits, and cheeses, for a visually stunning and varied dessert centerpiece. Dessert board setting showcases cookies within a broader and visually appealing arrangement.

FAQ

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted butter?

If using salted butter, omit the ¼ teaspoon of salt in the shortbread dough recipe. Salted butter can be used, but salt level needs adjustment to prevent overly salty cookies.

How do I prevent my shortbread cookies from spreading?

Chilling the dough thoroughly before baking and baking at a lower oven temperature helps prevent spreading. Ensure dough is properly chilled and oven temperature is accurate. Chilling firms up butter and prevents excessive spreading.

Can I make Peppermint Shortbread Cookies dough ahead of time?

Yes, Peppermint Shortbread Cookies dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw dough in the refrigerator overnight before rolling and baking. Make-ahead dough simplifies holiday baking preparation.

How long do Peppermint Shortbread Cookies stay fresh?

Peppermint Shortbread Cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. Crispness may diminish slightly over time, but flavour will remain. Airtight container helps maintain freshness and prevent cookies from drying out.

Can I freeze baked Peppermint Shortbread Cookies?

Baked Peppermint Shortbread Cookies can be frozen, unfilled and unglazed, for up to 2 months. Freeze baked and cooled cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature before glazing and serving. Freezing is convenient for longer storage but best to glaze after thawing.

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