Peppermint Sugar Cookies

Another day of Christmas vacation, another day spent running, watching HGTV and TLC, reading, and cuddling with the kitty. Oh, and thinking about these amazing cookies. I’ve already made them twice in about a week. Does that tell you anything? Granted, I needed two batches for our Christmas goodie bags… but that may or may not have been due to the fact that once I tasted one hot out of the oven, I wanted to save some for myself. But that’s besides the point, right? Let’s get back to the cookies.

These Peppermint Sugar Cookies are Christmas in cookie form. Sugary, buttery, pepperminty. Rich, sweet, unmistakably seasonal. They may be now up there in the runnings for favorite Christmas cookie. After just one year… incredible, right?

Peppermint Sugar Cookies [from We Are Not Martha]
Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cream of tarter
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies [about 20 peppermint candies or 7 candy canes]

Directions:

Crush candy canes/peppermint candies. I used a ziploc bag and a rolling pin, but you could use a food processor too. Be sure to leave some pieces on the bigger side because one of the best part of these cookies is the way the peppermint pieces melt as the cookie bakes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and 3/4 cup sugar. Add egg and vanilla, and mix well. In another bowl, stir together flour, cream of tarter, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients gradually, and blend until fully combined. Add 1/4 cup of the crushed peppermints and stir to combine.

In a smaller bowl, stir together remaining 1/4 cup sugar with 1/4 cup peppermints.

Now, roll dough into 3/4 inch balls and roll in the sugar/peppermint mixture. Place dough on baking sheet about 2 inches apart [otherwise the cookies will bake into one massive cookie…ask me how I know].

Bake for about 8-11 minutes, depending on how soft or crispy you prefer your cookies. Store dough in the fridge in between batches. Cool on the baking sheet for about a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Makes about 24.

Click here for the printable: Peppermint Sugar Cookies

Shared at Life as Mom, it’s just Laine.

Question of the Day: What’s your favorite Christmas cookie?