Description
Peppermint Meltaways Cookies are delicate, buttery cookies with a soft melt-in-your-mouth texture, infused with refreshing peppermint flavor and topped with a smooth peppermint frosting and crushed candy garnish. Perfect for holiday treats or anytime you crave a festive, light cookie.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter very soft room temperature
- ⅓ cup sweetened condensed milk
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 cup cornstarch (plus 1-2 tablespoons – see tips)
Frosting
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1½ tablespoons heavy cream
- ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract (amount depends on preferred peppermint flavor)
- crushed peppermint candies for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside for the cookies.
- Mix Wet Ingredients for Cookies: In a medium bowl, combine the very soft unsalted butter, sweetened condensed milk, and peppermint extract. Use a handheld mixer on medium-high speed to beat the mixture until smooth and no lumps remain.
- Add Cornstarch: Add the cornstarch to the bowl and mix on low speed until fully incorporated and the dough is smooth and holds a soft, slightly crumbly texture.
- Scoop Cookies: Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out level rounds of dough and place them onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing each cookie about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or until the edges turn just lightly golden.
- Cool Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine the sifted powdered sugar, melted and cooled butter, heavy cream, and peppermint extract. Beat the mixture until thick, smooth, and spreadable but firm enough to hold its shape. Adjust consistency by adding extra cream or sugar as needed.
- Frost and Garnish: Once cookies are completely cool, frost each with approximately 2 teaspoons of peppermint frosting. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candies on top for garnish.
- Serve: Arrange the cookies on a plate and serve immediately or store as desired.
Notes
- This recipe makes one dozen cookies with just enough frosting; easily double quantities for larger batches.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons extra cornstarch if dough is too soft to scoop but avoid adding too much or cookies may lose flavor and texture.
- Do not overmix the dough to prevent flat, tough cookies; dough should feel like thick peanut butter.
- Butter must be soft but not melted; warming for 5-8 seconds in microwave helps achieve this.
- Adjust peppermint extract in frosting starting with ⅛ teaspoon and add more to taste.
- Frosting consistency can be adjusted by adding heavy cream or powdered sugar gradually.
- Store cookies airtight at room temperature up to 2 days; frosting may be made ahead and refrigerated up to 3 days, bring to room temperature before use.
- Freezing these cookies is not recommended due to their delicate texture.
- For flavor variations, substitute peppermint extract with lemon, vanilla, or almond extract.
- Store-bought vanilla frosting can be used with added peppermint extract and crushed candies as an alternative.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 40 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 12 mg
