The first time I made Peppermint Meltaways was during a snowy December weekend. I remember the kitchen feeling like a quiet, fragrant sanctuary. As the butter and sugar creamed together, the air filled with a sweet, creamy scent, and the moment I added the peppermint extract, the whole room smelled like a candy cane. That magical aroma only deepened as they baked. Pulling a warm cookie from the oven and rolling it in snowy powdered sugar felt like creating edible winter treasures. That first bite—a cool, minty burst that literally melted on my tongue—became my instant definition of a perfect holiday cookie.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You will adore this recipe because it delivers an exquisite, melt-in-your-mouth texture and a bright, refreshing peppermint flavor that feels like the essence of the holidays in a cookie. It’s the perfect treat for you if you love delicate, buttery shortbread, if you want a cookie that’s stunningly beautiful with its snowy coating, or if you need a make-ahead dessert that actually improves after a day or two. From my experience, these are the cookies that make people pause mid-bite with wide eyes, asking, “What are these?” They’re that memorably special.
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar (for the dough)
- ½ teaspoon pure peppermint extract (not mint extract)
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
For Coating & Garnish:
- 1 cup powdered sugar, for rolling
- ¼ cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies (optional, for garnish)
A quick note on the ingredients: The cornstarch is the secret to the legendary “meltaway” texture—it lightens the flour and creates that tender, delicate crumb. Don’t substitute it. Use pure peppermint extract, not mint extract, which can taste like toothpaste. The difference is profound. And for the butter, quality matters. I use a good European-style butter when I can; its higher fat content makes the cookies even more rich and meltable.(See the next page below to continue…)