Ingredients
Scale
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup crushed peppermint candies (peppermint crunch, candy canes, or similar)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1½ tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, crushed peppermint, and sea salt until evenly blended.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until smooth and slightly fluffy. Add the egg, then mix in the almond and vanilla extracts until incorporated.
- Fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients and stir until a cohesive dough forms. You can do this by hand or with a mixer on low speed — stop as soon as the flour disappears.
- Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion the dough and roll each portion into a neat ball. Place the balls on the prepared sheet about 1 inch apart (these cookies don’t spread much).
- Bake for roughly 9 minutes, or until the edges are just set and the bottoms show a light golden color. The tops will remain pale. Remove from the oven and let the cookies sit on the tray for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- How to Soften Butter Quickly
- If you forgot to bring butter to room temperature, try this: cut the stick into small pieces and let sit for 10–15 minutes, or place the butter (still wrapped) on a warm pan for a few seconds at a time. The butter should be soft enough to press a finger into without melting.
- Baking Tips & Notes
- Coat the peppermint in flour first. Tossing the peppermint pieces with a little flour before adding them to the dough helps them disperse evenly so they won’t clump.
- Avoid using soft, chewy mints; they’ll alter the texture. Use hard candy for that crisp peppermint crunch.
- These cookies don’t color or brown on top much — watch the edges for doneness to avoid overbaking.
- If you prefer thicker cookies, chill the shaped dough for 20–30 minutes before baking.
- Variations & Swaps
- Candy cane twists: Separate the dough in half, tint one portion red, roll thin ropes from each color and twist them together for classic striped cookies.
- Vegan version: Substitute plant-based butter and an egg alternative (such as a flax or commercial egg replacer) and proceed as directed.
- Cookie bars: Press the dough into a lined pan and bake as a slab; slice into bars when cool.
- Jelly center: For a jelly-filled variant, press a small well in each dough ball and add a dollop of jam before baking.
- Make-Ahead & Freezing
- Dough: Scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined tray and freeze until solid (about 3 hours). Transfer frozen portions to an airtight container. When baking from frozen, preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C) and add ~5 minutes to the baking time.
- Baked cookies: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. Avoid refrigeration; it can dry them out. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies in a sealed container for up to three months.
- Storage Reminder
- Layer cookies with parchment to prevent sticking and preserve their peppermint crunch.
Nutrition
- Calories: 91kcal
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 92mg
- Fat: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 6mg