Description
Peppermint Meltaways Cookies are delicate, buttery cookies infused with refreshing peppermint flavor and topped with a smooth peppermint frosting and crushed candy canes. These melt-in-your-mouth treats are perfect for the holiday season or any time you crave a festive, minty 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 for dough consistency)
Frosting
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1½ tablespoons heavy cream
- ⅛ – ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract (adjust for preferred flavor)
- crushed peppermint candies for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix Butter, Condensed Milk and Peppermint Extract: In a medium bowl, combine the very soft unsalted butter, sweetened condensed milk, and ½ teaspoon peppermint extract. Using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat until smooth with no lumps remaining.
- Add Cornstarch and Mix: Add 1 cup of cornstarch to the bowl and mix on low speed until fully incorporated and the batter is smooth. If the dough is too soft or sticky, add 1-2 tablespoons more cornstarch to reach a thick peanut butter-like consistency that can be scooped and hold shape.
- Scoop Dough onto Baking Sheet: Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop level portions of dough and place them onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie to allow for slight spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or just until cookies are lightly golden around the edges.
- Cool Cookies: Remove the baking sheet and allow cookies to cool on it for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely at room temperature.
- Make Frosting: While cookies bake and cool, prepare the frosting by mixing together 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, 1½ tablespoons melted and cooled unsalted butter, 1½ tablespoons heavy cream, and ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract in a medium bowl. Beat until thick, smooth, and spreadable but able to hold its shape. Adjust thickness by adding extra heavy cream (1 teaspoon at a time) if too thick or powdered sugar (1-2 tablespoons at a time) if too thin.
- Frost Cookies and Garnish: Spread approximately 2 teaspoons of frosting on each cooled cookie. Garnish each cookie with crushed peppermint candies before serving.
Notes
- This recipe yields about 12 cookies and can be easily doubled for larger batches.
- Use very soft, not melted, butter for best mixing results. Slightly warming the butter in the microwave for 5-8 seconds can help soften it.
- Do not overmix the dough to avoid tough or flat cookies.
- If the dough is too sticky, add 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch gradually to reach the right consistency.
- You can substitute peppermint extract in the frosting with lemon, vanilla, or almond extract for different flavors.
- Store cookies in an airtight container in a single layer at room temperature for up to 2 days; freezing is not recommended due to the delicate texture.
- Frosting can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature and whisk before use.
- For convenience, you may use store-bought vanilla frosting mixed with peppermint extract and crushed candy canes as a frosting alternative.
- Adjust peppermint extract amount in frosting to taste, starting with less to avoid overpowering flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 40 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
