Peppermint Shortbread Cookies
Posted: 12/04/2013
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Buttery, rich peppermint shortbread cookies that everyone in your family will love. Easy preparation — slice and bake!
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: With only six ingredients, they are easy to whip up.
How long it takes: about an hour but that includes 30 minutes chilling time
Equipment you’ll need: mixer, baking sheet, parchment paper
Servings: makes 40 cookies, more or less
Table of Contents
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This is a sponsored post on behalf of United Dairy Industry of Michigan.
Monday I gushed about my love for REAL butter and breakfast cookies. Today I’m bringing you more butter love with one of my favorite types of cookies — shortbread.
It might have a little to do with how easy these cookies are to make (SO easy), but it also has a lot to do with the rich buttery taste and the melt-in-your-mouth texture. I really just adore shortbread. I’ve made a lot of fun versions, some even with cream cheese.
Another thing I love about shortbread cookies is that you can whip up a batch of the dough, form it into a log, and throw it in the freezer. I have a bunch of these convenient slice and bake cookie recipes.
When you happen to have unexpected guests, all you need to do is slice off what you need, stick them in the oven and voila! Fresh cookies. Everyone will think you’re amazing. And you are!
About These Cookies
This version of shortbread brings a little Christmas spirit with Andes peppermint crunch baking chips
. The chips provide a little bit of crunch before they melt away in your mouth.
A simple list of ingredients (butter! flour! sugar! salt!) really lets the flavors of both the butter and the peppermint shine. Peppermint shortbread cookies are great with a cup of coffee or tea. Who knows — Santa might even dig a few with his milk.
What You’ll need
- Butter: Use good-quality unsalted butter for these cookies. Make sure it’s softened or at room temperature.
- Powdered Sugar (Confectioner’s Sugar): Because this sugar is so fine, the cookies just melt in your mouth.
- All-Purpose Flour: I haven’t tried whole wheat flour for these cookies because they just aren’t suited for the hearty quality of whole wheat.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: This baker’s friend really enhances the flavor of the cookie dough.
- Salt: Keeps the cookies from tasting flat.
- Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips: Really the star of the show here.
How To Make This Recipe
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla until creamy and smooth. Add the flour and mix just until blended. Fold in the peppermint chips.
Now I realize that not everyone has a stand mixer (or it’s stored in the basement and you don’t feel like hauling it out). You can make the cookie dough with a good hand mixer or even by hand. You’ll probably have to stir the flour in by hand anyways because the dough gets pretty stiff.
On a sheet of parchment paper or waxed paper, form a nice even log, about 12-14 inches long (or two logs, 6-7 inches long). Wrap the paper around the dough and freeze it for thirty minutes.
Meanwhile, get your oven preheating. After thirty minutes, remove the dough log from the freezer, unwrap it, and slice it into quarter-inch slices. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet and bake them.
FAQs
What is the difference between shortbread and butter cookies?
Shortbread cookies have a higher amount of butter and a lower amount of sugar than butter cookies or sugar cookies. They are not overly sweet cookies and are fairly dense in texture. They do not contain eggs.
What happens if you add egg to shortbread?
Adding eggs will change the texture of your shortbread. The cookies won’t be as crisp and crumbly.
What do you eat shortbread with?
Shortbread is perfect with most any beverage: coffee, tea, hot cocoa, or even wine. Serve shortbread with homemade eggnog, microwave hot cocoa, or a vanilla bourbon fizz. Shortbread makes good dippers for creamy hot chocolate dip, too.
Make It Your Own
- Like mint with chocolate? I love those thin mint Girl Scout cookies, don’t you? Try drizzling these peppermint cookies with melted chocolate chocolate chips. Or, if you love the peppermint/chocolate connection, check out these peppermint chocolate sugar cookies. They are the easiest cut-out cookies to roll out.
- Can’t find Andes Peppermint Chips? Try their Creme de Menthe chips or substitute English toffee chips.
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
Baked cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to a week in a tightly covered container or in the freezer for up to a month. Make sure they are completely cool before covering.
Unbaked cookie dough can be stored in the freezer for up to a month, wrapped thoroughly. To bake, remove log from freezer and allow to warm up for a half hour or so. Slice and bake as directed.
More Shortbread Cookies
Add delicious and convenient shortbread recipes to your cookie repertoire.
- Mexican chocolate shortbread cookies
- Sand tart cookies (slice & bake buttery sugar cookies)
- Windmill Cookies aka Speculoos Cookies (nut free option)
- Apple cheesecake shortbread cookies
- Gingerbread shortbread cookies with cranberries
- Holiday funfetti shortbread cookies
- Honey, lemon, apricot, and pine nut shortbread cookies
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
cookies
Buttery, rich peppermint shortbread cookies couldn’t be easier to make. Just slice and bake!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup Andes peppermint crunch baking chips
Instructions
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Gradually add flour and mix on low until combined. Add Andes baking chips and continue mixing on low until fully combined.
- On wax paper or parchment paper, form into a 12- to 14-inch log and freeze at least 30 minutes or until firm.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the shortbread dough into 1/4-inch slices and bake for 13-15 minutes on parchment lined baking sheets.
- Note: If you freeze the dough for longer than 30 minutes, you may have to let it set out at room temperature for 30 minutes or so to achieve uniform slices.
Notes
- If you want to make these even more festive, dip cookies halfway into melted chocolate and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
- Dough logs can be frozen for up to one month. Wrap well and label. Allow the logs to warm up at room temperature for a half hour before slicing and baking as directed.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 100kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Sodium: 62mg, Potassium: 9mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 142IU, Calcium: 9mg, Iron: 1mg
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Disclosure: This post is a collaboration with United Dairy Industry of Michigan. I was paid to develop and photograph this recipe but my love for butter is 100% the real thing.
Marilee says
I followed this recipe exactly multiple times and the dough is much too dry and crumbly. It doesn’t form or slice well at all for me. I give up.
Rachel Gurk says
How are you measuring your flour? It could be that if you’re scooping out your flour, you’re getting too much and making the dough too dry.
Kam says
I made these with Lindt white chocolate peppermint truffles and they turned out great! I scooped out the inside of the truffle because I was afraid it would make the dough too greasy. If I had more time, I would try decreasing the butter instead. I’ll be experimenting next Christmas! They were delicious.
Rachel Gurk says
Sounds like the most delicious experiment! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Lindsay says
I made these today, but substituted crushed candy canes for the Andes chips. I’ve been trying to replicate a favorite recipe of my husbands’s family that has been lost since his grandmother passed. This is super close! Regardless, these were delicious and super easy!
Rachel Gurk says
I’m so glad to hear they were a success! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Sue says
I am always in search of a perfect peppermint cookie so I’m excited to try these. Do you think it would work to chop up some of the peppermint Hershey kisses in place of the Andes chips (which I cannot find)? Thank you!
Rachel Gurk says
That should work! They might be a little more melty, so they might tend to run/melt out, but I think it should work okay.
Melissa Viau says
Can you use this recipe for a decorating Christmas cookie?
Rachel Gurk says
I think that would work if you’re planning to do circles. If you want to roll it out and cut shapes, it might not work well for that.
Chris McGee says
Best cookies ever! Love them. We dress them with drizzled dark chocolate and more peppermint chips.
Rachel Gurk says
Love the addition of dark chocolate, yum! I bet that’s pretty, too!
KJANTONIOTTI says
I am known for my Christmas cookie trays I have gifted friends and family for more than 50 years. It’s not unusual for me, an amateur baker, to make 100 dozen or more each year.
I ran across this recipe a couple of years ago and it has become my absolute favorite cookie.
This year, it seems the peppermint baking chips are impossible to find unless I’m willing to spend way more than I care to.
Today, I’m going to do a dress rehearsal for Christmas by making my own baking chips and I found red and green peppermint candies to make them even more festive.
Wish me luck!
Rachel Gurk says
That’s a lot of cooking! Sorry to hear you’re having a hard time finding ingredients! Let me know how it goes – good luck!
Maureen Zito says
Um… within 5 minutes of oven departure I ate 3! They are to die for! I was super nervous when the dough appeared crumbly. I decided to use my hands to continue to mix the dough more and it came together beautifully with 2 minutes. These will be on our table (if they aren’t eaten) for many years to come! Thank you, thank you! I bought the chips on Amazon as I couldn’t fine them anywhere else.
Rachel Gurk says
Hehehe….that’s a good sign when you’re eating them straight off the pan! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment – I’m glad you liked the cookies!
Janet says
I don’t own a stand mixer. Is it still possible to make these cookies with a regular hand mixer? This sounds like an easy recipe for a beginner!
Rachel Gurk says
That should work just fine!