Peppermint candy seems to always be in abundance for the Christmas season. If unsure what to do with some of those candies, one idea is to crush them up to put on top of Christmas cookies.
This recipe is a little “off the beaten path” of Christmas cookies, but delicious. The cookie is very festive looking on a cookie tray.
Email me at brencook4u@aol.com and tell me what your favorite Christmas cookie is.
PEPPERMINT SUGAR COOKIES
Cookie Ingredients:
2/3 cup unflavored shortening
2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups white sugar, separated to 1 1/2 and 1/2 cups
1 large egg, plus one large egg yolk
1 Tbs. corn syrup
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract (to taste)
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup peppermint candies, finely crushed
Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, softened, but not melted
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
Peppermint candies, broken up not quite so fine
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Beat together the shortening, butter and 1 1/2 cups white sugar until light and creamy.
- Beat in the egg, egg yolk, corn syrup and vanilla. Beat in the peppermint extract.
- Sift dry ingredients together and add the fine crushed peppermint. Mix until combined. Roll into thick disks.
- In a small bowl, toss together the remaining 1/2 cup white sugar with fine crushed peppermint candies. Shape into thick disks. Roll in sugar mix to coat.
- Bake 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined cookie sheet for 10 minutes. [Note: To make them softer, let them cool on rack 5 minutes and then finish cooling in a zip-lock bag.]
- Slowly beat together frosting ingredients in order listed, except broken candies.
- After cooled, frost each cookie and sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.