Peppermint Meltaways Cookies Recipe
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Peppermint Meltaways Cookies make a festive addition to your holiday cookie platter! They are a Christmas tradition!
Like so many families, baking cookies is a Christmas tradition my family wouldn’t miss!
Growing up, these Peppermint Meltaways were one of my favorites. Even though I helped my Grandmother and Mama make these for years, it was a recipe that was never passed along to me. Finally, I discovered the recipe in Mama’s recipe box and they are once again a part of my family’s Christmas cookie baking tradition!
While I love creating new recipes to share with family and friends, there is just something extra special about family recipes. Remembering helping my Grandmother or Mama make them as a young girl and now being able to make them for my husband and son is one of my favorite things, especially during the holidays when I’m the most nostalgic it seems. As my son grows older, I find myself even more so, too. I want to take advantage of every moment we have with him before he heads off to college. I’m hoping that when that day comes, he’ll look forward to coming home for home-cooked meals and to his regular care packages filled with his favorites.
That’s why recipes like these Peppermint Meltaways are so important.
I want to make sure that while, yes, they are just a cookie, that he knows how special this cookie recipe is to our family. I want him to remember, like I do, the fun of being the one to add the frosting to the cooled cookies and then sprinkling them with the peppermint candies we crushed with our rolling pins. I want him to remember those moments when he sees those cookies on the cookie platter and with the welcomed scent of peppermint throughout the Christmas season. I know it is a memory I’ll always hold close – just like Grandmother’s recipe.
They really couldn’t be much easier to make either, which makes them perfect to make with little ones in the family, too!
To make our Peppermint Meltaways, I cream together the softened butter and confectioner’s sugar until it is light and fluffy. Then, I add in my vanilla extract and peppermint extract. I like to add them at this stage as I feel like creaming them into the butter allows the flavor of the extracts to be more fully incorporated into the final cookie dough. Then, I gradually incorporate my flour, salt and cornstarch into the butter mixture until the cookie dough is well combined.
Next, I place the cookie dough in the refrigerator to allow it to rest and chill. This results in beautiful cookies and prevents them from spreading more than you’d like. Once baked, you’ll remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. After they have cooled completely, spread them with the frosting and then sprinkle them with crushed peppermint candies and serve!
I hope you make these Peppermint Meltaways as part of your family tradition, too!
Peppermint Meltaways Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
Meltaways:
- 3/4 cup (170 g) butter, softened
- 1/3 cup (38 g) confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoons (5 g) Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) Peppermint Extract
- 1 1/4 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (56 g) cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) Kosher salt
Frosting:
- 3/4 cup (85 g) confectioners sugar
- 1/4 cup (57 g) butter, softened
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) Peppermint Extract
- 1/2 cup (106 g) crushed peppermint candy
Instructions
- Cream butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and peppermint extracts. In another bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Scoop cookie dough by the teaspoon and place 2 inches apart onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake until bottom of cookies are light brown, about 9 – 12 minutes. Remove from baking sheet to wire racks and allow to cool completely.
- For the frosting, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and beat at medium speed, scraping the bowl often, until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Spread the frosting over the cooled cookies and sprinkle with crushed candies. Store in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
OH MY WORD! These are out of this world delicious AND so easy to make! Thank you for sharing the recipe with the rest of the world. I will be making these every Christmas season. 😍
Elle, thank you! These cookies are favorites around my house at Christmas. I’m so happy they will be at your house, too.
Hi Robyn.
The cookies look super yummy!! I can almost taste the peppermint melting in my mouth. I have a few queries if you do not mind:
1. I notice you use kosher salt in your cookies. Is that absolutely necessary? Can we substitute with table salt?
2. Can I pipe the cookie dough into florets?
3. Can in use a cookie press to make shapes with this cookie dough?
Thanks for your time , I really appreciate it
Mita
Delicious. I love how light the cookie is, and the subtle peppermint flavor in the cookie and frosting . A very nice small bite of winter. Thank you so much for sharing your family recipe. This will be a regular Christmas cookie at my house.
Thanks so much for sharing your delicious family recipe! I made these for my son, substituting gluten free flour ( with xanthan gum already in the flour) in place of the all purpose flour. I also used Spangler candy canes. They are tree nut, peanut, dairy, egg and soy free. These meltaways turned out great! I not only pinned this recipe but printed as well to keep in my recipe file as my new “go to” cookie for school and Cub Scouts.
I’m so glad you enjoyed these and happy to know you were successful with a gluten free flour.
That’s great to know about those candy canes – thanks so much for sharing that with me!
Thrilled that they turned out great and that you liked them! Have a great holiday! xo
I’m happy that you shared this Peppermint Meltaways Cookie Recipe with us. It’s really nice. Thanks, Robyn for sharing this wonderful recipe.
I hope you enjoy them! They are certainly delicious and perfect for the holidays! Thanks so much!
These sound amazing! I’m wondering though does the frosting harden? Do you think these would survive being mailed in a cookie box? They look so festive.
Hi Sandee,
The frost hardens a little but does remain soft for easy eating. 🙂 I think these cookies are a little tender for shipping. xo
I was also wondering if I could substitute something else besides peppermint (altho I would make these as is for my grandson and hubby.) Just wondering how to change them up a bit for someone who isn’t into peppermint?
They certainly look festive and yummy! Can’t go wrong when your suggesting them! I find so many great recipes here.
Hi Char,
You could change the flavor profile from peppermint to so many other flavors! My Mama always loves to make Lemon Meltaways using this recipe with lemon extract in the cookies and frosting and then a pinch of lemon zest on top of the cookies. You could also make with maple extract and then add a bit to the frosting as well. Another idea would be to use coconut extract in the cookie and frosting and then add a bit of toasted coconut to the top of each cookie. I can’t wait to hear what combination you make! xo
Love all of your recipes and look forward to each new one you share. These cookies are so festive – as is the story behind them. However, I am not a peppermint fan. Any suggestions on a substitution for the peppermint extract and candy on top? I am excited to make these!
Hi Beverly!
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! I totally understand about not being a peppermint fan! My son’s best friend is the same way, so I always try to have another version of peppermint flavored treats when he comes over. There are so many possibilities with this delicious little cookie!
My Mama always loves to make a lemon version using lemon extract and grated lemon zest on the top of the cookie. Other ideas would be coconut with coconut extract and toasted coconut, maple, almond, and even a coffee flavored using coffee extract and then maybe topping the frosting with chopped chocolate covered espresso beans or even just a bit of toffee bits. I hope you love them, Beverly and do let me know how you make them! xo
I’ll be headed to the store this evening to pick up some peppermint extract. These sound delicious.
Yay! I can’t wait to hear how you love them, Jasmine! xo
Goodness, your recipes and stories always bring a smile to my face! 🙂
Aww, thank you Nancy! I am so appreciative of you and your support! Have a wonderful day! xo