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Peppermint Shortbread Cookies

Name: Peppermint Shortbread Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 20
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup powdered sugar; 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips; 1 teaspoon vegetable shortening; 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy canes; 3 tablespoons holiday sprinkles

Published: Nov 20, 2013 · Modified: Dec 9, 2021 by Jocelyn · This post may contain affiliate links · 255 Comments

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These buttery Peppermint Shortbread Cookies are so simple to make and will melt in your mouth. The top of the shortbread is decorated with dark chocolate and crushed candy canes for a festive holiday look that everyone will love.

Baking Christmas cookies soon? Add these peppermint Oreo cookies and these peanut butter cup cookies to your list!

I love baking Christmas cookies and holiday treats this time of year. We have our tried and true favorites that we always make, and then I usually pick a few new ones to try out.

One cookie that makes our holiday list every year are these peppermint snowball cookies. You can roll the dough into balls, or if you want to save time, you can press the dough onto a pan and make cookie sticks.

To give these peppermint shortbread cookies some holiday flair, I dipped them in dark chocolate and added some crushed candy canes and sprinkles. These are the perfect cookie to enjoy with a steaming cup of coffee.

Why You Will Love These Cookies

This peppermint shortbread is one of the easiest holiday cookies you will make this year.
The buttery shortbread melts in your mouth.
Peppermint candies add some Christmas cheer to the cookie sticks.
Perfect cookie to add to your holiday cookie trays and cookie exchanges.

Key Ingredients

These candy cane shortbread cookies come together in minutes with just a few simple pantry items. Don't forget the peppermint bits on top. They add just enough crunch and peppermint flavor.

Butter - We prefer to use unsalted butter and then add a little bit to balance out the sugar. Salted butter also works, just make sure to reduce the salt in the recipe.
Powdered Sugar - Using confectioners sugar to sweeten the dough makes the shortbread melt in your mouth.
Extracts - A mixture of vanilla extract and peppermint extract gives this shortbread a Christmas flavor.
Egg - Provides moisture and binds the ingredients together.
Flour - Do you use the spoon and sweep method when you measure flour? We have a post on how to measure flour if you want to learn how to do it correctly.
Toppings - I like to use dark chocolate chips or Ghirardelli melting wafers to spread on top of the peppermint cookies. White chocolate would also be pretty. Candy canes and sprinkles are a fun way to add color.

How to Make Peppermint Shortbread Cookies

Make your holiday parties even more delicious with this fun twist on shortbread cookies. Everyone will love the flavor and texture, and you will love how quickly they come together.

Make the Dough

Mix the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until creamy.
Add the egg and extracts and mix again.
Slowly mix in the flour and salt until a dough forms.
Roll into a ball.

Bake and Cool

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil and spray with nonstick baking spray.
Press the cookie dough out to a 9x11 rectangle, keeping the dough as even as possible.
Place in the oven and bake.
As soon as they come out of the oven, use a knife or pizza cutter to cut the warm cookies into 20 smaller rectangles.

Decorate

Once the cookies are cool, melt the dark chocolate in the microwave.
Dip or spread the tops of the cookie sticks with the melted chocolate.
Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy and holiday sprinkles.
Let the shortbread set before placing in a container.

Recipe Tips

Line your baking sheets with foil or parchment paper for quick and easy clean up.
When you are rolling or patting out cookie dough, spray your hands with baking spray to keep the shortbread dough from sticking to your hands.
Cut the hot cookies into sticks as soon as they come out of the oven.
Let the peppermint shortbread cool completely before adding the dark chocolate and candy.
To crush candy, place in a freezer bag and cover with a towel. Pound with the flat side of a wooden spoon or a rolling pin.
Store soft cookies and hard cookies in different containers, otherwise the moisture from the soft cookies will make everything soft.
Want to give a sweet gift? Place cookie sticks in a coffee mug. Wrap in cellophane, then add a ribbon and tag.

Storage Info

Keep the finished peppermint shortbread in a tightly sealed container on the counter for 5-6 days.

Freeze undecorated cookies in freezer bags for one month. Thaw overnight and let the cookies come to room temperature before adding the toppings.

Freeze pre-made cookie dough for up to one month. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Thaw in fridge overnight, the bake on a sheet pan.

Other Easy Christmas Cookies

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