Peppermint Swirl Cookies
Tender peppermint-infused cookies with festive red swirls and a crisp edge, perfect for holiday baking.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 0.75 cup granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 0.5 tsp peppermint extract
- 2.75 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.25 tsp salt
Topping
- 0.5 cup crushed candy canes freeze before crushing
Instructions
Prepare Dough
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Whisk flour and salt in a bowl until combined.
- Cream butter with both sugars for 3 minutes until pale and airy.
- Beat in egg, vanilla, and peppermint extract until smooth and glossy.
- Stir in flour mixture until soft dough forms.
Form Swirls
- Divide dough in half; tint one portion with red food coloring. Roll each into 12″ logs, press together, and twist into a swirl.
- Chill dough logs for 45–60 minutes.
Bake
- Slice logs into ¼″ rounds; place 2″ apart on parchment-lined sheets and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
- Bake for 11–13 minutes until edges set and centers remain glossy.
- Let cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Chilling the logs for a full hour produced the crispiest edges and most defined swirls.
For subtle mint flavor, adjust peppermint extract between ¼ and ½ teaspoon.
Freeze candy canes before crushing to avoid sticky bits.