Irresistibly soft, buttery, and sweet, these peppermint meltaway cookies are a festive favorite during the holiday season. Their texture is so unique; it’s a cross between a shortbread cookie and a cakey cookie, and they completely melt in your mouth. The cornstarch and confectioners’ sugar are KEY here, and don’t forget that pretty pink candy cane buttercream!
One reader, Nicole, commented: “Fantastic recipe! Will definitely be making these again. The cookies are a perfect soft and crumbly texture. The peppermint is the perfect amount as well. ★★★★★“
Another reader, Jane, commented: “Great recipe, easy to make, and the texture was, indeed, melt-in-your-mouth. Intended to give these away, but they didn’t last that long. ★★★★★“
You know those meltaway after-dinner butter mints you sometimes see at restaurants… individually packaged, piled in a basket by the door, beckoning you to grab one on your way out? They’re buttery smooth, melt in your mouth, and leave behind a sweet but not overpowering taste of peppermint. Imagine those… but in cookie form. Now add frosting.
These cookies are downright delectable!!
Peppermint Meltaway Cookies Recipe Snapshot
- Texture: They’re called meltaways for good reason! These ultra-soft, light and tender cookies practically melt in your mouth. Think: softer than a peppermint snowball cookie, and less cakey than these buttercream-frosted soft cakey sugar cookies, and not at all chewy. A little crushed candy cane crunch on top adds another dimension of texture, just like we love on these chocolate peppermint madeleines!
- Flavor: Peppermint extract in both the cookie dough and the buttercream adds the perfect pop of peppermint flavor.
- Ease: This is a simple 1-bowl cookie dough, and the buttercream topping is very basic (but delicious!). Easy enough for beginner bakers and cookie decorators.
- Time: The dough only needs to chill for 30 minutes. Compared to other cookie recipes that include hours-long chill times, this is relatively quick!
Ingredients for the Cookie Dough:
To create the ultimate soft cookie texture, you need some key ingredients:
- Butter: A buttery soft cookie starts with creamed butter. Remember that room-temperature butter is essential for proper creaming, and is still cool to the touch. And here’s more on how to cream butter and sugar, if you need a refresher.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Using powdered instead of granulated sugar contributes to the cookie’s meltaway texture.
- Egg Yolk: While shortbread-style cookies like snowballs don’t include any egg, you need an egg yolk to keep these cookies from being too crumbly. It holds the ingredients together, and adds a bit of richness to the finished cookies.
- Vanilla + Peppermint Extracts: The flavors you’ll taste in these cookies!
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the base dry ingredient.
- Cornstarch: Just like in my shortbread cookies, cornstarch makes for an extra-soft, thick, silky-smooth-tasting cookie.
- Baking Powder: This helps the cookies puff up during baking.
- Salt: To balance all the flavors; use regular table salt.
You need an electric mixer—either stand or hand—to make these peppermint meltaway cookies. You’ll need to cream the butter for the cookie dough, and for the buttercream frosting, as well.
Good news: you can make this cookie dough all in one bowl!
This cookie dough only needs a minimum of 30 minutes of chill time in the refrigerator, so you won’t have to wait too long to taste that sweet, melty peppermint goodness.
Tips for Shaping Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
Scoop, roll, and flatten. Each cookie is around 1 Tablespoon of cookie dough, so you can use your Tablespoon measuring spoon to portion out each cookie. If you have a kitchen scale, each cookie dough ball should weigh about 20–22g.
Be sure to slightly flatten the dough balls. You can flatten with the palm of your hand right on the lined baking sheet, or between both your palms before placing on the baking sheet. These cookies puff up but don’t spread much, and we want to encourage them to bake up with a flat surface for frosting.
Bake just until the edges are set. These cookies stay light in color, so you’re not waiting for them to turn golden brown.
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
While the meltaway cookies are cooling, you can go ahead and make the frosting using the electric mixer again. I tint the frosting light pink with a drop of pink gel food coloring. I always use gel food coloring in frostings, because adding more liquid can throw off the consistency. However, with such a small amount of coloring, liquid food dye would be fine here.
And, of course, you don’t have to tint the frosting at all! Feel free to keep it white, like I do with these peppermint frosted chocolate cookies. Spread it onto the cooled meltaway cookies; feel free to pipe it on top, but I just use a knife or small icing spatula.
To garnish the cookies, you can use:
- Crushed candy canes
- Chopped Andes mints
- Sprinkles
Is there anything better than a frosting-covered cookie? That’s a rhetorical question. I’m not taking answers at this time. 😉
This recipe is part of my annual cookie countdown called Sally’s Cookie Palooza. It’s the biggest, most delicious event of the year! Browse dozens of cookie recipes over on the Sally’s Cookie Palooza page.
Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Yield: 30-32 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Irresistibly soft, buttery, and sweet, these peppermint meltaway cookies are a festive favorite during the holiday season. Their texture is so unique; it’s a cross between a shortbread cookie and a cakey cookie, and they melt in your mouth. The cornstarch and confectioners’ sugar are KEY here. Don’t skip chilling the dough for 30 minutes, and be sure to slightly flatten the dough balls before baking as instructed.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2/3 cup (80g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/4 cup (30g) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Buttercream
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1–2 Tablespoons milk, at room temperature (dairy or nondairy)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- optional: 1 drop red or pink food coloring
- 1/4 cup (40g) crushed candy canes (about 2–3 large candy canes)
Instructions
- Make the cookie dough: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 2 full minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract and beat on high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Beat on low speed until combined. The cookie dough will be thick and creamy. Cover dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory for this creamy cookie dough.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Scoop and roll dough into balls, about 1 Tablespoon or 20–22g each. Place dough balls 3 inches apart on the baking sheets, and then flatten each slightly with the palm of your hand; they should be just under 2 inches in diameter.
- Bake the cookies for 13–14 minutes or until the edges appear set. The cookies won’t darken/brown, so be careful not to over-bake them.
- Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the buttercream: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 2 full minutes. Taste. To thicken the buttercream, beat in more confectioners’ sugar. To thin out the buttercream, beat in more milk. To help offset more sweetness, beat in a pinch of salt.
- If you’d like to tint the frosting, beat in 1 tiny drop of food coloring. Add more to deepen the color, if desired. Using a knife or icing spatula, spread frosting onto the cooled cookies. Sprinkle each lightly with crushed candy canes.
- Cover and store frosted cookies at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Frosting “soft-sets” on the cookies after a few hours, meaning it will slightly dry on top.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can freeze the unbaked flattened cookie dough balls for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough. We do not recommend freezing the baked cookies; the texture is not the same after freezing and thawing.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Cooling Rack | Small Icing Spatula
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch (aka cornflour) is a key ingredient in this recipe, and is what helps give the cookies their signature “meltaway” texture. Do not skip or substitute it. (Not to be confused with cornmeal.)
- Food Coloring: I use 1 drop of pink gel food coloring. I always use gel food coloring in frostings, because adding more liquid can throw off the consistency. However, with such a small amount of coloring, liquid food dye would be fine here.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
- Recipe inspired by Taste of Home and adapted from Shortbread Cookies
Reader Comments and Reviews
These were a hit at two different holiday parties. They’re elegant enough for the fancy “grown up” evening of Christmas cocktails, but also approachable enough for the big, family-friendly open house. A keeper!
Looking forward to making these! Does the buttercream crust? Thinking ahead to see if they could go in cookie boxes or if they need to be on a single layer tray. Thanks for any recommendations!
Hi Melanie, it “soft sets” which means that it doesn’t full crust, but it does slightly harden on top so you can carefully layer. The frosting may get a little messy transporting in boxes, but won’t be completely ruined or anything.
I was SO excited to make these cookies and really wanted to loved them, but this was a super rare miss for me amongst Sally’s fantastic archive of recipes. (My #1 baking site!) The cookies themselves are just so devoid of flavour. They’re not rich and butter-forward like shortbread and the peppermint flavour is like a distant memory.
I still have some chilled dough in my fridge and I plan to make my next batch with chocolate drizzled on top.
Hi Pris, I’m sorry to hear this was a miss for you. Did you top them with the peppermint buttercream? The cookies on their own don’t pack a ton of sweetness and peppermint flavor, so are best topped with the buttercream. Thanks for giving this recipe a try!
These are delicious, but the real star is the peppermint buttercream! So good and I will make these again.
Thanks for this recipe. I’m wondering if it would work to swap cake flour for the corn starch and flour amounts? Thank you.
Hi Gina, you can certainly test things out. I have only tested these with several combinations of all-purpose and cornstarch.
Wondering if would be good to add white chocolate at all? And if so, any recommendation on cookie vs. icing?
Hi Sarah, we haven’t tried it, but one reader reported success with adding white chocolate chips to the dough. Let us know what you decide to try!
What a wonderful recipe. I made it completely vegan and it came out amazing!!!
Curious was you subbed for the egg??
If I’m making these for a cookie swap, how many times can I double the recipe. Batches of 2, 3, 4?
Thanks!
Hi Heidi, you could double the recipe, but more than that would likely be too much for your mixer to handle. Hope these cookies are a hit at the swap!
These turned out great! They literally melted in my mouth! I’m adding coco powder to my next batch. I will let you know how they turn out!
Can I make these extra small and use 1/2 tbs size balls?
We’re sure you could! Bake time would be shorter.
I really liked this recipe. I took them to a Christmas Party and everyone loved them!
Can I make these a little bigger if I just add extra bake time?
Absolutely.
Can this recipe be adjusted for gluten free?
Hi Yvonne, we haven’t tested these with GF flour, but if you decide to try it, please let us know how they turn out!
I tried with KA 1-for1 swap flour and they didn’t work well for me. As my husband described it, it was like the cookie absorbed any moisture in your mouth. I agree-it fell apart and was not a great texture. The buttercream-which is delicious-didn’t help. I’m going to try with regular AP flour and see if they come out better.
I’m making these as we speak. I made the dough yesterday. It’s hard a rock and I have to use an ice cream scoop to get it out. I let it set at room temperature for about 49 min and it was still hard. The dough once rolled did not squish down. I will let you know how it turns out!
Hi Amber, if your dough is not softening at all after sitting out for nearly an hour, you can try microwaving it for 15 seconds, and see if that helps it along. Let us know how the cookies turn out!
They were delicious!
Fantastic recipe! Will definitely be making these again. The cookies are a perfect soft and crumbly texture. The peppermint is the perfect amount as well.
These were delicious . Thank you! Question- I’ve been asked to make these for a bake sale – I’m concerned the cookies will dry out with the butter cream applied in the refrigerator. I’ve been told to ice then the day before for the bake sale and bring them iced. It starts at 8 am on a Saturday – I notice you say one day – so I’m concerned – will dropping them on a Friday iced and prepped for an early Saturday bake sale be a problem? Thank you!
Hi Gerrie, will the cookies be stored at room temperature overnight? They should be just fine for one night. If they’ll be stored refrigerated, make sure to seal them up very tightly.
Thank you Sally! Yes, just over night Friday into Saturday AM .
Any recommendations if I wanted to make the cookie dough chocolate-flavored? I know you have a few chocolate/peppermint cookie recipes, but wondering if this specific meltaway dough could be made chocolate.
Am thinking to make these and a chocolate version and put on a tiered cake stand for Xmas! So they’re all the same size… Thanks!
Hi David, that would require some testing. Let us know if you try anything!
Delicious! Sally’s recipes are always perfect. Will definitely add these to our yearly Christmas cookie list. They’d be great year round if you omit the peppermint. Perfect little bite.
Great recipe, easy to make and the texture was, indeed, melt in your mouth. Intended to give these away but they didn’t last that long.
Just a little input on the recipe format itself…
When you have a paragraph about creaming the butter, it’s really hard to notice at the VERY end of that wall of text is “add these 3 ingredients”.
This is also on me, I get that. I’m no novice here. Which makes the fact that I didn’t notice the “add egg yolk and extracts” at the end of a paragraph all the more embarrassing.
I know it’s not as SEO-friendly to have an extra step for just that, but I really think it would make it easier to read and easier to follow.
This still taste good, but the texture isn’t where I wanted them to be. Mostly because I dumped in my Dries before going “wait, why do I still have yolk and… Extracts… Dang.” Haha!
Hi Roger, thanks for the feedback. It’s not really about SEO for that step, it’s simply keeping the wet ingredients instructions all in 1 step. The couple of sentences before the egg yolk sentence instruct you how to cream the butter and add the sugar. I appreciate the feedback!
If I wanted to use almond extract rather than peppermint, would you recommend the same amount? Thanks!
Hi Kristy, absolutely. I would use 3/4 teaspoon almond extract. Keep the vanilla.
My 6yr old daughter and I made these together, and she loved the whole experience. We bake together a lot, so she’s pretty comfortable in the kitchen, but this is the first peppermint flavored item we’ve made. She loves candy canes, so she was extra excited for these. She really loved forming the cookie dough into round balls, and then flattening the soft dough just slightly into discs. We loved the flavor and texture of these cookies. Thank you!
These cookies are great! And super versatile. I’m not a big peppermint fan so I used maple extract instead. I also used eggnog instead of milk and added a little nutmeg and cinnamon to both the dough and the frosting, and they are so delicious!
OHHHH MYYY , These look like they came from a bakery, they are SO amazingly good, I feel like a cookie pro right now , thank you so much for this recipe, I will be making these every single Christmas from now on, YAYYY I have COOKIE POWER
This was sooo yum! Loved how they just melted in my mouth! Question…is there any way I could use this dough as a base for different flavours? Omit the peppermint and do orange zest for an orange and chocolate version? The dough was perfect.
Hi Sarah, we’re so glad you loved these cookies! We’re sure you could experiment with other flavors. Let us know what you try!
Vickie, Same here, doubled the recipe, weighed the dough and came up with 52 cookies.
These were so delicious and truly did melt in my mouth! I have gluten free friends so will be trying the next batch with gf flour. Yummy!
The BEST recipe! I have made it twice since you posted it! Thank you!
This recipe is amazing Sally. I am wondering if I could roll them into balls before I refrigerate. I found the dough extremely hard on my hands to roll. I made a batch day before yesterday and they are in the freezer . . . . But I woke up this morning realizing that I need to make more, one batch is not enough of these amazing cookies.
Hi Robbie! You certainly could roll before chilling if you prefer. The dough is pretty soft, so a cookie scoop may be helpful.
Easy and delicious. I made these for my son-inlaws co-workers. These are just the right amount of peppermint. Love the frosting. I just drizzled it on and added the crushed candy cane. I will make this next for my co-workers. They love your recipes! I did bake these for 10 minutes in my oven because they are so snall at 21 grams. Great recipe!