Peppermint Swirl Cookies
Festive and colorful peppermint swirl cookies that are perfect for holiday celebrations, combining refreshing minty flavor with a sweet buttery taste.
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 2.5 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 large Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Peppermint extract
- 0.25 cup Coarse sugar or crushed peppermint candies for coating Optional topping before baking.
- as needed drops Red gel food coloring
Instructions
Preparation
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- Divide the dough in half. Mix red gel food coloring into one half until uniform, and leave the other half plain.
- Wrap each dough half separately in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Shaping
- Roll out the plain dough into a rectangle approximately 10 by 12 inches, about 1/4 inch thick.
- Roll out the red dough into a similar size and thickness.
- Lay the red dough on top of the plain dough, pressing gently together. Starting from one long side, roll the layered dough tightly into a log.
- Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Baking
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove the chilled dough log from the refrigerator. Optionally, brush it lightly with water or a whisked egg white, and roll in coarse sugar or crushed peppermint candies.
- Slice the log into rounds about 1/4 inch thick, placing them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Allow to cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Store cookies in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to one week. For longer storage, refrigerate for two weeks or freeze for up to three months.