These peppermint shortbread cookies are made with cornstarch for an extra tender melt-in-your-mouth texture. Perfect for a cookie exchange! The added crunch and sweetness from the candy canes make this recipe a crowd-pleaser during the holidays.
I made these peppermint shortbread cookies for a holiday party that Matthew and I had at our apartment. They were the perfect bite-sized addition to our cookie platter. This recipe is an adaption of a traditional shortbread recipe. The cookies are much more tender, and I absolutely love them!
Why you'll love these cookies
Taste and Texture: The addition of cornstarch makes for an incredibly delicate and flaky cookie. They genuinely do melt in your mouth! The addition of peppermint in both the dough and frosting makes these little morsels a true delight. I like to create pretty small cookies with the dough so you can just pop one into your mouth!
Level of Difficulty: These cookies are simple to make. The frosting adds an extra step, but you could easily make them without the frosting and they'd be just as delicious. This recipe is safe for a beginner baker!
Key ingredients and why we use them
Cornstarch: This recipe includes cornstarch which gives the shortbread a melt-in-your-mouth feel. This is not a traditional shortbread recipe. It's an adapted recipe which—I think—is much tastier!
Peppermint Extract: Make sure that you use peppermint extract and not mint extract. While they are somewhat similar, mint is simply not the same and will not give you the same holiday peppermint flavor.
Confectioners' Sugar: This recipe only calls for one-half cup of confectioners' sugar, which isn't a lot. The cookies are not overly sweet and this really highlights the buttercream frosting.
Serving suggestions
These cookies are perfect for your holiday party or cookie exchange. If you'd like to make the dough in advance of your party, read our tips on how long cookie dough lasts in the fridge.
I love serving these cookies with peppermint tea. The warm tea literally makes these cookies melt away in your mouth—it's divine!
Try these other cookie recipes
Try some more delicious cookie recipes below! Prepare for your holiday baking competition with our article on how to create award-winning cookies.
Recipe
Peppermint Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- ½ cup confectioners' sugar
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1-¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
Frosting Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 drops red food coloring optional
- 1½ cups confectioners' sugar
- ½ cup crushed peppermint candies
Instructions
- In a small bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in extract. In another bowl, whisk flour and cornstarch; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, 30 minutes or until firm enough to handle.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, beat butter until creamy. Beat in milk, extract and, if desired, food coloring. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread or pipe over cookies; sprinkle with crushed candies. Store in an airtight container.
Notes and Tips
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?! First, let me say THANK YOU for giving it a try!
Please leave us a rating and any feedback in the comments section at the bottom of this post. I always love to hear your thoughts and ideas on what went well — and didn't — with a recipe!
Happy Baking!
Heather
NoPlateLikeHome.com
Your sweets look so good! Nice job!
Heather @ Sweet Precision
Thank you! After the bustle of the holidays I'm just now making my way back into the kitchen to do some baking!
Antonia
These are beautiful Heather! I hate that I missed this in December :-( I have to try these soon! Happy 2017 my friend!
Heather @ Sweet Precision
Happy 2017 to you as well Antonia! I've been trying to get myself back into the kitchen to do some baking, but I've been enjoying a rest after the bustle of the holidays :)
Antonia
Thank you :D Me too! It always takes me a couple of weeks after Christmas. Have a wonderful weekend!
Just Add Attitude
Hello Heather, thank you for your holiday wishes and I am retuning the same wish across the ocean to yourself and Matt. These cookies are so pretty, your guests are lucky to have a hostess who put so much thought into what she was making for her party. Best wishes for a happy 2017. ;)
Heather @ Sweet Precision
Thank you B! This was the first time that Matt and I hosted a larger gathering in our apartment and we were both pretty excited with all the planning and preparations! Hope that you enjoy your holidays my friend and Happy New Year to you to!!
Sherri
Oh Heather, what could be more perfect than these peppermint delights for a Christmas party? They look gorgeous! The perfect size too! I hear you for more time...how I wish for that extra week now, with only two days before the boys are home and I've got so much left to do! Wishing you and Matt and wonderful and Merry Christmas and very best wishes for a Happy New Year my friend...here's to us both getting everything ready in time, and raising a glass of cheer to you... much love and a big Christmas hug! :-) <3 xoxo
Heather @ Sweet Precision
How wonderful to have everyone together for the holidays Sherri! I hope that your boys made it safely back home and that you are all enjoying time together. I am back in MN with my family and Matt is joining me tomorrow. I always come back a couple of days early so that I can catch up with some of my girlfriends. The holidays are always a little stressful but I do love time spent with family. Sending you Christmas cheer my friend and wishes for a Happy New Year as well! ❤❤❤
Sherri
Hi Heather! We did have a wonderful Christmas, thank you, everything went to plan and we spent a lovely few days together. I miss my boys though...all that hard work and it's over in a flash! I hope you had a wonderful time in MN with your family and friends and found plenty of time to relax and unwind...that pre-Christmas time is exhausting, but worth it in the end! Happy New Year to you my dear friend, I hope it brings you every good thing and abundant blessings! :-) <3 <3 <3
Heather @ Sweet Precision
Oh Sherri, i know exactly what you mean! Matthew and I had such a wonderful time back in Minnesota with my parents. And then just like that... it's over in a flash! I always go through a little post-holiday withdrawal in January once everything is over. I'm so glad that you were able to get some quality time with your boys. I think time together with family is what makes the holiday season truly special. Here's to a 2017 that finds you and loved ones happy and healthy!
Sherri
Thanks so much Heather, and I'm so glad you had such a wonderful Christmas with your parents! I know what you mean about that withdrawal in January, a strange time, hard to get going again. But we'll get there :-) Big hugs to you from me for this cold, dark month in the meantime! <3
chef mimi
Gorgeous. I've always said that we should move Christmas to February 25th. That would give more time in between Thanksgiving and Christmas and it would still be winter. Two more months of shopping and baking, planning, decorating, maybe a little dieting here and there...
Heather @ Sweet Precision
Christmas in February is something I could definitely get on board with! A little extra time for dieting ???? I just love it! Hope that you are getting all your cooking and shopping done and happy holidays to you!
CakePants
These look delightful! I've never baked cookies with cornstarch, so I'm intrigued to see how it affects the texture. Happy holidays to you and yours :)
Heather @ Sweet Precision
The cornstarch makes the cookies a little more delicate. I had a couple that crumbled as I was taking them off the cookie sheet! Happy holidays to you as well!