These festive cookies are soft, chewy, and bursting with peppermint flavor, featuring chunks of crushed candy canes. The dough chills before baking, ensuring perfect thickness and rich flavor. Notes on substitutions are included below.
Ingredients
½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup chopped candy canes
Instructions
Prepare Pans & Chill: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Make Wet Mixture: In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until fully combined.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda.
Form Dough: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Use a spatula to mix until just combined and no dry flour remains. Gently fold in the chopped candy canes.
Portion & Chill: Scoop the dough (about 1.5 tablespoons each) and roll into balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Refrigerate the dough balls for at least 30 minutes.
Bake: While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cookies directly from the refrigerator for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are lightly set but the centers still look soft.
Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes & Substitutions
Candy Canes: These can be omitted or replaced with festive sprinkles or chocolate chips.
Sugar: An equal amount of monk fruit sweetener or granulated cane sugar can be used in place of regular granulated sugar.
Flour: For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (untested).
Yield: This recipe makes approximately 16-22 cookies, depending on size.
