Slice & Bake Peppermint Cookies

5 from 4 votes
These slice and bake peppermint cookies look and taste very festive, and are so easy to make they're a great addition to your holiday baking list.
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This slice and bake peppermint cookies recipe is the perfect addition to your holiday baking list. They’re easy to make and they look (and taste) very festive!

slice and bake peppermint cookies

This is my first time making slice and bake cookies and my first time trying peppermint as a cookie flavor.

And I have to say, I love them both!

Slice and bake cookies are so easy to make and since you can store the ready-to-bake cookie dough in the freezer until you need it, they’re easy to make in advance.

And peppermint just screams Christmas.

So what better recipe to add to your holiday baking list?

Ingredients

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peppermint cookies recipe ingredients

Here’s your shopping list:

  • baking supplies – 2 cups flour, ¼ cup sugar
  • dairy – ¾ cup (or 1½ sticks) butter
  • eggs – 1 large
  • flavoring – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 4 or 5 large candy canes (or 1 cup of peppermint candies like Starlights)
  • red sugar

Equipment

  • rolling pin
  • mixer with a mixing bowl
  • mixing spoon
  • cutting board
  • serrated knife
  • parchment paper
  • cookie sheet
  • wire cooling rack

How To Make Peppermint Cookies

The Prep Work

Take the butter and the egg out of the refrigerator a couple of hours before making the cookies.

Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF.

How to crush candy canes

Use a rolling pin to crush the candy canes.

Mix The Ingredients

Butter and sugar in the mixer

In the mixer, beat ¾ cup butter and ¼ cup sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 or 3 minutes.

Add in the egg and beat until combined.

vanilla extract to be added to the mix

Mix in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract.

Flour being added to the mixing bowl

Turn the mixer speed down to low and add the flour in batches.

Beat until combined.

The dough will be quite stiff.

Crushed peppermint being stirred into the cookie dough

Stir in ½ cup crushed candy canes with a mixing spoon.

Split the dough in half.

The cookie dough rolled into a log

Roll one half of the dough into a log.

Then repeat with the other half.

How to roll peppermint cookie dough log in red sugar

Spread the red sugar out on a cookie sheet.

Roll the logs in the sugar so that the outside is covered.

Wrap the cookie dough log in parchment paper

Wrap the cookie dough logs in parchment paper.

Freeze until firm, at least 30 minutes.

If you’re making the cookies in advance, they can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for up to a month.

Bake The Cookies

Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper.

This is a good idea for many Christmas cookie recipes because it keeps the bottoms from getting too brown and prevents the cookies from spreading too much.

But in this case, it’s even more important because it keeps the melted candy canes and sugar edges from sticking to the cookie sheet.

Sliced peppermint cookie dough log

Use a serrated knife to slice the log into ½” thick pieces.

If your freezer is really cold and you are having trouble cutting the slices, let the cookie dough log sit on the counter for 10 or 15 minutes.

But not too long since you still want to be able to cut the slices without squishing the dough.

You should be able to get about 24 cookies out of each log.

The peppermint cookies on a cookie sheet

Place the cookies on a cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.

They don’t spread so you can put them close together.

Bake at 350℉ for 10 to 12 minutes.

The tops of the cookies should have a uniform color but should not turn brown.

If you are not using parchment paper, the bottom of the cookies should be slightly browned. (This won’t happen if you use parchment paper).

Be careful not to overcook them or they will get really hard.

The peppermint cookies being moved onto a wire cooling rack

Move the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely.

slice and bake peppermint cookies

These peppermint cookies can be stored in an air tight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Other Christmas Cookies You Might Like

slice and bake peppermint cookies

Slice & Bake Peppermint Cookies

5 from 4 votes
Servings: 48 cookies
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Chilling time 30 minutes
Total 50 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups flour
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¾ cup (or 1½ sticks) butter
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • ½ cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies (like Starlights)
  • red sugar

Equipment

  • rolling pin
  • Mixer with a mixing bowl
  • mixing spoon
  • cutting board
  • serrated knife
  • parchment paper
  • cookie sheet
  • wire cooling rack

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF.
  • Use a rolling pin to crush the candy canes.
  • In the mixer, beat ¾ cup butter and ¼ cup sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 or 3 minutes.
  • Add in the egg and beat until combined.
  • Mix in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract.
  • Add the flour in batches and beat on low speed until combined.
  • Stir in ½ cup crushed candy canes with a mixing spoon.
  • Split the dough in half.
  • Roll one half of the dough into a log. Then repeat with the other half.
  • Spread the red sugar out on a cookie sheet.
  • Roll the logs in the sugar so that the outside is covered.
  • Wrap the cookie dough logs in parchment paper.
  • Freeze until firm, at least 30 minutes.
  • Use a serrated knife to slice the log into ½” thick pieces.
  • Place the cookies on a parchment-lined cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
  • Bake at 350℉ for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies should not turn brown.
  • Move the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely.

Notes

  • Take the butter and the egg out of the refrigerator a couple of hours before making the cookies.
  • The rolled logs (before being baked) can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for up to a month.
  • If the cookie log is too hard to cut, let it sit at room temperature for 10 or 15 minutes, but not so long that the dough loses its shape when cut.
  • Lining the cookie sheet with parchment paper will keep the cookies from sticking to the pan as well as preventing the bottoms from getting too brown.
  • The baked cookies can be stored in an air tight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
Slice & Bake Peppermint Cookies
Serving Size
 
1 cookie
Amount per Serving
Calories
60
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
3
g
5
%
Saturated Fat
 
2
g
13
%
Trans Fat
 
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0.2
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Cholesterol
 
12
mg
4
%
Sodium
 
25
mg
1
%
Potassium
 
8
mg
0
%
Carbohydrates
 
7
g
2
%
Fiber
 
0.1
g
0
%
Sugar
 
3
g
3
%
Protein
 
1
g
2
%
Vitamin A
 
98
IU
2
%
Calcium
 
2
mg
0
%
Iron
 
0.3
mg
2
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

authorWanda Simone
courseDessert
cuisineAmerican
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This post was originally published on December 9, 2020 but was updated with new content on March 19, 2024.


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