This Is Our Most Popular Holiday Cookie Recipe of All Time
Updated: Dec. 21, 2020Every editorial product is independently selected, though we may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links.
What is the best Christmas cookie recipe? Well, these melt-in-your-mouth cookies are a delicious contender. (And a fab addition to a holiday cookie platter!)
All cookies make us happy, but these peppermint meltaways put us over the moon. These tasty morsels burst with peppermint flavor—perfect for the holiday season. And their super-soft texture literally melts in your mouth. If your sweet tooth is already demanding to be satisfied—we know ours certainly is!—follow along and learn how to make this seasonal treat.
For more ideas, check out our best Christmas cookies.
How to Make Peppermint Meltaways
This festive recipe was submitted to the Taste of Home Test Kitchen by Denise Wheeler, and over 200 readers have given it a 5-star rating.
Yield: About 2-1/2 dozen cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
For the frosting:
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons 2% milk
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 to 3 drops red food coloring, optional
- 1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies
Editor’s Tip: The recipe calls for mint and candy canes, but you can vary the flavor to suit any craving. Swap out the peppermint extract for vanilla or almond, and you’ve got a backpocket shortbread.
Tools You’ll Need
- Hand Mixer: This recipe requires creaming butter twice—which is not fun to do by hand. We suggest letting a powerful appliance do the work. A KitchenAid hand mixer or stand mixer makes the job a breeze.
- Spatula: Get ready to scrape down those sides! A trusty spatula is a kitchen staple.
- Candy Canes: Not in the mood to crush your own candy canes? You can buy pre-crushed morsels at your local store.
Directions
Step 1: Cream the Wet Ingredients
Start by creaming together the butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Then, beat in the peppermint extract.
Editor’s tip: Not sure what else to do with that extract? Use it in these peppermint recipes).
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and cornstarch.
Editor’s Tip: Cornstarch in cookies? Yep! It’s what gives these shortbread cookies their lovely, tender crumb. Don’t skip it!
Step 3: Combine and Cover
Beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and combine until you reach a soft, smooth dough. Don’t over-mix, though, or you’ll end up with tough cookies. Refrigerate the dough, covered, for 30 minutes or until it’s firm enough to shape.
Editor’s Tip: 30 minutes is the minimum amount of time your dough should chill. Leave it in the fridge even longer for a more peppermint-infused flavor. (Here’s why chilling cookie dough is so important).
Step 4: Shape and Bake
Once your dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, place them 2-inches apart on ungreased baking sheets, and bake for 9-11 minutes. You’ll know the cookies are done when the bottoms are light brown. Remove from the pans onto wire racks, then let cool completely.
Step 5: Make the Frosting
While the cookies are cooling, beat the butter in a small bowl until it’s creamy. Add in the milk, extract and, if desired, food coloring. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth.
Step 6: Decorate and Enjoy
To decorate, spread a small amount of frosting over each cookie, then sprinkle with crushed candies. Enjoy your peppermint meltaways with a cool glass of milk or a mug of hot cocoa. Store any extras in an airtight container. You can also freeze these cookies, preferably undecorated.
Celebrate With More Great Peppermint Cookies
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Peppermint Meltaways
This recipe for peppermint meltaways is very pretty and festive-looking on a cookie platter. I often cover a plate of these peppermint cookies with red or green plastic wrap and a bright holiday bow in one corner. And yes, they really do melt in your mouth! —Denise Wheeler, Newaygo, Michigan
Peppermint Candy Sandwich Cookies
I love to include a little homemade treat in teacher's gifts and hostess gifts. These delicious lovelies come together in 15 minutes, and never fail to charm. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature.
Chocolate Toffee Peppermint Cookies
Chocolate and peppermint are a natural match, so I put them together in this easy cookie recipe. It's one of our favorite holiday cookies because it tastes delicious and there's no fussy decorating. —Carole Resnick, Cleveland, Ohio
Chocolate Mint Creams
This recipe came from an old family friend and is always high on everyone's cookie request list. I make at least six batches for Noel nibbling and give some away as gifts. —Beverly Fehner, Gladstone, Missouri
Soft Peppermint Spritz Cookies
This quick recipe makes a lot of cookies, and the peppermint flavor is a change from traditional spritz cookies. I tint some of the dough green or red, and I leave the rest white. The decorating ideas are endless! —Carole Resnick, Cleveland, Ohio
Peppermint Sandwich Cookies
Crisp and chewy with a creamy filling, these perfectly pepperminty cookies taste just like a popular brand. You absolutely cannot eat just one. I always need to double the recipe! —Judy Wilson, Sun City West, Arizona
Hidden Mint Morsels
Is it a cookie or a candy? No matter which answer folks choose, they find these minty morsels yummy. The recipe makes so much that you can whip up tons of gifts at once. —Adina Skilbred, Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin
Mint-Filled Cookies
I tuck a peppermint patty inside these treats for a fun surprise. The bites will melt in your mouth. —Karen Nielson, St. George, Utah
Chocolate Peppermint Snaps
This is one of my family's favorite cookies. My brother baked them for a Boy Scout fundraiser, and they were a top seller! They look like gingersnaps, but they're flavored with peppermint candies and are quite crispy. It's no wonder they're always such a hit.
Chocolate-Filled Cookies with Peppermint Frosting
Baking is one of my favorite traditions around the holidays. These special cookies draw you in with candy-topped frosting and seal the deal with a chocolate center. —Deborah Puette, Lilburn, Georgia
Gingerbread Peppermint Pinwheels
Two holiday flavors—gingerbread and peppermint—come together in these impressive pinwheel cookies. I created the recipe especially for my husband, who loves the combination. —Joanna Quelch, Burlington, Vermont
Chocolate-Peppermint Sandwich Cookies
Chocolate and mint make a great holiday pair. Try them in this sandwich cookie with crushed candy canes on top. —Evangeline Bradford, Erlanger, Kentucky
Mint Chocolate Snaps
It wouldn't be Christmas if I didn't make this cookie. Several years ago, I submitted the recipe to our local newspaper and it won first prize of $35. Since then, my family refers to it as the "&35 Cookie"!
No-Bake Minty Oreo Blossoms
My blossoms take the Oreo truffle just a little further—and fancier. They're dressed up with a candy coating and a kiss of mint. —Connie Krupp, Racine, Wisconsin
Peppermint Kisses
These are fun, refreshing and low in fat! —Lynn Bernstetter, Lake Elmo, Minnesota.
Chocolate Mint Wafers
These festive cookies remind my family of after dinner mints. With my husband and our two children munching on these chocolaty treats with cool mint filling, a batch never stays around long. —Annette Esau, Durham, Ontario
Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies
I got this recipe from my daughter years ago. I've taken these chewy filled cookies and the treasured recipe to many cookie exchanges.
Mint Cookies
Some 40 years ago, I whipped up these minty morsels as a way to use leftover candy canes...and my daughter has enthusiastically anticipated the cookies for Christmas ever since! —Mrs. Robert Nelson, Des Moines, Iowa
Chocolate Peppermint Kisses
I love the combination of chocolate and peppermint, especially at Christmastime. It's just not Christmas at our house without these cookies in the tins!—Heather McKillip, Aurora, Illinois
Peppermint Biscotti
Dipped in melted chocolate and rolled in crushed peppermint candy, these flavorful biscotti are a favorite. They are among the many sweets I make for Christmas. —Paula Marchesi, Lenhartsville, Pennsylvania
Chocolate Mint Dreams
Since chocolate and mint is my favorite flavor combination, these dainty frosted treats are hard to resist. But I manage to save some for guests, because they make my cookie trays look so elegant. —Anne Revers, Omaha, Nebraska
Peppermint Twist Kisses
As rosy as Santa's cheeks, these merry morsels with chocolate kisses on top are a delightful yuletide favorite and one of my most-requested recipes. —Traci Wynne, Denver, Pennsylvania
Swirled Mint Cookies
No one will believe that these rich and buttery cookies are light, but they are! With their colorful swirls, each one of these minty, sugary bites has its own look. —Lois Hill, Thomasville, North Carolina
Triple-Chocolate Peppermint Treats
Santa is sure to stop by your house if you leave these minty chocolate cookies waiting for him. They're quick and easy for the whole family to make together. —Teresa Ralston, New Albany, Ohio
Chocolate-Mint Cookie Cups
When chocolate and mint get together with a hint of peppermint, mmm…magic happens. If you don't have mini muffin pans to make these cookies, use disposable foil baking cups.—Pam Correll, Brockport, Pennsylvania
Peppermint Puff Pastry Sticks
I wanted to impress my husband's family with something you'd expect to find in a European bakery, and these chocolaty treats are what I came up with. The flaky pastry melts in your mouth. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
Chocolate Mint Delights
I tuck a chocolate-covered peppermint patty into every one of these rich cookies. The drizzle on top adds a nice touch. I revised a brownie recipe to create these take-along treats. —Heather Sandberg, Waukesha, Wisconsin
Peppermint-Kissed Fudge Mallow Cookies
Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without these cute-as-can-be treats. Fudgy-rich chocolate cookies with refreshing mint flavor, soft marshmallow, crunchy candy...it’s a must-try holiday recipe! —Priscilla Yee, Concord, California
Hot Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
This is a variation of the cookies my mother made when I was growing up. Now my 13-year-old daughter and I bake them together. They’re always a huge hit! The taste is like rich hot chocolate baked into a scrumptious cookie. —Larry Piklor, Johnsburg, Illinois
Candy Cane Blossom Cookies
We like to stir different flavored candy canes into the dough for fun variety. —Joan Cossette, Colbert, Washington
Mint-Mallow Sandwich Cookies
A lightened version of Whoopie Pies, with a peppermint twist to make them Christmas-y. Kids love them! Instead of adding peppermint extract and red food coloring, you can add 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies to the marshmallow fluff. $mdash;Dion Frscher, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Chocolate Peppermint Spritz Cookies
I love to make spritz cookies. Each year I make several varieties of cookies and then deliver them to friends. I love to watch them crack a smile when they see a plate full of cookies. —Margaret Otley, Waverly, Nebraska
Peppermint Patty Sandwich Cookies
At my annual holiday party, these cookies are a big hit with kids and adults, especially when I mix festive food coloring or crushed candy canes into the filling. —Amy Martin, Vancouver, Washington
Stacked Christmas Tree Cookies
Using prepared cookie dough gives you a nice head start to your own little forest of Christmas trees. Get the kids involved in this holiday craft to keep them busy making memories.—Sue Draheim, Waterford, Wisconsin
Red Velvet Peppermint Thumbprints
Red velvet cookies and cakes are so pretty, but I always wish they had a bigger flavor. I infused these thumbprints with a peppermint pop. —Priscilla Yee, Concord, California
Easy Mint Thins
My friends often try to guess the ingredients, but I never tell them how simple they are to make. They taste just like the Girl Scout cookie, and they're perfect for Christmas and bake sales. —Jennifer Setser, Morgantown, Indiana
Mint Chocolate Wafers
My grandmother gave me a cookbook stuffed with recipes. This is a slight twist on one of the first—and best—recipes I made from the book. It's best to store these in the refrigerator. —Mary Murphy, Evansville, Indiana
After-Dinner Mint Delights
I created these because I wanted something different for my cookie baskets at Christmas time. They melt into a deliciously minty taste. In my circle of family and friends, these have become a highly anticipated holiday treat..—Sally Nicosia, Lynn, Massachusetts
Red Velvet Spritz Cookies
I had never come across a red velvet spritz recipe, so I decided to create one. The hint of cocoa makes these taste like red velvet cake. Add peppermint flavoring for a little extra kick. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado
Chocolate-Mint Dream Sandwich Cookies
For the family cookbook, my cousin submitted a cookie I've tinkered with, and it’s a showstopper. These dreamy cookies with chocolate and mint pretty much melt in your mouth. —Shannon Koene, Blacksburg, Virginia Originally Published: December 21, 2020
