Description
Delight in these festive Peppermint Swirl Sugar Cookies featuring a beautiful red and white swirl, perfectly chewy texture, and a subtle hint of peppermint or almond extract. These cookies are great for holidays or any time you want a sweet treat with a pop of color and texture from the sanding sugar coating.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar (350g)
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk (80g)
- 1 1/2 tsp peppermint or almond extract (optional) (8g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (5g)
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (325g)
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch (8g)
- 1 tsp fine salt (6g)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda (3g)
- Red gel food coloring, enough to achieve desired color
Coating
- 1 cup granulated sugar or white sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set them aside for later use.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat 1 cup of room temperature butter with 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar on medium-high speed for a few minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Add 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, 1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract (optional), and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Beat at medium-high speed until well combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: On low speed, incorporate 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp fine salt, and 1/2 tsp baking soda into the wet ingredients until mostly combined. Scrape sides and bottom again and then beat at medium speed for a few seconds to fully combine.
- Divide and Color Dough: Split the dough equally into two bowls (about 490g each). Knead red gel food coloring into one portion until evenly colored. Use gloves if preferred to avoid staining hands.
- Form Dough Balls: Using a teaspoon, scoop small teaspoon-sized portions of both red and white doughs, rolling each into balls. Set aside.
- Create Swirled Cookies: Take three balls of each color (six total) and place them in a circle alternating the colors (red, white, red, white, etc.). Press together to close gaps and gently shape into a rounded cookie shape. Use your forefinger to push colors creating a swirl effect.
- Coat Cookies in Sugar: Optionally, pour 1 cup of granulated or sanding sugar into a bowl and toss the shaped cookie dough balls in the sugar to fully coat, adding texture after baking.
- Chill Dough: Chill the formed cookies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm them up before baking.
- Bake Cookies: Place the cookies spaced a few inches apart on prepared baking sheets and bake one tray at a time in the middle rack of the oven for 13 minutes, or until edges are set but not browned.
- Cool Cookies: Remove cookies from oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store Properly: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
- This recipe yields about 24 cookies and can be doubled for larger batches.
- The dough can be made ahead and refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months before baking.
- Pre-shaped cookie dough balls can be frozen and baked straight from freezer with a few extra minutes of bake time.
- Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months as well.
- Be sure to cream butter and sugar thoroughly for a chewy, light texture.
- Space cookies about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet to allow for spreading.
- Watch closely baking times as the dough color can make it hard to judge browning; cookies continue setting once out of the oven.
- Use gel food coloring for best dough consistency and color vibrancy without altering texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
