Peppermint Smash Sugar Cookies
Peppermint Smash Sugar Cookies
PREP TIME: 50 MIN
COOK TIME: 14 MIN
TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 4 MIN
Peppermint and sugar cookies were meant to be. Flavor a classic sugar cookie recipe with a hint of peppermint extract. Smash the dough balls with a glass or measuring cup and frost the centers with peppermint buttercream. Peppermint sugar cookies are delicious sprinkled with crush candy canes.
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Is anyone else obsessed with the idea of a soft peppermint sugar cookies frosted with delicious peppermint buttercream?! It’s like the soft sugar cookie everyone dreams of but made perfectly with winter flavors.
What Is A Smash Cookie?
The name comes from literally smashing the balls of cookie dough with the bottom of a measuring cup or glass, so that…well…they look smashed. The thick dough holds its shape when baking and smashed crater center is perfect for frosting peppermint buttercream.
It’s fun to make cookies that aren’t perfect looking!
Ingredients
Let’s go over the list of ingredients before you head into the kitchen. Double check that you have everything and then you’re ready to bake some peppermint smash sugar cookies!
- unsalted butter (room temperature)
- granulated sugar
- egg (room temperature)
- vanilla extract
- salt
- all-purpose flour
- peppermint extract
- powdered sugar
- heavy whipping cream
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Peppermint is delicious!!
- This sugar cookie recipe is taken from my original soft cut-out sugar cookie recipe (which is my most beloved recipe).
- Easy and fun to make!
- Don’t have to worry about how the cookies look, smashing the cookie is apart of the fun!
- These cookies are soft and buttery thick because were using a 1.5 ounce cookie scoop or about 3 tablespoons. I know it seems like a lot of dough but the thickness makes it extra soft with perfect crisp edges.
- An easy way to turn a sugar cookie recipe into a winter cookie recipe.
How To Make Peppermint Smash Sugar Cookies
- Part 1: Make sugar cookie dough
- Part 2: Bake sugar cookies
- Part 3: Make peppermint buttercream
- Part 4: Decorate
Part 1: Make Sugar Cookie Dough
Start by making sure the unsalted butter and egg are at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃) and prepare the baking trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, equip the paddle attachment. If using a hand held mixer, equip beaters. Mix the butter on high speed for 30 seconds until creamy. Add the sugar and beat for 2 minutes on high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the egg, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and salt and mix on medium speed until just combined.
Add in half of the flour and mix until incorporated, then add the other half. Stop mixing when the flour has incorporated and the dough comes together. If it’s slightly crumbly at the bottom of the bowl, gently knead it together.
Use a 1.5 oz cookie scoop to scoop the dough and roll into balls. Place 6 dough balls on a baking sheet tray, about 2-3 inches apart. Use the back of a measuring cup (I use the ⅓ cup) or the bottom of a glass (dust with flour to avoid sticking). Press down to make an indent, and don’t worry about having perfect edges.
Part 2: Bake Sugar Cookies
Bake for 9-10 minutes until just golden brown around the edges. Transfer the cookies onto a wire cooling rack as soon as they come out of the oven. Let them cool completely before frosting.
Part 3: Make Peppermint Buttercream
Equip the paddle attachment to your stand mixer. Or use a hand mixer. Add the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on high speed for one minute.
Turn the mixer off and add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix on low for 30 seconds. Continue to add powdered sugar one cup at a time to avoid sugar clouds. After all the powdered sugar is all added, scrape down the bowl with a spatula.
Add the salt, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and whipping cream and mix everything on medium speed for two minutes.
Add the pink food gel dye if you’d like, and change the speed to low and mix for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, if the buttercream is too stiff, add 1 tbsp of additional whipping cream and mix on low. Continue to add whipping cream until it looks smooth and silky but not wet.
Part 4: Decorate
Place the candy canes into a ziplock bag. Use a rolling pin to crush the candy canes.
Use a knife or an offset spatula and scoop some peppermint buttercream onto the center of the cookie were it has it’s crater. Sprinkle on the crushed candy canes onto the frosting before it hardens.
Storing
Plain cookies or frosted peppermint smash sugar cookies can last in an airtight container for 1 week.
Cookie dough can be frozen up to 2 months. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and then in a freezer bag. To bake, let the dough thaw to room temperature before scooping. Begin from step 5 above. You can freeze iced cookies for 2 months. Let the cookies thaw before serving.
FAQ
Can I Make Smaller Cookies?
A 1.5 ounce cookie scoop is about 3 tablespoons of dough. I know – it does sound like a lot of dough but these cookies thick texture is what this recipe aims for.
You can use a smaller scoop like a 1 ounce size, just keep an eye out and adjust the baking time to 8-10 minutes. Note that they might not be as thick as shown in the pictures.
RECIPE CARD
Peppermint Smash Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand held mixer
- Measuring cup or glass (for smashing)
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar (228g)
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp peppermint extract (or ¼ tsp peppermint oil)
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
Peppermint Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
- 3 ¾ cups powdered sugar (469g)
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp peppermint extract (or ½ tsp peppermint oil)
- 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream (or whole milk)
- 2 drops pink food gel dye optional
- candy canes, crushed
Instructions
Sugar Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Prepare your baking trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, equip the paddle attachment. If using a hand held mixer, equip beaters. Mix the butter on high speed for 30 seconds until creamy. Add the sugar and beat for 2 minutes on high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and salt and mix on medium speed until just combined.1 egg, room temperature, 1 tsp vanilla extract, ½ tsp peppermint extract, ¼ tsp kosher salt
- Add in half of the flour and mix until incorporated, then add the other half. Stop mixing when the flour has incorporated and the dough comes together. If it's slightly crumbly at the bottom of the bowl, gently knead it together.3 cups all-purpose flour
- Use a 1.5 oz cookie scoop to scoop the dough and roll into balls. Place 6 dough balls on a baking sheet tray, about 2-3 inches apart. Use the back of a measuring cup (I use the ⅓ cup) or the bottom of a glass (dust with flour to avoid sticking). Press down to make an indent, and don't worry about having perfect edges.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes until just golden brown around the edges. Transfer the cookies onto a wire cooling rack as soon as they come out of the oven. Let them cool completely before frosting.
Peppermint Buttercream
- Equip the paddle attachment to your stand mixer. Or use a hand mixer. Add the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on high speed for one minute.1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- Turn the mixer off and add 1 cup of powdered sugar and mix on low for 30 seconds. Continue to add powdered sugar one cup at a time to avoid sugar clouds. After all the powdered sugar is all added, scrape down the bowl with a spatula.3 ¾ cups powdered sugar
- Add the salt, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and whipping cream and mix everything on medium speed for two minutes.¼ tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, 1 ½ tsp peppermint extract, 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- Add the pink food gel dye if you'd like, and change the speed to low and mix for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, if the buttercream is too stiff, add 1 tbsp of additional whipping cream and mix on low. Continue to add whipping cream until it looks smooth and silky but not wet.2 drops pink food gel dye
Decorating
- Place the candy canes into a ziplock bag. Use a rolling pin to crush the candy canes.candy canes, crushed
- Use a knife or an offset spatula and scoop some peppermint buttercream onto the center of the cookie were it has it's crater. Sprinkle on the crushed candy canes onto the frosting before it hardens.
- Plain cookies or decorated cookies can last in an airtight container for 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing: Cookie dough can be frozen up to 2 months. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and then in a freezer bag. To bake, let the dough thaw to room temperature before scooping. Begin from step 5 above. You can freeze iced cookies for 2 months. Let the cookies thaw before serving.
- Tools: The things that help me bake the perfect cookies: Nordic Baking Pans 13 x 18 inches | Stand mixer or Hand held mixer | AmeriColor pink gel paste food coloring | Piping bags | Rubber spatula | Digital scale | Rolling pin
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