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These Peppermint Frosted Sugar Cookies are soft, chewy, and topped with the creamiest peppermint cream cheese frosting. If you love peppermint desserts or are looking for a crowd-favorite holiday cookie, this peppermint cookie recipe is always a hit.
It is baking season, my friends! I love sharing new Christmas cookie recipes that I have been thinking about all year long. I recently shared my soft Italian Ricotta Cookies which are already getting rave reviews. These Sugar Cookies with Peppermint Frosting start with a soft sugar cookie topped with a peppermint-flavored cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with crushed candy canes or peppermint bark chips. You are going to love this recipe!
The best part is that you can make these ahead of time and freeze them. I love to make my soft sugar cookies and freeze them until I am ready to use them. The cream cheese frosting can be made weeks ahead of time as well and just refrigerated until ready to use.
Let’s dive into this peppermint Christmas cookie recipe! Imagine the comforting sweetness of a warm bakery-style sugar cookie…soft, tender, and perfectly chewy. The soft sugar cookies are topped with silky, festive peppermint cream cheese frosting. The crushed candy canes add a peppermint crunch. If you love peppermint, these are the peppermint Christmas cookie recipe for you!
These peppermint frosted sugar cookies bring together everything magical about holiday baking…sweetness, nostalgia, peppermint, and a cookie so soft you’ll want to make it all winter long. These sugar cookies with peppermint frosting are beautiful, festive, and incredibly simple to create, making them a must-bake recipe for Christmas gatherings, cookie exchanges, and cozy December evenings at home.
Ingredients:
Sugar Cookie:
- Butter: Use unsalted butter. If using salted butter, reduce the salt to 1/8 teaspoon.
Sugar: Gives the cookies sweetness and helps them stay soft and chewy.
Egg + Egg Yolk: Adds moisture and richness for a tender cookie.
Vanilla: Enhances the classic sugar cookie flavor.
Flour: Use all-purpose flour.
Baking Powder + Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise slightly and stay light.
Salt: Brings out the flavors in the cookie.
Peppermint Frosting:
- Butter: If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt.
- Cream Cheese: The perfect creamy base.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
- Peppermint Extract: I like to use Nielsen-Massey peppermint extract. Adds the classic holiday flavor!
- Crushed Candy Canes/Peppermint Chips: I like to use Andes peppermint bark crunch or crushed candy canes or a mixture of both. Adds crunch and a festive look.
How to make the best Peppermint Sugar Cookies:
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar for 4 minutes or until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add egg and egg yolk and vanilla and mix for 1 minute longer.
- Fold in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Don’t overmix or it creates too much gluten, which leads to tough cookies.
- Chill the dough. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. After the dough has chilled, remove it from the refrigerator. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll into balls and place on the light colored baking sheet.
- Place on a light-colored baking sheet and bake for 9-12 minutes or until lightly golden on the edges but still soft in the center. Let cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter and cream cheese for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add powdered sugar and peppermint extract.
- Spread frosting on each cooled sugar cookie. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes or peppermint bark chips.
Tips for the Best Sugar Cookies:
Chill the dough to keep the cookies thick and prevent spreading.
Underbake slightly for the best soft, chewy texture.
Add peppermint extract little by little! It’s strong and easy to overpower.
For cleaner frosting, chill the frosted cookies for 10 minutes before storing.
Lightly crush candy canes in a plastic bag to avoid sharp edges on the cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! Bake the cookies one day in advance and frost the next day for the freshest texture. You can also freeze them ahead of time and take them out of the freezer when ready to frost them. - Can I freeze the cookies?
Absolutely. Freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 2–3 months. Frost after removing from the freezer. - How do I make my cookies perfectly round?
To make the cookies perfectly round, as soon as you remove the cookies from the oven, use a large round cookie cutter or glass cup and place it around the cookie and move it around until it forms a round circle.
More Peppermint Cookies:
If you are looking for more holiday cookie recipes, check out my collection of the Best Christmas Cookie Recipes. Also, if you love chocolate, check out my Chocolate Frosted Cookies.
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Peppermint Frosted Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter (softened)
- 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
- 1 large Egg
- 1 large Egg Yolk
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 2 2/3 cups Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 3/4 teaspoon Salt
Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup Butter (softened)
- (1) 8-ounce pkg. Cream Cheese (softened)
- 3 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Peppermint Extract
- Crushed Candy Canes or Peppermint Bark Crunch
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar for 4 minutes or until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add egg and egg yolk and vanilla and mix for 1 minute longer.
- Fold in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Don't overmix or it creates too much gluten, which leads to tough cookies.
- Chill the dough. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. After the dough has chilled, remove it from the refrigerator. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll into balls and place on a light-colored baking sheet.
- Bake for 9-12 minutes or until lightly golden on the edges but still soft in the center. Let cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter and cream cheese for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add powdered sugar and peppermint extract.
- Spread frosting on each cooled sugar cookie. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes or peppermint bark chips.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
