Name: Peppermint Meltaway Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature; 2/3 cup (80g) confectioners’ sugar; 1 egg yolk, at room temperature; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract; 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled); 1/4 cup (30g) cornstarch; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened; 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) confectioners’ sugar; 1–2 Tablespoons milk, at room temperature (dairy or nondairy); 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract; 1 drop red or pink food coloring (optional); 1/4 cup (40g) crushed candy canes (about 2–3 large candy canes)

There's something utterly magical about biting into a cookie that literally melts on your tongue—that's exactly what you get with this Peppermint Meltaway Cookies Recipe. Light, buttery, and kissed with refreshing peppermint, they feel like winter wrapped up in a sweet treat. Trust me, once you try making these, they'll become your new holiday staple.

The image shows a stack of three soft, light beige cookies, each separated by a thick layer of pale pink frosting mixed with small red and white candy pieces. The top cookie has a bite taken out, revealing a soft, crumbly inside. The frosting is creamy and slightly fluffy, with crushed candy bits scattered on top. The stack sits on a white, wavy-edged plate placed on a white marbled surface, with a few crumbs and candy pieces spread around the plate. The background is a plain light tone that softly fades out of focus. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Peppermint Meltaway Cookies Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Peppermint Meltaway Cookies Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Peppermint Meltaway Cookies Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

I can't tell you how many times I’ve made these cookies during the holidays or whenever I needed a cozy, comforting snack. What sets this Peppermint Meltaway Cookies Recipe apart isn't just the flavor but the texture—soft as a cloud, with that perfect little peppermint kick. It's a cookie experience that feels fancy but is totally doable in your own kitchen.

Unique Texture: These cookies have a tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb thanks to cornstarch and confectioners’ sugar, unlike typical cookies.
Refreshing Peppermint Flavor: The blend of peppermint extract and crushed candy canes gives them a subtle but memorable holiday feel.
Easy Frosting: The peppermint buttercream is creamy, smooth, and customizable—plus it doesn’t overwhelm the cookie.
Make Ahead Friendly: Dough chills well, and frozen cookies thaw beautifully, so you can prep in advance.

Ingredients & Why They Work

This cookie’s magic comes from simple but thoughtfully combined ingredients. The softened butter and confectioners' sugar create that soft crumb, while cornstarch adds a silky texture you won't find in regular cookies. Plus, peppermint extract and crushed candy canes brighten things up without overpowering.

Flat lay of a small block of unsalted butter, a small bowl of fine confectioners' sugar, a single whole egg with a clean shell, a small white bowl of clear vanilla extract, a small white bowl of clear peppermint extract, a small white bowl of smooth milk, a small mound of all-purpose flour, a small mound of cornstarch, a small pile of baking powder, a small pile of fine salt, and a small white bowl filled with crushed red and white candy canes, all arranged symmetrically on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Unsalted Butter: Using room temperature butter ensures it creams smoothly with sugar, creating a tender base.
Confectioners’ Sugar: Provides sweetness and, more importantly, contributes to the meltaway texture.
Egg Yolk: Adds richness and helps bind the dough without adding extra moisture.
Pure Vanilla Extract: Balances the peppermint with warm undertones.
Peppermint Extract: Gives that fresh, festive punch—start with ½ teaspoon and adjust if you like stronger flavor.
All-Purpose Flour: Use the spooned and leveled measure for accuracy to keep dough from being too dry or dense.
Cornstarch: This is the secret to the cookie’s distinctive softness and tender crumb.
Baking Powder: Provides just enough lift to keep cookies light.
Salt: Enhances all the flavors, especially balancing sweetness.
Milk (or nondairy milk): For adjusting the frosting consistency perfectly.
Crushed Candy Canes: Adds crunch, visual appeal, and extra peppermint flavor on top.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

I often tweak the frosting color depending on the occasion—sometimes soft pink for Valentine’s Day or classic green for Christmas. You can even experiment with adding a touch of cinnamon or swapping out peppermint for another extract like almond if you want to try something different.

Candy Cane-Free Version: If you don’t have crushed candy canes, just sprinkle colored sugar or mini chocolate chips on top instead.
Vegan Adaptation: I’ve tried swapping the butter and egg yolk with vegan alternatives—just expect a slightly different texture but still delicious.
Spicy Twist: Sometimes I add a pinch of ground ginger or cinnamon for a warming holiday flavor punch.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Peppermint Meltaway Cookies Recipe

The image shows a white marbled surface with a cooling rack filled with two rows of plain round cookies at the bottom and one row of cookies at the top spread with light pink frosting that has a creamy, smooth texture. Next to the rack, there is a woman's hand holding a small metal spatula that is spreading the same pink frosting from a white bowl with a handle. To the left side, there is a small wooden bowl filled with crushed pink candy and two red-and-white striped candy canes resting on a white towel with thin gray stripes. The whole setup is bright and neat, with soft natural light coming from the top left. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Step 1: Cream that Butter & Sugar Till Fluffy

Start by beating the softened butter on medium speed until creamy—this usually takes about a minute. Then add the confectioners’ sugar, starting on low so it doesn’t fly everywhere, and beat it up to medium-high speed for a full two minutes. The key here is patience—the fluffier the mixture, the lighter your cookies will be. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides periodically so everything combines evenly.

Step 2: Add Your Flavor Boosts

Next, mix in the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Beat on high until everything is blended well—this ensures your cookies have that perfect peppermint warmth without being overpowering.

Step 3: Fold in the Dry Ingredients

Combine your flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Then add this mix to your butter mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. The dough will be thick and creamy—if it’s too sticky, a light dusting of flour will help, but don’t overdo it or the cookies will get dense.

Step 4: Chill the Dough (Don't Skip This!)

Cover your dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This step is crucial—it lets the flavors meld and firms up the dough for easy shaping. I always chill mine longer if I'm prepping ahead; I’ve even popped it in the fridge for up to 3 days with no issues.

Step 5: Shape & Bake

Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners. Scoop out dough balls about a tablespoon each and space them at least 3 inches apart. Flatten each slightly with your palm—about 2 inches in diameter. Bake for 13–14 minutes until the edges look set but don’t brown. These cookies won’t darken much, so keep a close eye to avoid overbaking.

Step 6: Cool Before Frosting

After baking, let the cookies cool right on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. This helps them firm up just enough before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely—frosting warm cookies can get messy!

Step 7: Whip Up the Peppermint Buttercream

Beat softened butter until creamy, then add confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla, and peppermint extract. Start on low speed and then go medium-high for two minutes until light and fluffy. Taste and adjust—add a sprinkle of salt if it’s too sweet, more sugar if it’s too thin, or more milk if too thick. If you want to add a festive tint, a drop of red or pink food coloring works beautifully. Spread generously over cooled cookies and sprinkle crushed candy canes on top.

Top Tip

From my experience, the most important step to nailing this Peppermint Meltaway Cookies Recipe is chilling the dough and carefully watching the bake time. Overbaking dries them out, and skipping the chill changes the texture completely. Here are a few little nuggets that helped me perfect these cookies.

Chill, Don’t Skip: Cooling the dough solidifies the butter which leads to softer cookies that keep their shape beautifully.
Flat is Fab: Gently flatten dough balls before baking to get that classic meltaway look and texture.
Watch the Color: Since these cookies don’t brown much, remove them right when edges look set to avoid a dry crumb.
Customize Your Frosting: Feel free to adjust the peppermint extract in the buttercream—sometimes I add just a bit more for an extra zing.

How to Serve Peppermint Meltaway Cookies Recipe

peppermint meltaway cookies - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I love to keep it simple with crushed candy canes on top—they add a delightful crunch and festive sparkle. Sometimes, I'll lightly dust them with extra confectioners’ sugar just before serving for that snowy effect.

Side Dishes

Pairing these cookies with a hot cup of cocoa or a bright peppermint tea really elevates the experience. They’re also fantastic alongside spiced mulled wine or a creamy latte when you want a cozy treat.

Creative Ways to Present

For holiday gatherings, I like arranging these cookies on a glass platter with little sprigs of fresh pine or holly around the edges. Another fun idea is stacking them and tying with festive twine for gifting—they look adorable and taste even better.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Store your frosted cookies in an airtight container layered with parchment to prevent sticking. I keep mine at room temperature for up to one day if I want that fresh, soft frosting texture, or refrigerate for up to five days if I want to prep in advance.

Freezing

I usually freeze the baked and cooled cookies without frosting—just flash freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag. When I want them, I thaw fully and then frost fresh. This keeps the texture perfect and the frosting bright.

Reheating

If you want to warm these cookies a bit, a quick 10-second zap in the microwave works wonders to recapture that fresh-baked softness. Just avoid overheating or they'll crumble.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use regular sugar instead of confectioners’ sugar?

I wouldn’t recommend it since confectioners’ sugar dissolves completely and helps create that melt-in-your-mouth texture, while granulated sugar would give a grainy feel and change the cookie’s delicate crumb.

What if I don’t have peppermint extract?

If peppermint extract isn’t on hand, you could try a small amount of mint leaves finely chopped or a drop of peppermint oil made for cooking, but the flavor might not be as balanced. Vanilla alone is a fine fallback too, though it won’t have that classic peppermint bite.

Why do I need to chill the dough?

Chilling firms up the butter so the cookies hold their shape better when baking and helps meld the flavors. If you skip this step, your cookies might spread too much and lose their tender texture.

Can I make these cookies ahead for a party?

Absolutely! You can prepare the dough up to 3 days in advance, or bake and freeze cookies ahead of time. Just frost them the day of your event for the freshest look and taste.

Final Thoughts

These Peppermint Meltaway Cookies have become one of those recipes I share with friends and always get a heartfelt “wow” back. They’re simple enough to make on a busy day but still feel super special. Whether you bake them for yourself, a holiday party, or as a gift, you’ll enjoy every buttery, minty, melt-in-your-mouth bite—promise! Give this recipe a try and see how these little meltaways might just become your favorite festive cookie tradition.