Daily Dose: Peppermint Cookies

I'm a sucker for peppermint desserts!  Take these peppermint cookies - they are fresh, and light, and oh-so-delicious.   When I was first looking for recipes, I kept coming across the traditional pin-wheel peppermint cookie.  But I'm too lazy to deal with the extra work involved in pin-wheeling, especially since it adds nothing to the taste of the cookie.   So I modified my favorite Snickerdoodle recipe and wound up with a great tasting (and great looking) peppermint cookie.  Who needs pinwheels?!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cups granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Coating:
1/2 cup red and white sugar sprinkles
OR
6 crushed peppermint candies
(NOTE: I made a batch with each coating.  The sugar sprinkles keep their shape and color, while the peppermint candies melt and bleed.  Both look good, but I prefer the look of the sugar sprinkles)


Directions:

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.

Cream together butter and sugar.  Once smooth, add the egg and mix.  Scrape down the bowl and add the peppermint extract. Mix to incorporate.

Mix in the dry ingredients, one-half at a time.  The dough will be soft, so refrigerate for an hour or two to allow it to firm up.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Form the dough into 1 inch balls.  Press each ball into the coating of your choice, then transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.  Remove to a cooling rack.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cups granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Coating:
1/2 cup red and white sugar crystals
OR
6 crushed peppermint candies

Directions:

1. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.

2. Cream together butter and sugar.  Once smooth, add the egg and mix.  Scrape down the bowl and add the peppermint extract. Mix to incorporate.
3. Mix in the dry ingredients, one-half at a time.  The dough will be soft, so refrigerate for an hour or two to allow it to firm up.

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
5. Form the dough into 1 inch balls.  Press each ball into the coating of your choice, then transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown around the edges.  Remove to a cooling rack.