Peppermint Shortbread, Two Ways
Cute and tasty, this Peppermint Shortbread is easy and gives you two fun ways to style the cookies! A festive holiday treat!
If you saw my recent Peppermint Ice Cream, you know that peppermint’s a favorite of mine. Especially for the holidays.
So when I bought a new embossed roller for cookie making (from PastryMade, not sponsored), I knew I had to try it with some peppermint shortbread!
An embossed roller helps you make really cute cookies with absolutely zero decorating talent. You just roll it over your dough and it presses in a design (above on left). Count me in!
But for anyone without an embossed roller, I also have simple slice and bake cookie instructions. And I think these come out really cute too (above right)!
Why you’ll love these
Festive. Peppermint practically shouts Christmas—and the embossed version is double festive! And this year I’m finding crushed peppermint all over from Sur la Table to TJ Maxx!
Tasty. Shortbread is tasty in the first place—and especially nice with peppermint!
Impressive (even if you have no skill!). I’d love to be able to do beautiful frosting decorations. But since I have no patience and shaky hands, I’ll go with these!
Step by Step Overview
If you have an embossed roller, I encourage you to try that method to form the cookies. Otherwise after making the dough, skip to the Form Cookies Using the Slice and Bake Method.
Make the dough.
Cream together butter and powdered sugar.
Mix in egg and vanilla.
Gradually add flour until well combined.
Stir in crushed peppermint by hand.
Knead dough a few times until it comes together. Follow directions below
Form Cookies Using an Embossed Roller.
Form the dough into a 1 inch thick round, then cover and chill in refrigerator at least ½ hour.
Flour your rolling surface and the dough, then roll out with a standard roller to about ¼ inch thick.
Spray or flour the embossed roller well. Starting at one edge, roll the embossed rolled over your ¼ inch thick dough to press in the design (this will thin it a little more which is fine).
Position a cookie cutter over pretty areas of the design and cut out cookies. Chill cookies in freezer for about 10 minutes or refrigerator for about ½ hour.
Reroll dough scraps and proceed as above, rechilling if the dough starts to get sticky, and re-flouring/spraying the roller every time.
Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet at 400 F. Start checking for doneness at 7 minutes, then every minute thereafter until cookies are just starting to brown. Cool on wire rack.
Or Form Cookies Using the Slice and Bake Method.
On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 2 inch diameter log.
Roll the log in additional crushed peppermint.
Roll the log up in wax paper, then chill for at least an hour. When ready to bake, remove the wax paper, then use a sharp knife to slice off cookies about ¼ inch thick.
Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet at 400 F. Start checking for doneness at 7 minutes, then every minute thereafter until cookies are just starting to brown. Cool on wire rack.
If baking in multiple batches, store dough in refrigerator while prior batch bakes.
Variations
If you’ve bought an embossed roller or some cookie stamps, you might want to check out pther versions of embossed/stamped cookies that I’ve tested. Besides today’s cookies, shown below are also Winter Chocolate Cookies, Holiday Embossed Gingerbread Cookies and Funfetti Shortbread Cookies.
Of course if it’s the peppermint flavor you are after, consider my Homemade Peppermint Ice Cream or Peppermint Brownie Madeleines
And for more holiday cookies check out the tasty treats from my blogging friends just about the recipe card at the end of the post!
Embossed Roller Secrets!
The spray nozzle on your kitchen sink is very helpful for getting bits of dough and/or flour out of a roller. And you really want to do this as soon as you are finished (ask me how I know this).
Is there an alternative to an embossed roller to get a design? Yes, cookie stamps (which Michael’s has for most holidays) are another way to get a festive design pressed into a cookie. And not only do these press in a design, they cut the cookie out at the same time!
How do I keep my dough from sticking to the roller? If your dough is sticking to your roller, re-clean the roller carefully (I use the sink sprayer), dry it then re-flour or re-spray it. Also consider putting the dough back in the refrigerator to chill some more (warm = sticky).
Why didn’t my embossed roller work with my usual cookie recipe? To make an embossed cookie, you need a special cookie dough that is less moist and lower in leavening (like baking soda). This means that, to retain the nice edges of the embossed design, you can’t use a recipe that rises because that will obscure the pattern.
And for More Tasty Holiday Cookies, see:
- Soft & Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Nut Brittle Cookies by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Gingerbread Biscotti by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Cappuccino Swirl Cookies by Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
- Nutter Butter Snowman Cookies by Blogghetti
- Pumpkin Pie Thumbprint Cookies by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- White Mocha Cookies by Magical Ingredients
- White Chocolate Dipped Gingersnaps by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Tahini Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies by The Spiffy Cookie
Peppermint Shortbread (Two Ways)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened (1 stick)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 3/4 cup flour plus more for rolling
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- ¼ cup crushed peppermint
- 1/4 cup crushed peppermint (optional) for rolling the slice and bake log
Instructions
Make the dough.
- Cream together butter and powdered sugar. Mix in egg and vanilla.
- Gradually add flour until well combined (see note). Stir in crushed peppermint by hand
- Knead dough a few times until it comes together. Follow directions below
To Form Using an Embossed Roller.
- Form the dough into a 1 inch thick round, then cover and chill in refrigerator at least ½ hour.
- Flour your rolling surface and the dough, then roll out with a standard roller to about ¼ inch thick.
- Spray or flour the embossed roller well. Starting at one edge, roll the embossed rolled over your ¼ inch thick dough to press in the design (this will thin it a little more which is fine).
- Position a cookie cutter over pretty areas of the design and cut out cookies. Chill cookies in freezer for about 10 minutes or refrigerator for about ½ hour.
- Reroll dough scraps and proceed as above, rechilling the dough if it starts to get sticky, and re-flouring/spraying the roller every time.
- Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet at 400 F. Start checking for doneness at 7 minutes, then every minute thereafter until cookies are just starting to brown. Cool on wire rack.
Or To Form Using the Slice and Bake Method
- On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 2 inch diameter log.
- Roll the log in additional crushed peppermint. Roll the log up in wax paper, then chill for at least an hour.
- When ready to bake, remove the wax paper, then use a sharp knife to slice off cookies about ¼ inch thick.
- Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet at 400 F. Start checking for doneness at 7 minutes, then every minute thereafter until cookies are just starting to brown. Cool on wire rack.
- If baking in multiple batches, store dough in refrigerator while prior batch bakes.
Notes
Nutrition
I can already imagine these disappearing fast at a cookie swap!
Stunning! Perfect one for the season.
I like both versions of these — but I also love any excuse to use my embossed rolling pin! I bought mine direct form Poland years before Pastry Made was selling them. I should have waited! 🙂 I am bookmarking this to make for a friend who, like you, is a peppermint fiend. I will, of course, keep some for Mark and me!
These are so pretty! I love the peppermint candy on the outside of the cookies.
Okay, adding an embossed roller to my wish list! I love cookies that are pretty and taste delicious. My kid’s a huge peppermint fan, he’ll flip for these.
I have one of those rolling pins and now I want another, lol! These cookies are perfect for the holidays. Who doesn’t love peppermint and shortbread!
They are running all kinds of specials right now if you want to pick up another 🙂
I have always wanted an embosser, but have yet to purchase one. After seeing this, I need to really keep an eye out for one that I like. These are gorgeous and they look like they taste fantastic!!!
You have convinced me to cave in and buy one of those embossed rollers. These cookies are gorgeous.