Cozy Evening Peppermint Twist (Print Version)

Soft buttery cookies with a peppermint twist, ideal for cozy evenings and festive moments.

# List of Ingredients:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

→ Decoration

09 - Red gel food coloring
10 - 1/3 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes

# Step-by-step Instructions:

01 - Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
02 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract to the creamed mixture and blend until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until dough forms.
05 - Separate dough into two equal portions; incorporate red gel food coloring evenly into one portion.
06 - Wrap both dough portions tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
07 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
08 - Roll tablespoon-sized pieces of each colored dough into 6-inch ropes; twist ropes together and coil spirally or shape as desired.
09 - Place shaped cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
10 - Sprinkle crushed peppermint candies evenly over each cookie.
11 - Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until edges are set but not browned.
12 - Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough is forgiving and soft, so even if your twists aren't perfect, they still look festive and taste amazing.
  • That peppermint flavor hits just right—bright and minty without being overwhelming or medicinal.
  • They're the kind of cookies that make your kitchen smell like a holiday card feels.
02 -
  • Don't skip the chilling step—warm dough spreads and loses its twist shape, but cold dough holds those beautiful spirals.
  • If your red food coloring doesn't fully distribute, keep kneading; lumpy coloring makes striped instead of solid cookies, which is honestly pretty too.
  • Peppermint extract is strong, so if you're unsure, start with 3/4 teaspoon and taste the raw dough to decide if you want more.
03 -
  • Invest in gel food coloring if you make these regularly—it gives a richer color with less dough-thinning liquid than regular food coloring.
  • If you're short on time, you can skip the separate chilling and just refrigerate for 15 minutes before shaping, but the dough will be a bit stickier to handle.

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