There’s something truly magical about baking during the holidays, isn’t there? For me, it’s not just about the delicious treats, but the memories we create. Every year, my kitchen fills with laughter and the sweet scent of these Peppermint Swirl Sugar Cookies. They’ve become a beloved tradition, a little edible piece of festive cheer that everyone looks forward to.
Why You’ll Love This Peppermint Swirl Sugar Cookies
- These cookies are so much fun to make, especially with a little help!
- They have that perfect balance of soft chewiness and a delightful peppermint kick.
- The swirl design is absolutely gorgeous and makes them perfect for holiday gifting.
- You can easily adjust the peppermint flavor to your liking, making them truly yours.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Unsalted Butter: Make sure it’s at room temperature! This helps it cream beautifully with the sugar for a light, fluffy dough.
- Granulated Sugar: Not just for sweetness, it also helps with the texture.
- Large Egg + Large Egg Yolk: The extra yolk adds richness and helps keep the cookies soft and chewy.
- Peppermint or Almond Extract: This is where the holiday magic happens! Peppermint is classic, but almond gives a lovely, subtle flavor.
- Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Bean Paste: Always a good idea for depth of flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our cookie.
- Cornstarch: My secret ingredient for extra tender cookies! It helps prevent them from becoming too tough.
- Fine Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors.
- Baking Soda: Gives a little lift and contributes to that soft texture.
- Red Gel Food Coloring: Gel coloring is best for vibrant color without adding too much liquid to the dough.
- Granulated Sugar or White Sanding Sugar (for coating): This adds a beautiful sparkle and a lovely crisp texture to the outside.
How to Make Peppermint Swirl Sugar Cookies Step by Step
First things first, let’s get our oven ready! Preheat it to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Trust me, parchment paper is your best friend here – it helps prevent spreading and makes cleanup a breeze. While that’s warming up, we’ll start on the dough.
In a big bowl, cream together your room temperature butter and granulated sugar until it’s light and fluffy. This is where the magic starts! Then, we’ll beat in the egg, egg yolk, and both extracts. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is perfectly combined. After that, gently mix in your dry ingredients – the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda – until just combined. You don’t want to overmix here!
Now for the fun part: dividing and coloring the dough! Split your dough into two equal portions. Leave one plain, and color the other with red gel food coloring. This is where you might need to get your hands a little messy, but it’s totally worth it for those vibrant swirls. Once your dough is colored, you’ll scoop out tiny teaspoon-sized balls of each color. Then, you’ll arrange six of these little balls, alternating colors, into a small circle. Gently press them together, cup your hand to round the edges, and then softly push the colors in one direction to create that beautiful swirl. If you want a little extra sparkle, roll them in some sugar!
My Top Tips for Success
- I always make sure my butter is truly at room temperature. It makes a huge difference in the dough’s texture.
- In my experience, chilling the shaped cookies for at least 30 minutes is crucial to prevent them from spreading too much. Don’t skip this step!
- Trust me on this one: use parchment paper! It really helps the cookies keep their shape and makes them easy to remove.
- When swirling, don’t overdo it. A gentle push is all you need to create that lovely marbled effect.
- Bake only 6 cookies at a time per tray. This gives them enough space and helps them bake evenly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overmixing the dough: This can lead to tough cookies. Mix until just combined, then stop.
- Not chilling the dough: If you skip chilling, your beautiful swirls might spread too much and lose their definition.
- Using liquid food coloring: Liquid coloring can change the consistency of your dough. Always opt for gel food coloring for vibrant colors without adding excess moisture.
- Baking too many cookies on one tray: Crowding the baking sheet can lead to uneven baking and cookies that spread into each other.
How to Store Peppermint Swirl Sugar Cookies
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use almond extract instead of peppermint?
Absolutely! The recipe offers both options. Using almond extract will give your cookies a lovely, subtle almond flavor instead of peppermint, which is delicious for a different twist.
Why is cornstarch used in this recipe?
Cornstarch is a fantastic ingredient for cookies! It helps to create a softer, more tender crumb and prevents the cookies from becoming too tough or cake-like. It’s my secret for that perfect chewy texture.
How do I prevent the red color from bleeding into the white?
The key is to use gel food coloring, which is concentrated and won’t add extra liquid. Also, try not to over-mix the dough once the colors are combined during the swirling process. Gentle handling is best.
Can I freeze the cookie dough?
Yes, you can! Once you’ve shaped and swirled the cookies, you can freeze them on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe bag. Bake from frozen, adding a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
My cookies spread too much. What went wrong?
The most common reasons for spreading are butter that’s too warm, not chilling the dough enough, or an oven that isn’t at the correct temperature. Make sure your butter is room temperature, not melted, and always chill your shaped cookies!
I hope these Peppermint Swirl Sugar Cookies bring as much joy and festive cheer to your kitchen as they do to mine. They’re truly a special treat that’s as fun to make as they are to eat. If you try them, please let me know how they turn out!
PrintPeppermint Swirl Sugar Cookies
Festive and fun, these soft, chewy sugar cookies with a delightful peppermint swirl are perfect for holiday baking.
- Prep Time: 40
- Cook Time: 13
- Total Time: 90
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar 350g
- 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk 80g
- 1 1/2 tsp peppermint or almond extract – optional 8g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 5g
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour 325g
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch 8g
- 1 tsp fine salt 6g
- 1/2 tsp baking soda 3g
- Red gel food coloring
- 1 cup granulated sugar or white sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter and granulated sugar together at medium-high speed for a couple of minutes.
- Beat until the mixture looks light and fluffy.
- Add the large egg + large egg yolk, peppermint or almond extract (if using), and vanilla extract.
- Beat at a medium-high speed until combined.
- Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- Add the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, fine salt, and baking soda to the bowl.
- Mix on a low speed until mostly combined.
- Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Increase the speed to medium and beat for a few more seconds to ensure all ingredients are fully combined.
- Split the dough into 2 equal portions (about 490g per bowl).
- Move one portion to a separate large bowl.
- Color one portion red with gel food coloring.
- Mix the red dough with a spatula, then knead with your hands until evenly colored. Wear gloves if desired.
- Use a teaspoon to scoop out teaspoon-sized portions of each color dough.
- Roll each portion into a small ball and set aside.
- Take three portions of each color (six small balls total) and place them in a small circle, alternating colors (red, white, red, white, etc.).
- Use your fingers to press the different colors together to close the gap in the middle.
- Cup your hand to round out the edges of the cookie.
- Gently use your forefinger to push the stripes of color in the same direction to give them a slightly swirled look.
- Repeat this process with the remaining dough portions until all dough is used.
- If desired, pour 1 cup of granulated or sanding sugar into a small bowl.
- Toss each shaped cookie dough ball in the sugar until it's fully coated.
- Chill the shaped cookies in the fridge for 30 minutes, or in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Place the chilled cookies a few inches apart on the prepared baking sheets (about 6 cookies per tray).
- Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack of your oven for 11-13 minutes.
- Bake until the edges look set but haven't started browning yet.
- Remove the tray from the oven.
- Let the cookies cool on the tray for 15 minutes.
- Move the cooled cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Notes
Ensure butter is at room temperature for a smooth, fluffy dough.
Chill the shaped cookies thoroughly; this prevents spreading and maintains the swirl.
Use gel food coloring for vibrant color without altering dough consistency.
Don’t overmix the dough after adding flour to keep cookies tender.
