Add these Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies with their festive Candy Cane filling and cute White Chocolate drizzle to your Christmas cookie rotation … they’re such a delicious holiday treat!
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It’s cookie season, and I’m going all in!
I look forward to eating my fave Christmas cookies all year long. Some cookies are cherished family recipes and others are new additions, but they’ve each earned a place in my heart.
These Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies are a new favorite, and they’re pretty much perfect … cute, festive , and of course, super delicious!
You are going to love the wonderful peppermint flavor in these petite cookies. It’s impossible to stop at just one, so I don’t recommend you even try … treat yourself!
Keep reading for the recipe and lots of easy tips.
Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
Before we get to the recipe, let’s talk about these scrumptious Peppermint Cookies!
I was actually inspired to create these Christmas cookies by a recipe I found in my mom’s cookbook. She collected all of our favorite family recipes in there, as well as others recipe she had tried (or wanted to try).
While that original recipe was good, it needed a few tweaks. So I made the dough a little richer and less crumbly, added more peppermint flavor, and finished the cookies with a delicious white chocolate drizzle.
The resulting cookies are cute little bites of peppermint perfection, and I LOVE them! Give them a try this holiday season… I think they’ll become a favorite for your family, too.
Peppermint Cookies Ingredients
So, what goes in these Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies? The ingredients are actually pretty basic … here’s what you’ll need:
- Filling: Crushed Candy Canes (or Other Peppermint Candy), Cream Cheese, Powdered Sugar, and Milk
- Dough: Unsalted Butter, Powdered Sugar, Egg Yolks, Peppermint Extract, Flour, and Salt (I recommend Kosher Salt.)
- Topping: White Chocolate Chips and Peppermint Extract
Because the ingredients are so simple, make sure to the best quality products. It can sometimes be hard to find peppermint extract at this time of year, so buy it as soon as you spot it or purchase it online. And make sure to use pure peppermint extract, not imitation extract or peppermint flavor products.
Choose a good quality chocolate chip, too. Most grocery stores carry Ghirardelli chips, which are my fave. Feel free to substitute a chocolate bar instead of chips, if you prefer.
You’ll also Need
To make these cookies, you’ll also want to gather:
- Baking Sheets – I like to use two sheets … that way I can prepare one batch of cookies, then work on the next batch while the first is baking.
- Stand Mixer – Makes preparing these cookies quick and easy, although a hand mixer will work, too.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Piping Bag – You’ll use a piping bag or decorating bulb (my fave kitchen gadget!) with a small round tip for creating the chocolate drizzle. A zip top bag with the corner snipped off also works in a pinch.
- Parchment Paper – Comes in super handy for decorating the cookies (no cleanup), but it’s optional.
How to Make Peppermint Cookies
These cookies have a few different components, but they’re really easy to make.
Making the Filling
You’ll start by preparing the peppermint filling. Simply mix together a little cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk. Once that’s combined, stir in the crushed peppermint candy.
I used candy canes, but any other peppermint candy would work, too.
Set this mixture aside while you work on the dough.
Preparing the Dough
The dough comes together quick, especially with a stand mixer (although a hand mixer works, too). You’ll start by creaming together the butter and powdered sugar until well combined.
Next, you’ll going to add three egg yolks (save the whites for another use) and the peppermint extract.
After that’s combined, add the flour and salt. There’s a lot of flour, so start your mixer on low. Once, the flour is starting to get incorporated, turn up the speed and continue mixing just until the dough comes together.
To form the cookies, scoop out a generous teaspoon of dough. Roll it into a ball, then place the ball on an ungreased baking sheet. Press your thumb into the dough to make an indentation.
Tip: this process moves really quick if you do it assembly line style. So start by scooping out all the dough, then roll the dough into balls, and finally, make the thumbprints.
Filling and Baking the Cookies
Next, add about a 1/4 teaspoon of filling to each indentation. You can be a somewhat generous with the filling, but don’t go overboard, or you will run out before you fill all the cookies.
The filling is sticky, so I find this process works best using a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon, plus another small spoon or spatula. That way you can measure the filling, then scrape it out with the other utensil into the cookie.
Once the cookies are filled, bake them for about 10 to 12 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when the filling starts to bubble up a bit. The tops of the cookies shouldn’t be change color, but the bottoms should be lightly browned.
Let the cookies cool for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Decorating the Cookies
Time to decorate your cookies! This part is fun and easy.
Start by placing the white chocolate chips in a small bowl. Microwave the chips for 10 seconds, then stir really well. Continue microwaving in 10 second intervals (stirring very well in between) until the chips are melted. It should only take about 30 seconds total.
Avoid overheating the white chocolate or it will seize up, and you’ll have to start over with new chocolate!
Stir in the peppermint extract, then transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag with a small tip (or a zip top bag with the corner snipped off). I actually prefer to use a decorating bulb instead of a piping bag … it’s much easier to handle!
Drizzle the chocolate back and forth over the cookies. Don’t strive for perfection here … move quickly for the best results. Let the chocolate set, and then your Peppermint Thumbprints are ready to eat!
Tip: if you place the cookies on a piece of parchment paper before drizzling them, then you can just throw out the paper when you’re done (no cleanup).
How to Store Peppermint Cookies
Your cookies should keep for about a week if stored in an airtight container. I use a round pie keeper to store cookies, and it works perfectly.
The cookies may also be frozen (again, I use that pie keeper). Defrost the cookies at room temp before serving, or enjoy them right from the freezer if you just can’t wait!
Loved these Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies?
If you enjoyed this recipe, then you’ll love my other Christmas cookies and treats, too!
- White Chocolate Peppermint Bark
- Honey Cookies
- Black Bottoms (Mini Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cupcakes)
- Poppy Seed Kiss Cookies
- Pecan Finger Cookies … my all time fave!
- Curry Shortbread Cookies
- White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
- Chewy Ginger Spice Cookies
- Salted Caramel Pretzel Cookies
Looking for even more Christmas cookie recipes? Then you’re in luck, because I’m joining Erin from The Speckled Palate for the Sweetest Season Cookie Exchange! If you’re looking for creative cookie recipes, then you’ll love this awesome virtual cookbook with hundreds of delicious cookie recipes from some of my fave food bloggers.
Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
For Filling:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temp
- 2 teaspoons milk
- 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy (about 10
candy canes )
For Dough:
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temp
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 3 3/4 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
For Topping:
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare Filling:
- Mix powdered sugar, cream cheese, and milk until smooth. Stir in peppermint candy, then set aside.
Prepare Dough:
- Cream together butter and powdered sugar until well mixed using a stand mixer. Mix in egg yolks and extract.
- Add flour and salt to butter mixture. Mix on low speed until flour is mostly incorporated, then turn up speed for a few seconds until dough comes together.
- Scoop out generous teaspoon of dough. Roll dough into a ball and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Press thumb into dough to make indentation.
- Repeat process with remaining dough, placing cookies 1-inch apart on baking sheet.
- Fill indentation with 1/4 teaspoon candy cane filling.
- Bake cookies for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until filling puffs up slightly and cookie bottoms are light brown.
- Cool cookies for a couple minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Topping Cookies:
- Microwave chocolate chips in a small bowl at 10 second intervals, stirring very well between each interval, until melted.
- Stir in peppermint extract, then transfer chocolate to a piping bag with a small round tip. Drizzle chocolate over cookies.
- Let chocolate harden before serving cookies. Enjoy!
Notes
- I used candy canes for the cookie filling, but any kind of peppermint candy will work.
- You should be able to fit 24 cookies on one average-size baking sheet (4 rows of 6 cookies). Bake the cookies in batches, one cookie sheet at a time.
- White chocolate melts quickly. Do not overheat it, or it will seize up! To avoid problems, make sure to microwave the chocolate in short, 10-second intervals. And keep in mind that there should still be some chocolate chips visible after microwaving ... they will continue to melt as you stir the chocolate.
- Instead of a piping bag, you may use a decorating bulb (my fave decorating tool!) or a zip top plastic bag with the corner snipped off.
- Cookies will last about a week if stored in an airtight container.
- Leftover cookies can also be frozen. Thaw at room temperature before serving, or enjoy frozen, if you can't wait!
Nutrition
What is your favorite kind of Christmas cookie?