Peppermint shortbread cookies are a refreshing tasting buttery shortbread cookie with crushed peppermint candies in every bite. Dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with more candy cane bits, these are perfect holiday cookies.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.
Add in the vanilla extract and mix well.
Add in the flour and the crushed peppermint and mix again.
Press the dough into a log parchment paper and cover well with plastic wrap before placing in the fridge.
Chill for at least one hour.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Slice the dough into ¼ inch slices. Please note that larger candy chunks will make the cuts look wonky. You can adjust this by hand to make them look neater.
Arrange on baking sheet leaving a decent sized gap between the cookies.
Bake for 10-12 minutes and place onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Melt your chocolate in a bowl in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring well between each until smooth.
Dip half of each cookie into the white chocolate and place back onto a piece of parchment paper to cool and set.
Sprinkle some additional crushed peppermint over the top of the chocolate if desired.
Notes
Recipe Tips:
For enhanced flavor and reduced chewiness, grind peppermint candies in a blender or food processor. Sweet Stripes are preferable to candy canes for less melting. You'll need about 16-18 of them.
Prepare and chill the dough in the fridge up to 3 days ahead to firm up soft butter. Chilled dough maintains its shape better during baking.
Storage:
Unlike regular shortbread, freezing peppermint shortbread cookies is not recommended as the candies become gooey when thawed.
Store your cooled peppermint shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Consume sooner for fresher peppermint candies.