These delicate, tender, peppermint-infused butter cookie sandwiches are filled with a delicious peppermint buttercream and coated with crushed peppermint candies. They have just the right amount of mint flavor and are an absolute treat during the holidays!
I’ve been seeing so many gorgeous slice and bake cookies this year all over Pinterest an social media. They are easy to make and simple to decorate, so it is no wonder why these cookies have stood the test of time. This butter cookies recipe can also be made as frosted standalone cookies if you prefer not to sandwich your cookies. Sprinkle with peppermint for decoration!
I used my perfect butter cookie recipe for these cookies, but infused them with peppermint and natural food dye. I used beet root powder to achieve the gorgeous pink/red peppermint hue, but any red food coloring would work. You could also omit the food coloring altogether if you prefer a simpler cookie sandwich.
How to do a peppermint candy design on slice-and-bake cookies (with photos)
You’ll create two equal-sized dough logs for these cookies. One log will be plain colored and the other will be red. After chilling and the dough is cold enough, use a sharp knife to slice the log in half lengthwise to give you two long half-logs. If the dough is too crumbly and breaks, leave it for a few minutes to soften.
Cut the half-logs lengthwise into thirds by making two cuts: the first cut at a 60 degree angle and the second cut at a 120 degree angle. Essentially, cut a V shape lengthwise into the half-log. Repeat with your second dough log.
You should have 6 equal-sized triangle-shaped long dough slices of each color.
Create two new dough logs by alternating 3 red and 3 white pieces for each log.
Gently squeeze the pieces together and lightly re-roll the log so it is smooth and tight. You may find it easier to do this using plastic wrap around the new dough log so it stays together while you re-roll the log and squish it together.
Then begin to slice each log into ¼-inch thick coin-shaped rounds. If you roll the log a quarter turn every time you cut, it keeps the log nice and round. If the dough feels too soft while cutting, wrap it with plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
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Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
This frosting is SO DELICIOUS and EASY with only 4 ingredients: unsalted butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream or milk, and peppermint extract. It is thick and smooth, spreads well, then hardens perfectly after about 5-10 minutes. Roll in peppermint candies right after creating the sandwich so the frosting doesn’t harden before the candies can stick. Here’s how to make the frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until soft and light, about 2 minutes on medium speed. Add powdered sugar and beat until well combined, about 2 more minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add heavy cream or milk and peppermint extract and beat for another minute.
- Using a pastry bag, pipe 1-2 teaspoons of frosting onto the centers of half the cookies. Alternatively, you can use a spoon or butter knife to dollop the frosting on as well. Sandwich the frosting down by placing the unfrosted half of the cookies on top of the frosting until it oozes to the sides perfectly. Roll the frosted edges in crushed peppermint candies.
Tips for making perfect peppermint butter cookie sandwiches
- Don’t overmix the dough. Overmixing the dough can make the cookies tougher and more dense. After creaming the butter and sugar, simply mix the ingredients just until they come together. Creating two separate dough batches will help!
- If the cookie dough seems a bit dry after adding the flour, add 1-2 teaspoons of cold water to bring it together. To check if the dough is the right consistency, press a piece of dough between your thumb and forefinger– the dough should stick together without feeling dry.
- You can refrigerate the cookie dough for up to 3 days before baking or freeze for up to a month if you don’t want to bake the cookies right away.
- Roll the cookie sandwiches in peppermint right away or the frosting may harden too quickly and the candies won’t adhere properly.
More delicious cookie sandwiches
- Alfajores: Delicate, soft cookie sandwich with dulce de leche filling.
- Vanilla Spiced Cookie Sandwiches: Similar to alfajores, but with milk chocolate.
- Chocolate Sandwich Cookies: Soft chocolate cookies filled with a smooth chocolate ganache.
- Hazelnut Nutella Sandwich Cookies: Melt-in-your mouth hazelnut cookies joined together with Nutella.
Peppermint Butter Cookie Sandwiches
These delicate, tender peppermint butter cookies are filled with a delicious peppermint buttercream and coated with crushed peppermint candies. Not to mention how gorgeous they are, too!
Ingredients
Peppermint Butter Cookies
- 1 ¾ stick (200g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (115g) powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg (50ml), whisked
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (300g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon red food coloring or ½ Tablespoon of beet powder for natural red color (in half the cookie dough)
Peppermint Buttercream Filling
- 1 stick (8 Tablespoons, 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- ⅓ cup crushed peppermint candies, for rolling
Instructions
Peppermint Butter Cookies
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*Make two half-batches of peppermint butter cookie dough: One half batch without red food coloring and one with red food coloring to yield one plain dough log and one red dough log.
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First Half-Batch: In a mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat half the butter, half the powdered sugar, and half the salt on medium speed for 2 minutes until creamy. Add ½ egg, half tsp vanilla extract and 1 tsp peppermint and beat for about 30 seconds until combined. Add flour and beat on low speed just until combined. Do not over mix the dough. If dough is too dry, add water, 1-2 teaspoons at a time. To check if the dough is done, take a piece of dough and press it between your thumbs – the dough should stick well together without feeling dry.
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On a lightly floured surface, work the dough until it comes together. Shape into a log that is 1.5 inches in diameter. Wrap log in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze for at least 1-2 hours until firm. Dough can be left in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 2 months.
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Repeat step 2 and 3 with the second half-batch, adding red food coloring to the wet ingredients or red beet powder (for natural dye) to the flour before adding.
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Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line 2 pans with parchment paper.
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Once the dough is cold enough, use a sharp knife to slice the log in half lengthwise to give you two long half-logs. If the dough is too crumbly and breaks, leave it for a few minutes to soften. Cut the half-logs lengthwise into thirds by cutting at a 60 degree angle and a 120 degree angle. Essentially, cut a V shape into the half-log. Repeat with your second dough log. You should have 6 equal-sized triangle-shaped long dough slices of each color. **
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Create two new dough logs by alternating 3 red and 3 white pieces for each log. Gently squeeze the pieces together and lightly re-roll the log so it is smooth.
Then begin to slice each log into ¼-inch thick coin-shaped rounds. If you roll the log a quarter turn every time you cut, it keeps the log nice and round. If the dough feels too soft while cutting, wrap it with plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
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Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets, placing them 1-2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until slightly golden brown around the edges. When done, the cookies should appear soft and bright. Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until soft and light, about 2 minutes on medium speed. Add powdered sugar and beat until well combined, about 2 more minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add heavy cream or milk and peppermint extract and beat for another minute.
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Using a pastry bag, pipe 1-2 teaspoons of frosting onto the centers of half the cookies. Sandwich the frosting down by placing the unfrosted half of the cookies on top of the frosting until it oozes to the sides perfectly. Roll the frosted edges in crushed peppermint candies.
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Store cookie sandwiches at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, bringing to room temperature before serving. Cookies can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
Recipe Notes
*I find it is easier to mix the dye perfectly with the wet ingredients so that’s why I divide the cookie dough ingredients into two separate batches. You can divide the dough after mixing and color half of it, but the results will not be as perfect. The overmixed dough will be harder and yield a texture that is not quite as tender.
**See photos on how to do this at prettysimplesweet.com
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