Peppermint Bark Shortbread Cookies are buttery and melt in your mouth cookies perfect for the holiday season. It's easy to make gets ready in minutes and is beyond delicious. These are seriously so good that they get over within minutes so you might want to make a big batch of these. The lower layer is of cocoa and butter while the top layer which I call the "white layer" is devoid of cocoa. It's just a simple butter ad sugar cookie. These are topped with a vanilla glaze and broken Peppermint candy cane on top. It looks exactly like a store-bought candy cane, in the shape of flowers, with two gorgeous Brown and White layers to them!
Hey friends! So, today I'm back with another delicious Holiday cookies recipe. This beautiful season inspires me every day to create unique and delicious Cookies because what are holidays without cookies. So, today I made these Peppermint Bark Shortbread cookies. Obviously, my inspiration for these was Peppermint Bark Candy. However, this one is even delicious because these are buttery shortbread cookies.
In my family, we love shortbread cookies. Have you tried my Christmas Bells Shortbread cookies or White Chocolate Peppermint Shortbread cookies or Savory Cheddar Rosemary Shortbread Cookies or Chocolate Shortbread Christmas Tree Cookies or Apple Fennel Shortbread Cookies yet! These are all delicious holiday favorite cookies that you can make for your friends and family and enjoy together.
There is something so calming about baking for the holidays right! Especially if you're lucky enough to have the whole family by your side. And shortbread cookies never go out of style!
Ingredients used to make Peppermint Bark Shortbread Cookies
- 2 cups AP Flour - I have used 2 cups of AP Flour to make these cookies because these will have two layers.
- 2 Cups of Unsalted Butter - Shortbread cookies without Butter is just not possible
- 1/4 cup Dutch Processed Cocoa - Cocoa is required for the dark chocolate cookies
- Salt - Just a pinch of salt is required to make the cookie dough
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch - 1/2 teaspoon of Cornstarch is used in both the cookie dough. Cornstarch helps the cookies retain their shape and also makes these chewy.
- 2 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar - Granulated sugar is required in both the cookies and also to make the final glaze.
- Vanilla - Vanilla is required to flavor the chocolate cookie and the glaze
- Peppermint - 1 teaspoon of Peppermint Extract for the white cookie dough
- Milk - Milk is only required to make the glaze. Since these are shortbread cookies so there is no use for milk in the cookie dough
- Peppermint Candy - Peppermint candies are broken and decorated on top of the cookies.
How to make Peppermint Bark Shortbread Cookies
First, you begin by making the shortbread cookie dough. So the first dough will be that of Cocoa. So, you combine Flour with Cocoa, Salt, and Butter until it gets coarse and mealy. Next add the vanilla, granulated sugar, and cornstarch and bring everything together to make the cookie dough. If your cookie dough is too crumbly add few teaspoons of ice-cold water, just one spoon at a time to make the cookie dough.
Similarly, in a separate bowl, combine flour with salt, butter, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until crumbly. Add the Peppermint extract and few drops of Ice cold water to make the cookie dough.
Cover and refrigerate both the cookie dough for 50 minutes or freeze for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, you can preheat the oven to 350F or 180C.
Now roll both the cookie dough on a lightly floured surface. Do not roll it too thin.
Cut out the cookies using any cookie cutter you have. Since I had this flower-shaped cookie cutter so I have used it. Cut out both the dough and place one on top of the other, the chocolate side should be facing down.
Place these cookies carefully in a cookie baking dish and freeze for 10 minutes before you bake them. Freezing the cookies before baking makes them extra crunchy and buttery and they will never spread in the oven! Finally, bake these for 10 minutes, and once baked allow them to cool down in the same pan for 5 minutes.
Once the cookies have cooled to touch, make a vanilla glaze by combining Granulated sugar with vanilla extract and a few splashes of milk. Once it's thick, spread it over the white part of the cookies. Top with some broken Peppermint candy cane and refrigerate until you serve. You can even keep thee on the counter and allow the vanilla glaze to dry out and then serve it.
These Peppermint Bark Shortbread Cookies are seriously the easiest ever cookies and if you love Peppermint Bark candy you are surely going to love these cookies.
I hope you love these cookies and shall make them. If you happen to make these cookies, then comment below and rate this recipe. Also, tag me with #recipemagik on Instagram.
Peppermint Bark Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups AP Flour divided
- ¼ cup Dark Cocoa Powder
- 2 Tbsp Cornstarch divided
- 2 sticks Butter divided
- 2 pinch Salt divided
- 1 cup Granulated sugar divided
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract
for the glaze
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoon Milk more of required
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Broken Peppermint Candy Canes
Instructions
- Make the cocoa cookie dough. For that combine 1 cup of AP Flour with the cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, and 1 stick of softened butter. Add a pinch of salt, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of Vanilla extract. Mix everything to make a dough. If the dough is too dry and not coming together, add a few teaspoon of ice-cold water and combine everything with your hands to make a dough. Cover and freeze the dough for 20 min or refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Now it's time to make similar cookie dough but without the cocoa. So for this take 1 cup of flour, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, a pinch of salt, and 1 stick of softened butter in a separate bowl. Add 1/2 cup of Granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of Peppermint extract. Make a dough by adding a few teaspoon of ice-cold water. Cover and freeze the dough for 20 min or refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Roll both the cookie dough on a lightly floured surface. Do not roll it too thin.
- Use a cookie cutter to cut out the cookies and place one on top of the other. The cocoa side should be at the bottom. Place the cookie carefully on to your cookie baking dish. Freeze the cookies for 5-10 more minutes and then pop them in the oven to get baked for 10 minutes. After the cookies get baked, allow them to stay in the same pan for 5 minutes at room temperature so that they harden a little.
- For the glaze combine granulated sugar with vanilla and a splash of milk in a bowl. Once it gets thick, drizzle it lightly over the baked cookies. Top with some broken Peppermint candy canes. Allow the cookies to sit on the counter for 5 minutes so that the glaze hardens and then serve.
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