Cookies make for a wonderful holiday treat. Especially when they are festive and cute. These Peppermint Thumbprint Shortbread Cookies are an amazing option to make for the holidays this year.
When it comes to decorating your holiday table, sometimes all you need are festive looking desserts. These cookies are the perfect way to brighten up your table and bring a smile to people’s faces. Peppermint Thumbprint Shortbread Cookies add an element of whimsy to your holiday desserts. Boasting delicious flavors and festive seasonal colors, you are sure to impress when you whip up a batch of these.
In fact, these look great wrapped in cellophane and tied up with a nice bow. They serve as wonderful teacher’s gifts or presents for neighbors. They are also great to bring to a potluck, get together or class party. No matter what you choose to make them for, you will find that people gobble them up and want more.
How to Make Peppermint Thumbprint Shortbread Cookies
This recipe is generally easy to make, taking only a little time and a few simple ingredients. You may want to double the recipe though, because these go quickly.
- Prepare to make these cookies by ensuring that you have softened your unsalted butter. You want to make sure that it is easy to cream together with the sugar. Remember, softened does not mean melted. Simply leaving it at room temperature on the counter for a few hours should do the trick.
- Make sure that you unwrap your Hersey’s Candy Cane Kisses before getting started. You will need approximately 20 of them, so unwrapping them will take some time.
- This recipe calls for ¼ of a teaspoon of almond extract but if you want your cookies to taste more like peppermint you can substitute this with peppermint extract instead.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with either a silicone mat or a piece of parchment paper. This makes for easier clean up and prevents the cookies from sticking.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar. This step usually only takes about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add in your egg yolks, vanilla and almond or peppermint extract. Mix until these ingredients become well combined.
- Add in your flour and salt and mix on low speed until the ingredients are all very well combined.
- You are going to want to refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes to ensure that it sets.
- Use a small or medium cookie scoop or roll the dough out by hand. You will want the balls to be about a tablespoon in size. Place the cookies on the sheet about 2 inches apart and bake for 12-14 minutes.
- Remove your cookies from the oven and immediately press an unwrapped Hersey’s Kiss into the center of each one.
- Transfer your cookies to a wire rack to cool fully.
What Else Should I Know About Peppermint Thumbprint Shortbread Cookies?
These cookies taste more like shortbread than sugar cookies. Many thumbprint cookies are actually sugar cookies, but this recipe makes them more festive. It is also important to note that the cookies will sometimes crack, so do not be too worried if they crack a little when you add the kisses.
Peppermint Thumbprint Shortbread Cookie Recipe
Peppermint Kiss Thumbprint Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter softened
- ½ Cup White Sugar
- 2 Egg Yolks from large eggs
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- ¼ Teaspoon Almond Extract can also substitute with peppermint extract if you’d like the cookies to taste like peppermint
- 2 ½ Cups All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
- 20 Unwrapped Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses may need more candies if there are more than 20 cookies
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 to 3 minutes).
- Add the egg yolks, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix until combined.
- Next add the flour and salt. Continue to mix on low speed until all the ingredients are just combined. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.
- Use a small to medium cookie scoop, or roll the dough to about a tablespoon in size, and place on the cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven, and immediately press a Hershey’s Kiss in the center of each cookie.
- Transfer cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
*Cookies will sometimes crack, so don’t be alarmed if they crack a bit when added the kisses.
*Try to make the cookies uniform in size, to ensure even cooking.
Nutrition
More Christmas Cookies to Consider
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