Desserts
Cream Cheese-Stuffed Peppermint Sugar Cookies
These whimsical peppermint beauties have surprise cream cheese centers that are sure to make them the fan favorite at your next cookie swap.
Ingredients
Five-Minute Morning Prep
Measure and combine flour, baking powder, and salt; cover with plastic wrap, and reserve for later. Place peppermint candies in a resealable plastic bag, and crush using a rolling pin or meat mallet.
Test Kitchen Tip
If your peppermint isn’t sticking as much as you’d like, spritz dough balls with a bit of water before rolling in crushed candy.
Instructions
Beat butter and ¾ cup sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Turn mixer off, and add one-third of egg. Beat at medium speed until combined, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Repeat procedure twice with remaining egg, stopping to scrape sides of bowl as needed. Beat in peppermint extract; scrape sides of bowl.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture all at once, and beat at low speed just until combined, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
Stir together cream cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Cover dough and cream cheese mixture with plastic wrap, and freeze for 25 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Using level tablespoonfuls, portion dough and shape into 2-inch disks. Place 1½ teaspoons cream cheese mixture in center of half of disks; cover with remaining disks, and crimp edges closed. Gently shape into balls, and roll in crushed peppermint candies. Place 2½ inches apart on prepared pans. Gently flatten balls to a ¾-inch thickness, pressing together any cracks in edges, if necessary.
Bake until edges are set and bottoms are golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from oven, and carefully press ¼ teaspoon crushed peppermint candies into the top of each cookie, if desired. Let cool on pans for 3 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on a wire rack.