Soft and Chewy Peppermint Sugar Cookies

Peppermint sugar cookies are the perfect addition to a Christmas cookie platter. They have a soft and chewy texture, with crunchy bits of candy canes. This recipe is so easy to make, and everyone loves them!

Peppermint sugar cookies piled on a green plate on a grey counter with candy canes on the side

Table of Contents

Imagine everything you love about sugar cookies, paired with crushed peppermint candy. The result? Christmas cookies with a crisp exterior, chewy center, and a delightful crunch of candy canes. They're festive, fun, and delicious, too!

In fact, the minty flavor makes peppermint sugar cookies the perfect sweet treat for the December holidays, and all the way to Valentine's Day!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Festive Flavors: The combination of classic sugar cookies with the added kick of peppermint creates a flavor profile that is a holiday delight.
Easy to Make: From the straightforward instructions to the basic ingredients, these cookies are accessible for bakers of all skill levels whether you're a seasoned pro or a beginning baker.
Eye-Catching Presentation: The sugar on the exterior of the cookies adds a touch of sparkle, making these cookies not only delicious but also perfect for festive gatherings, cookie exchanges, or as a homemade gift.

Candy Cane Sugar Cookies close together on a piece of white parchment paper

Want to add a few more minty Christmas treats to your dessert platter? Check out my recipes for White Peppermint Fudge and Mint Chocolate Cookies!

Ingredients

See ingredient substitutions in the next section. ⬇️

To make this peppermint sugar cookies recipe, you'll need:

all-purpose flour - I prefer to use unbleached flour, but bleached works too.
baking soda - If your baking soda is more than 5 months old, it's a good idea to run a test to be sure it's still active. There are directions on how to do this in the next section of this post.
salt
unsalted butter - The quality of the butter you use when baking cookies is important, and not just for better flavor. American butter has more water in it than European butter, and that water can cause the dough to spread too much. So, use the highest quality butter you can afford.
white granulated sugar
vanilla extract
large egg
crushed peppermint candy or candy canes - Take advantage of the before and after-holiday discounts on candy canes. As long as you keep them stored in a cool, dry place, they'll be fine for at least a year.

Small bowls of flour, crushed candy canes, white sugar, vanilla extract, and baking soda on a counter next to a stick of butter and a large egg.

Substitutions and Recipe Variations

All-Purpose Flour: If you'd like to make your peppermint Christmas cookies gluten free, substitute the AP flour with a cup-for-cup gluten free all purpose flour. Popular brands are Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur Flour.
Butter - This recipe calls for unsalted butter. If you only have salted on hand, go ahead and use it, but don't add any extra salt to the dough.
Egg - I haven't tried making this sugar cookie recipe with an egg substitute. If you want to do some recipe testing on your own, you can read my article on egg substitutes for baking.
White Sugar: To reduce the calories a little bit, feel free to use any cup-for-cup granulated sugar substitute. Monkfruit sugar is a good option.

📖 Time-Saving Tip - Testing Baking Soda or Baking Powder for Freshness

This simple little test can save you time and money, because if your leavener is expired, whatever you're baking wont rise in the oven! This test works for baking soda and baking powder:

Add about ½ teaspoon of baking soda or powder to a small bowl. Stir in an equal amount of an acidic ingredient, like vinegar or citrus juice.
If the solution doesn't start to bubble immediately, it's time to replace your leavener.

How to Make Peppermint Sugar Cookies

Summary only. The complete recipe instructions are in the card at the bottom of this post ⬇️

Peppermint Sugar Cookie dough in a silver mixing bowl on a grey background.

Make and chill the peppermint cookie dough.

Unbaked balls of dough on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Roll the dough in sugar and arrange on the baking sheet. The dough will spread a little bit, so leave 2 inches or so between each unbaked cookie.

Sugar cookies with crushed candy canes just out of the oven on a parchment lined baking sheet on a grey counter

Bake and cool. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes. After that, you can move them to a cooling rack.

A pile of peppermint sugar cookies on a green plate

Liz's Tips for the Best Sugar Cookies

Monitor the speed of your mixer! Use high speed when you cream the butter and sugar together, and medium speed when incorporating the egg. To incorporate the flour, salt, and baking soda, use low speed. This will help prevent overworking the dough, which can cause cookies to be tough and dry.
Be sure the dough is cold before you bake it. If the sugar cookie dough is too warm, the butter will be soft, causing the cookies to spread too much in the oven.
Let cookies cool completely before storing in an airtight container. To keep them soft and chewy, place a slice of bread in the container with them.

Peppermint sugar cookies piled on a green plate on a grey counter with candy canes and a baking sheet of cookies on the side

Storing and Freezing Peppermint Sugar Cookies

Storing: You can store your peppermint sugar cookies for up to 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Freezing: You can freeze baked peppermint cookies for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw completely before enjoying.

Freezing Cookie Dough: You can also freeze this sugar cookie dough. Scoop into balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet or use these cookie dough freezing trays. Freeze without rolling in sugar.

When you're ready to bake, thaw the dough for 20 minutes, roll in sugar and then bake.

Check out this post for How to Freeze Cookie Dough for tips on saving cookie dough for later.

Sugar Cookie Recipe FAQ

What can I add to my cookie dough to make it sweeter?

Peppermint sugar cookies are really tasty just as they are! But, for more flavor, you can add up to ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate, dark chocolate, or white chocolate chips to the dough.

A peppermint sugar cookie leaning against a stack of more candy cane cookies on a grey counter

Other Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes