Description
These Peppermint Cheesecake Cookies combine the creamy richness of cream cheese with refreshing peppermint and festive white chocolate chips, making them a perfect holiday treat. Soft, flavorful, and easy to bake, they’re sure to delight your taste buds and add joy to any celebration.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Add-ins
- ½ cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes
- ½ cup white chocolate chips (optional)
For Finishing
- Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the cookies from sticking and ensure even baking.
- Beat Butter and Cream Cheese: In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese until the mixture is smooth and creamy, creating the perfect base for your cookies.
- Add Sugar and Eggs: Incorporate the granulated sugar and beat the mixture until it becomes light and fluffy. Then, mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until everything is well combined, giving the dough its characteristic flavor and texture.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agent and salt within the flour.
- Mix Dry Into Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix just until combined to prevent overworking the dough, which could make the cookies tough.
- Add Peppermint and White Chocolate: Gently fold in the crushed peppermint candies and white chocolate chips if using, to distribute them evenly throughout the dough.
- Scoop Dough onto Baking Sheet: Using a tablespoon, scoop portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing each about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are just set and the centers remain soft, giving the cookies their characteristic chewy texture.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, which helps them set properly without breaking.
- Optional Finishing Touch: Dust the cooled cookies with powdered sugar or add a festive drizzle of melted white chocolate or a chocolate dip sprinkled with more crushed peppermint for an extra holiday flair.
Notes
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- For a festive twist, drizzle with melted white chocolate or dip half the cookie in chocolate and sprinkle with more crushed peppermint candies.
