I love to try one or two new Christmas cookies each year, and this was the first recipe I tried. They received double a thumbs-up from all four of my boys. I liked them too, although I found them to be a little on the sweet side. My boys would have eaten the entire batch in one sitting if I had let them.

I used milk instead of heavy cream for the icing, as I didn’t have any cream on hand. If you choose to use milk instead of cream, cut the amount called for in the recipe in half, and then work up from there if necessary. I also added 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract to the icing because I wanted the cookies to be a little more minty.

Merry Christmas!

Peppermint Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies
Recipe from Sarah Carey at MarthaStweart.com

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3-5 tablespoons heavy cream
12 round peppermint candies, crushed, for decorating

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat butter, granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract on medium-high until pale and fluffy, 3 minutes. Beat in egg, then flour mixture on low. Stir in chocolate chips.

Roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls (or use a small ice cream scoop for the dough) and place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets. Bake until edges are lightly golden, about 12 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to racks and let cool completely.

Stir together confectioners’ sugar and enough cream (or milk) to make a spreadable glaze (if you like a strong mint flavor, stir in up to 1/4 teaspoon extract). Spread a thin layer of glaze on top of each cookie and sprinkle with candies. Let dry completely on racks.

Yield: ~2 dozen cookies

One year ago: Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprints
Two years ago: Shrimp Toast
Three years ago: Chocolate Malted Whopper Drops