News Taffy

By now the mistletoe has been hung, the packages all wrapped and you’re just sitting back and enjoying the season. Right? Well if not, I hope you are at least finding the bright, happy moments that are the reason for all the madness. In an uncharacteristic move, I am sharing the most wonderful cookie recipe that never made it to one of my cookie parties. I found this on Pinterest and I’m happy to say that it turned out well and not into one of those infamous Pinterest fails. If you are looking for a pretty dessert for a family dinner, this is it. Seasonal and festive looking, they are easy to make, even for someone like me who doesn’t like to bake cookies. Okay, I admit I did recruit my daughter to frost them but I was running out of time and needed to start dinner.

The cookies must be shaped into a ball and then flattened to a 1/2 inch thickness. I recommend flouring the surface very well where you roll and flatten them. I also recommend using a floured rolling pin to flatten them. Flattening them and transferring them to a cookie sheet is the hardest part. You can buy crushed peppermint candies locally at the Kountry Kupboard near the Parker Road Walmart.

Peppermint Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

2 1/2 cups cake flour, plus more for dusting work surface
2 tsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup all vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg white
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
Crushed candy canes, for topping

Stir together flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt in a large bowl, set aside. With a hand mixer. whip the butter, shortening and sugar until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add egg and mix until combined, then add egg white, vanilla and peppermint extract and mix until combined. With mixer running, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate dough 2 hours. Preheat oven to 375 during the last 10 minutes of refrigeration.

Scoop dough out about 3 Tbsp at a time and roll into a ball. Place dough ball on a lightly floured surface, sprinkle top lightly with flour, then using something flat and smooth or a rolling pin, flatten dough to 1/2" thick. Transfer flattened dough to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake 9 - 11 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Cool completely then ice with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

4 oz cream cheese, softened
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

With a hand mixer, whip together cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add peppermint extract and powdered sugar and mix until well combined. Note: I did not use the whole amount of powdered sugar.