Nike's Journal

Oh, the weather outside is frightful~♪ It really is snowing pretty heavily right now. Thankfully I don't have to be into work early tomorrow. In the meantime, here's the recipe for Peppermint Meltaway Cookies:

For the cookies, you will need:
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 cups of butter you've let sit on the counter until soft
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 ¼ cups flour
½ cup cornstarch

Combine the powdered sugar, butter, and peppermint extract into a large bowl you don't mind using an electric mixer in. Beat at medium speed until creamy (about 1-2 minutes). Reduce speed to low and add the flour and cornstarch. Beat until well mixed (again, about 1-2 minutes). You might want to wear an apron while using the beater; the powdery ingredients like coating everything white. Once it's all mixed, cover the bowl so it doesn't absorb any nasty smells from your fridge. Let the bowl sit in your fridge for about 30-60 minutes. By that time it'll be firm (and bored).
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls. Please be aware that the size of your balls will affect cooking time. You might want to experiment with your balls a little. Place your balls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets (no lube here, folks! The butter's good enough). Bake about 12-15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. I'm at a high altitude, so you might want to keep a close eye on your first batch. Let stand 1 minute and then remove from the cookies sheets. Cool completely.

For the glaze, you will need:
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons butter (best if it's melted)
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
1-2 Tablespoons milk
2-3 drops red food coloring
Hard peppermint candy - crushed (old candy canes work great for this; just make sure they're peppermint, and don't get too carries away with the hammer)

In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, butter, peppermint extract, and enough milk for desired glazing consistency (adding more milk makes it go further, but you don't want to end up with extra glaze... well, normally you don't). Stir in the food coloring you accidentally added too much of (as long as the end result is pink, it's all good). Drizzle or spoon over cooled cookies, then immediately sprinkle with the crushed candy. Voila! Soft cookies with a sweet, crunchy topping. Enjoy!

( Also, because it's funny. )