Crispy Peppermint Spritz Cookies

I didn’t grow up eating spritz cookies at Christmas, but the first time I tried one at a neighbor’s cookie exchange, I was hooked. There’s something about that buttery crunch and the way they practically melt in your mouth that makes them feel special.

These peppermint spritz cookies take the classic recipe and add a minty twist with peppermint extract and a sweet glaze made from crushed starlight mints. They’re perfect for the holidays, but honestly, I make them year-round because my kids keep asking for them. The best part? You don’t need fancy decorating skills—just a cookie press and about thirty minutes.

What Kind of Butter Should I Use?

For spritz cookies, you’ll want to use regular unsalted or salted butter – just make sure it’s real butter and not margarine or a butter substitute. The butter needs to be softened to room temperature, which means it should be soft enough to leave an indent when you press it but not melted or greasy. If your butter is too cold, your cookies won’t pipe through the cookie press smoothly, and if it’s too warm, the dough will be too soft to hold its shape. I usually set my butter out on the counter about an hour before I plan to bake, or you can soften it in the microwave using short 5-second bursts if you’re in a hurry.

Options for Substitutions

These cookies are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need them:

• Butter: Butter is really important for spritz cookies – it’s what gives them that classic flavor and helps them hold their shape when piped. I’d recommend sticking with real butter here rather than margarine or substitutes.
• Peppermint flavoring: If you don’t have peppermint extract, you can use peppermint oil (use just 1/4 teaspoon as it’s stronger), or swap it out entirely for almond extract or lemon zest for a different flavor profile.
• Starlight mint candies: Any hard peppermint candies work great here – candy canes, peppermint discs, or even Andes mints. Just crush them up the same way. You could also skip the mints and use colored sprinkles instead.
• Milk: For the drizzle, you can use any milk you have on hand – whole, 2%, almond, or even water in a pinch. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more until you get the consistency you want.
• All-purpose flour: Stick with all-purpose flour for this recipe. Other flours like whole wheat or gluten-free blends will change the texture and make it harder to pipe the cookies through a cookie press.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making spritz cookies is using butter that’s too soft or melted, which causes the dough to be too loose and your cookies will lose their shape in the oven – the butter should be softened but still hold its form when pressed.

Another common error is not chilling your cookie press and baking sheets before piping, as warm surfaces can cause the dough to spread before it even hits the oven.

Over-mixing the dough after adding the flour will develop too much gluten and make your cookies tough instead of tender and crumbly, so mix just until the flour disappears.

Finally, don’t skip pressing the cookies onto a cool, ungreased baking sheet – greased pans will prevent the dough from sticking properly to form those classic shapes, and any residual heat will start melting your carefully piped designs.

What to Serve With Peppermint Spritz Cookies?

These cookies are perfect for a holiday cookie platter alongside other festive treats like sugar cookies, gingerbread, or chocolate chip cookies. They pair beautifully with a hot cup of coffee, hot chocolate, or even a glass of cold milk for dunking. If you’re putting together a dessert spread, consider serving them with vanilla ice cream or alongside a warm mug of peppermint tea to really play up those minty flavors. For a fun presentation, arrange them on a platter with some chocolate-dipped pretzels or fudge for a sweet holiday gift box.

Storage Instructions

Store: These peppermint spritz cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Just make sure the drizzle has fully set before stacking them, or layer them with parchment paper to keep them from sticking together.

Freeze: Spritz cookies are great for freezing! You can freeze the baked cookies (without the drizzle) in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve them, thaw at room temperature and add the powdered sugar drizzle and crushed mints right before serving for the freshest look.

Make Ahead: Want to get a head start? You can prepare the cookie dough up to 2 days in advance and keep it wrapped tightly in the fridge. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before piping so it’s easier to work with.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2700-2900
• Protein: 20-25 g
• Fat: 135-145 g
• Carbohydrates: 370-400 g

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2.25 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 1 cup butter (softened to room temperature)
• 1 large egg (room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (pure vanilla preferred)
• 1/2 tsp peppermint flavoring (I use Watkins peppermint extract)

For the drizzle:

• 1/4 cup crushed starlight mint candies (finely crushed for smooth drizzle)
• 1 to 2 tbsp milk (adjust for desired consistency)
• 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted to remove lumps)

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Preheat Oven

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup crushed starlight mint candies

Start by preheating your oven to 400°F.

While it heats, measure out all your ingredients and have them ready at your work station.

Sift the powdered sugar into a small bowl to remove any lumps—this ensures a smooth, lump-free glaze later.

Finely crush the starlight mint candies into small pieces (I use the back of a measuring cup for even crushing) and set aside.

This prep work takes just a few minutes but sets you up for smooth, uninterrupted baking.

Step 2: Cream Butter and Build the Wet Base

• 1 cup butter
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp peppermint flavoring

In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and sugar, beating until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale—this usually takes about 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer.

This creaming process incorporates air into the dough, which helps the cookies spread and bake evenly.

Add the room-temperature egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint flavoring, beating until everything is fully combined and smooth.

The room-temperature egg incorporates more smoothly into the butter mixture, creating a better emulsion.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients and Form Dough

• 2.25 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.

Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients from Step 2 and beat on low speed until just combined—stop as soon as no streaks of flour remain.

Overmixing at this stage can toughen the cookies, so resist the urge to keep beating once everything is incorporated.

If the dough feels too soft to hold a shape in the cookie press, cover it and refrigerate for 1 hour.

The dough should be firm enough to pipe but still pliable.

Step 4: Pipe and Bake the Cookies

• dough from Step 3

Transfer the dough from Step 3 into a cookie press fitted with your desired decorative plate.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper and pipe cookies directly onto the sheets, leaving about 1 inch between each cookie.

Slide the sheets into your preheated 400°F oven and bake for 5-6 minutes—the cookies should be set but still pale, with perhaps the tiniest hint of browning on the bottoms.

These delicate spritz cookies bake quickly, so keep a close eye on them.

Step 5: Cool and Prepare the Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 to 2 tbsp milk

As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, transfer them to cooling racks to cool completely.

While they cool, prepare the glaze by whisking together the sifted powdered sugar from Step 1 with 1-2 tablespoons of milk, starting with 1 tablespoon and adding more until you reach a consistency that drizzles easily but still holds its shape on the cookie.

The glaze should be thin enough to flow smoothly but thick enough to not pool at the base of the cookies.

Step 6: Glaze and Garnish

• cooled cookies from Step 4
• glaze from Step 5
• crushed starlight mint candies from Step 1

Once the cookies are completely cooled, drizzle the glaze from Step 5 over each cookie using a fork, small spoon, or squeeze bottle—I prefer a small squeeze bottle for the most control.

Immediately sprinkle each glazed cookie with a few pieces of the crushed starlight mint candies from Step 1, as the glaze sets quickly and the candies will stick better while it’s still wet.

Let the glaze set for about 10-15 minutes before serving or storing.