Peppermint Muffin-Tin Cookies Recipe

This festive Peppermint Muffin-Tin Cookies Recipe creates a mesmerizing red-and-white swirled treat with a hidden surprise inside. Baked in a muffin tin to maintain a perfect thick edge, each cookie conceals a cool frozen peppermint patty within the buttery vanilla dough for the ultimate holiday bite.

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Peppermint Muffin-Tin Cookies Ingredients

The Cookie Dough:

• 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour: Spooned and leveled. This provides the structure needed to encase the candy.
• 1 1/2 sticks (12 tbsp) Unsalted Butter: Room temperature, for a rich, tender crumb.
• 3/4 cup Sugar: Sweetens the dough without making it too crisp.
• 1 Large Egg: Lightly beaten.
• Extracts: 1 tsp vanilla for warmth and 1/4 tsp peppermint extract to echo the candy center.
• Red Gel Food Coloring: Gel ensures a vibrant red without watering down the dough.
• Leavening: 1/4 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp fine salt.

The Filling & Garnish:

• 12 Peppermint Patties: Frozen. Freezing them is non-negotiable; it prevents the chocolate from melting into a puddle before the cookie sets.
• 1/4 cup Red and White Sprinkles: For a festive crunch on top.

How To Make Peppermint Muffin-Tin Cookies

1. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Cream the Base: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and room-temperature butter on medium speed for about 5 minutes. This aeration makes the cookies light. Beat in the vanilla, peppermint extract, and egg.
3. Make the Dough: Turn the mixer to low. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until the white streaks disappear (1 to 2 minutes).
4. Color Half: Remove half of the dough and set it aside (this is your white dough). To the remaining dough in the mixer, add 5 to 6 drops of red gel food coloring. Mix on low until the color is uniform and bright red.
5. Create the Base Layer: You need 12 muffin cups (standard size). For each cup, alternate dropping small pieces of red and white dough (about 4 of each color, heaping 1/4 tsp size) into the bottom. Press them down gently to flatten them into a single, marbleized layer.
6. Insert the Surprise: Place one frozen peppermint patty directly into the center of each dough base. Press it gently so it sits flat, but do not push it through to the metal pan.
7. Top and Seal: Repeat the mosaic process for the top layer: drop small alternating pieces of red and white dough over the peppermint patty. Press down gently to flatten the dough and completely seal the candy inside. Ensure no dark chocolate is peeking through.
8. Chill: Sprinkle the tops generously with red and white sprinkles. Refrigerate the pan for 1 hour (or freeze for 20 minutes). Crucial Step: Cold dough ensures the cookies keep their shape and the peppermint patty stays intact during the initial heat blast.
9. Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes. The edges should just be starting to turn golden.
10. Cool: Let the cookies cool in the pan for 5 minutes to firm up. Use an offset spatula to carefully pop them out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Tips

• The Muffin Tin Advantage: Baking these in a tin forces the dough to grow upward rather than outward, creating a thick, puck-like cookie that perfectly encases the candy without leaking.
• Freezing the Candy: If you use room-temperature peppermint patties, the mint filling will boil and leak out, ruining the look of the cookie. They must be rock solid frozen.
• The “Mosaic” Technique: Don’t just swirl the dough; actually dropping separate little nuggets of red and white dough creates that distinct candy-cane patchwork look.
• Gel Coloring: Liquid food coloring can change the hydration of the dough, making the red half sticky. Gel paste provides intense color with no moisture change.

What To Serve With Peppermint Cookies

• Hot Cocoa: A rich chocolate drink complements the cool mint.
• Vanilla Milkshake: Blend a cookie into a shake for a holiday treat.
• Coffee: The peppermint cuts through the bitterness of a morning brew.
• Chocolate Dipped: If you want to go over the top, dip half the cooled cookie in dark chocolate.

How To Store Peppermint Muffin-Tin Cookies

• Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: These freeze beautifully. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter.

Peppermint Muffin-Tin Cookies Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 260 kcal
• Fat: 12g
• Carbohydrates: 36g
• Sugar: 18g
• Protein: 3g

Nutrition information is estimated per cookie.

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