12 Days of Cookies – Peppermint Sandies
For my second cookie, I decided to try a new recipe. Hubby isn’t a huge fan of peppermint, but I enjoy it during the holidays. Last year, I made some peppermint truffles and cupcakes that were very good. I choose these Peppermint Sandies because they looked so cute and easy to make. I took them to work and of course they disappeared in no time. I wasn’t a huge fan of the texture. Mine may have been a bit undercooked? I took them out after 13 minutes right when the bottoms were starting to brown. Also, the recipe said that it makes 4 dozen, I only got 28 cookies. I used my usual cookie scoop but maybe mine were bigger than what they were supposed to be.
Hubby served as a guest photographer for these cookies as well. He did all the setup including choosing a background and staging the shot. Nice work again Hubby!
Peppermint Sandies – from Better Homes and Gardens – makes 2-4 dozen
1 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup finely crushed striped round peppermint candies
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whipping cream
6 ounces white baking chocolate
Crushed striped round peppermint candies
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add powdered sugar and the 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candies. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in water, vanilla, and peppermint extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 15 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool.
Meanwhile, for glaze: In a medium saucepan, bring whipping cream just to simmering. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate; let stand for 3 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let stand for 45 to 60 minutes or until glaze starts to thicken.
Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the glaze over each cooled cookie. Sprinkle with additional crushed peppermint candies. Let stand until glaze is set. Makes about 48 cookies.
My 12 Days of Cookies:Day 1: Lumberjacks
I’m submitting this to Food Bloggas Eat Christmas Cookies blogging event. Check this link to participate in the event. Or check here to see the roundup (gets updated as entries come in).
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
Hm…domes…good for cupcakes, sorta annoying for layer cakes. 🙂
I wonder if you bumped up the baking temperature a bit, if the cupcakes would have a more dramatic rise? Obviously you’d need to reduce the baking time…but you knew that. 😉
It doesn’t look like any of the white cakes I’ve made in cupcake form have had a nicely domed top, but Dorie’s Perfect Party Cake was the most rounded. It’s a great tasting cake too.
Go-tos are ALWAYS good to find. I’m going to have to try these because I am still on the lookout for a go-to white cake. They look awesome!
These look awesome! I understand your desire for that perfect dome, though.
I’m happy to have one for chocolate cake, but I wish I had more go-tos! I think part of my problem is that I rarely repeat things. I just keep trekking down that endless “to bake” list of mine… Haha
Oh my word! You sound like me talking about “go to” recipes. That is my quest in life…well, in baking anyway. AND white cake is one that I have NOT found a “go to” recipe for and believe me, I have been searching for years. Literally. I also came across Bridgette’s blog where she did the white cake comparisons and I forget which one I chose to make, but I did not care for the results at all. Sigh. I was disappointed because I was certain that I would no longer have to search. I’m still at it. I also agree with you on the dome part. I definitely want my cupcakes to have a dome on them and if they don’t, I consider them a failure – no matter how good they taste. I’m kind of obsessed with the whole doming aspect.
Well, it looks like you have possibly found your “go to” white cake recipe. I guess I will keep searching. Your look amazing. Seriously – I feel like reaching through my computer screen and eating that cupcake that you have cut in half. Yummy!
Good post! Thanks for sharing.
These are beautiful! I also like domed cupcakes, but it never works out that way.
This recipe is my go-to for white cake, too!! I’m so happy to see someone else post about it.
I love the crumb on those!
You might try starting your cupcakes at about 25 degrees more than usual, then when they just start to doom, reduce the temp back down. This has worked for me when I have had a flat top type batter.
I have always had a similar problem so I thought i would do some searching and came upon this comment…
http://cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-603740-.html
Give it a try and let us know if it works!
-Vanessa
i found it, this is my go to white cupcake recipe. even tho they dont rise like i would like i have been searching and searching for months for a white base cupcake. i took this recipe and made from it a chai cupcake with cardamom whipped cream frosting. it was amazing!!!! now am trying a peaches and cream cupcake, am a little concerned, it was very wet. we will see may need to cut some of the milk. thanks!!!!!!
i found it, this is my go to white cupcake recipe. even tho they dont rise like i would like i have been searching and searching for months for a white base cupcake. i took this recipe and made from it a chai cupcake with cardamom whipped cream frosting. it was amazing!!!! now am trying a peaches and cream cupcake, am a little concerned, it was very wet. we will see may need to cut some of the milk. thanks!!!!!!
Is this beaten or unbeaten egg whites? Thanks!
where is the recipe for the buttercream?
beantownbaker — March 13th, 2013 @ 8:50 pm
Here is the recipe for the buttercream
Hello. I found your site off pinterest in a continuing search for the perfect white cake. I have possibly a very strange question, and i’m hoping you can help guide me here. I’m doing a birthday cake for my husband and my daughter, and I’m making it a flag inside (red and white layers w/ a blue center circle). my husband loves red velvet, so i’m hoping to do that for the red layers, but i’m having a hard time figuring out the perfect mix of flavors to do the white layers? would this recipe mix well w/ red velvet?
beantownbaker — October 8th, 2013 @ 7:07 pm
I think this recipe would go great with red velvet. I love the idea of a flag cake, although I’ve never made one myself.
My first cake made from scratch and this recipe made it a success. Super happy with the results. Thank you!
beantownbaker — November 11th, 2013 @ 9:09 pm
So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Great job in taking on the challenge of making a cake from scratch.
Hi! I found this recipe whilst searching for one to make a purple ombre layer cake for my best friend’s birthday. However, I am from the UK and whilst having US measuring cups, I don’t really know what cake flour is? I’m sorry if this sounds ridiculous but we don’t have it over here! Can I use Plain Flour instead as the recipe includes a raising agent? And is it the cake flour that gives the cake its white colour? Please help! Kindest regards, Naomi x
beantownbaker — September 2nd, 2014 @ 7:20 pm
The white color of the cake comes from the fact that there are no egg yolks in the recipe. I have never substituted anything for cake flour, but here is what Joy the Baker has to say about it: http://joythebaker.com/2013/12/baking-101-the-best-cake-flour-substitute/
Hi, I’m baking a bday cake for my sis and I’m attempting to make the purple ombré cake too. Will be using the white cake recipe. Just wondering
1. Can I still use the same 24 cupcakes quantity to make 3 layers of 6″ round cakes?
2. Would the cake be still moist if I bake the cake 1 day ahead?
Thank u so much!