These Gluten Free Peppermint Meltaway Cookies are sweet, tender, and easy to make. This simple frosted cookie, topped with crushed candy, is melt-in-your-mouth delicious!
The peppermint flavored treats make a festive addition to any holiday cookie platter. Once you try them, you might want to keep them all for yourself.
The holiday season always brings out my desire to bake, but there's never enough time to make everything. I have to limit my recipe choices, but these gluten free peppermint meltaway cookies made the list.
There's something about the flavor of peppermint, at Christmas time, that seems so right. The cookies are topped with crushed candy canes. What could be better than that?
These meltaway cookies are made with just a few simple ingredients. You do need to chill the dough, but you can leave it in the fridge for several hours until you're ready to bake.
The peppermint flavored frosting, along with the candy pieces, make these cookies pleasantly sweet. You could omit the frosting for a less sweet cookie, but I don't know why you would. 😊
How To Make Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
- Beat together the butter, powdered sugar, and peppermint extract until creamy. Whisk together the gluten free flour and cornstarch.
- Slowly beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Cover and refrigerate the dough until firm.
- Shape the chilled dough into balls. Place the dough balls on ungreased baking sheets and bake at 350-degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool the cookies on a wire rack.
- Beat the frosting ingredients together adding additional milk or powdered sugar to achieve the desired consistency.
- Frost the cookies and sprinkle the crushed candy canes over the tops.
Baker's Tips
- Check the ingredients in your gluten free flour mix for xanthan gum. If your flour mix doesn't contain xanthan gum, try adding ½ teaspoon to the recipe. I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour which has xanthan gum in it.
- When forming the chilled dough into balls, use the warmth of your hands to make the dough more pliable.
- Cool the baked cookies completely before frosting. The frosting will slide off a warm cookie.
- If you prefer a thicker frosting, increase the amount of powdered sugar to achieve the desired consistency.
- To crush the candy canes, remove the wrappers, break the canes into 1-inch pieces and seal in a Ziploc freezer bag. Place an old kitchen towel over the bag and crush the pieces with a hammer. I put a piece of wood under the bag of candy before using the hammer. You can also crush the candy, with a few pulses, in a food processor set on low.
If you're looking for a simple and tasty cookie recipe to add to your collection of favorites, give these peppermint cookies a try. They'll make a festive addition to your holiday baking. Enjoy!
More Gluten Free Cookies
- Gluten Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Old-Fashioned Snickerdoodle Cookies {Gluten Free}
- Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies Recipe
- Gluten Free Peanut Butter Blossoms
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Recipe
Gluten Free Peppermint Meltaway Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
For the Frosting:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup candy canes, crushed
Instructions
For the Cookies:
- In large mixing bowl, combine butter, powdered sugar, and peppermint extract. Beat at medium speed until creamy.
- In small mixing bowl, whisk together gluten free flour and cornstarch.
- Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture in 2 or 3 portions, beating on low speed after each addition. Continue beating until completely combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a smaller bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one hour.
- When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookie bottoms are lightly browned.
- Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.
For the Frosting:
- Beat the butter in a small mixing bowl until fluffy. Add the milk, peppermint extract, and powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
- Spread frosting on cooled cookies and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
- Store cookies in an airtight container.
Notes
- Check the ingredients in your gluten free flour mix for xanthan gum. If your flour mix doesn't contain xanthan gum, try adding ½ teaspoon to the recipe.
- When forming the chilled dough into balls, use the warmth of your hands to make the dough more pliable.
- Cool the baked cookies completely before frosting. The frosting will slide off a warm cookie.
- If you prefer a thicker frosting, increase the amount of powdered sugar to achieve the desired consistency.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information provided is an estimate and will vary based on products and brands you use. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the ingredients you are using with your preferred nutrition calculator.
Perfect holiday cookie...so yummy
Thanks Patty! I'm glad you enjoyed them.
Not one for peppermint but the cookies were so good I could overlook that part.
So yummy! These are like the cookies my grandma used to make...don’t even notice they’re gluten free.
Thank you for the 5-star rating, Tara. You made my day.
I followed the recipe exactly and they totally
Fell apart/spread on the pan 🙁
Flavor was good, but had to crumble them up
To make "cookie pops" with the frosting instead.
Do you think they need eggs?
Hi Jessie,
I'm sorry to hear the cookies didn't turn out for you. I double-checked and the ingredients listed are what I use. Does your gluten free flour have xanthan gum in it? If not, this may be why the cookies fell apart. It's also important to chill the dough for an hour. This should keep the cookies from spreading too much.
Thanks for the great recipe! I followed it just as is using bob mills as well and It was delicious!
Hi B,
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for the 5-star rating.