PEPPERMINT-CANDY SUGAR COOKIES

Recipe courtesy of Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookie Cookbook

Ingredients:

1½ cups flour

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon coarse salt

1 stick butter, at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon peppermint extract

4 ounces flat round peppermint candies, about 28 discs

2 tablespoons coarse sanding sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

With a mixer on medium speed, beat butter with granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Beat in egg, vanilla and peppermint extracts until just blended, scraping down sides of bowl.

Reduce speed to low and beat in flour mixture until combined.

Refrigerate dough until firm, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, place peppermints in a resealable plastic bag and finely crush with a meat mallet.

Transfer to a shallow bowl and mix with sanding sugar.

Form rounded teaspoons of dough into balls.

Roll in crushed-candy mixture to coat.

Place 2" apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.

Bake until edges are starting to brown, about 11 minutes.

Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.

(Gently break off any bits of melted candy from edges of cookies, if necessary.)

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container, between sheets of waxed or parchment paper up to 1 week.

Makes about 30 cookies.