Step 1: Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This ensures your cookies don’t stick and bake evenly.

Step 2: Prepare the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Set this bowl aside for now. These dry ingredients will help form the base of your cookie dough.

Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar

In a large mixing bowl, cream together:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 cup granulated sugar

You can use a stand mixer or a hand mixer on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step is important because it incorporates air into the dough, which will make your cookies soft and chewy.

Step 4: Add the Wet Ingredients

Add 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix until everything is combined. The peppermint extract is what makes these cookies so festive and gives them that refreshing minty kick!

Step 5: Add the Dry Ingredients

Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined. Don’t overmix, as this can result in tough cookies. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky—this is exactly what you want!

Step 6: Scoop the Dough

Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop out the dough and roll it into balls. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. If you want bigger cookies, feel free to make the dough balls larger, just be sure to adjust the baking time.

Step 7: Bake the Cookies

Bake the cookies for about 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are set. You don’t want to overbake them, as they’ll continue to cook on the baking sheet once they’re out of the oven. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 8: Make the Peppermint Buttercream Frosting

While the cookies are cooling, let’s make the frosting! In a large bowl, beat together:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Once the ingredients are combined, add 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream and beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. If you want a thicker frosting, add a little more powdered sugar, and if it’s too thick, add more cream until you reach your desired consistency.

Step 9: Frost the Cookies

Once the cookies have cooled completely, it’s time to frost them! Use a butter knife or an offset spatula to spread the peppermint buttercream frosting generously on each cookie. For an extra festive touch, top with red and white sprinkles.