Peppermint Patty Shortbreads Recipe (2024)

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Chiara

I'll try to transform some ingredients of the finishing in metrics (please NYT Cooking, complete measurements in metrics also in this recipe, thank you!), as in patisserie is more precise.Finishing:2drops peppermint extract200 grams granulated sugar170g honey½ teaspoon kosher salt12,5g powdered gelatin113g semisweet chocolate120g heavy cream

Dragonflyfarm

Ballpark size of cookie cutter for the expected number of finished cookies?

Blossom

These look heavenly! I adore chocolate with mint! Even better than crushed candy canes or pepoermints, if you can find them, are Andes peppermint crunch baking chips. Nor as hard on the teeth, and they have the addition of white chocolate.

Martha

Why is the peppermint extract kneaded into the dough instead of being added with the butter, sugar and salt? It seems that it would mix in better at that stage.

karaiz

These were OK. I rolled the dough into logs, refrigerated it, and cut it to 1/4-inch thick. Worked fine if less elegant. I got about 55-60 cookies (not 30!), but I can't imagine them being twice as big? I forgot to add the peppermint to the dough, but I don't think that was the missing spark it needed. I recommend NOT piping the marshmallow in a rising spiral as they looked a bit like, umm, something unappetizing when coated in chocolate. It was all nice but not wow enough for the effort.

Laura

Made these yesterday, and there was absolutely no chance of that marshmallow mixture going anywhere when inverted. It's super sticky. More of a concern was the biscuit base crumbling if squeezed too hard.

melissa

I'm thinking I might just purchase marshmallows and stick them to the cookie with melted chocolate then dip in ganache. Or possibly making a merengue cookie recipe with egg whites to pipe on the cookie and then dipped.

lbn

I suspect because this originally comes from an article that has you make one dough and split it for two recipes. You wouldn't want the peppermint for the second recipe, so you have to add it after the dough is made and split. If you're just doing this recipe, I don't see why you couldn't add it earlier.

Sarah

Has anyone tried this using agar-agar?

Sarina

If the NYT thinks making marshmallow and piping it onto cookies is “simple,” I’d hate to see what they think is hard. That stuff stuck to EVERYTHING. It was basically impossible to get it out of the mixing bowl, let alone into the piping bag. Won’t make these again-life is too short.

Zoesera

If you have a steady hand, use a tiny drop or so of peppermint oil, not extract. It may take a little more care but the payoff is a more true flavor

shawna

The shortbread cookies are great, but I could never get the marshmallow filling to set. I ended up just dipping the shortbread in peppermint-flavored ganache and calling it good.

Leslie

After reading the comments and looking at the amount of gelatin used, I decided to risk using a little bit less. I added 3 tsp. and had no trouble with it being set enough to dip it in the chocolate or piping it onto the cookie. I made them for my 3rd grade class and they gave it 5 stars :-).

Carolyn Delacorte

You can alternately use the marshmallow topping as construction adhesive to glue down loose shingles on your roof (gingerbread house anyone?) it’s the stickiest thing I’ve ever stirred up in my mixer (smelled heavenly) and it was not going into a piping bag for all the tea in China…however I did find that if I wet my fingers a little I could scoop it into a reasonable snowball and attach it to the cookie that way. The end result is similar to a neat s’mores.

chefliz

I made these last night for a party with the following adjustments: added 2-3 drops of peppermint extract with the egg yolk instead of kneading it in for even distribution and to avoid overworking the dough, omitted the marshmallow, doubled the ganache (will have some left) and added 2-3 drops of peppermint extract to ganache once it was all incorporated. The cookies were a huge hit and everyone agreed that the marshmallow layer was unnecessary. Omit and save yourself some time!

philly girl

Agree with others. Don’t repeat unless you enjoy having a nervous breakdown while your grandchildren watch! And the taste after all the hours of frustration was not worth it!

philly girl

Agree with all the comments on the marshmallow. Life is too short. Finished product’s appearance was not worth the time and effort. How on earth does the ganache go on in a smooth circle? Won’t make these again. Ever.

stacy

I forgot to get gelatin at the store so after reading through the notes I decided to simplify the recipe by just having the ganache and candy canes on top of the shortbread. I also followed someone’s advice about mixing the peppermint oil in with the sugar. They are beautiful and tasty! I ended up with about 58 2inch cookies which used the total ganache mixture.

NameGSC

Be careful about the honey you use. Apparently my honey was very fragrant and overpowers the rest of the flavors.

Spike

These are great and totally worth the effort. I recommend a gallon ziplock in lieu of the piping bag. And be firm when pressing the fluff into the ganache. I got much better results once I got a bit braver on my second tray.Also note: the ones that look too dark to give away are the tastiest. Keep those for yourself.

Sydney

I've made these twice. The marshmallow is definitely sticky but it pipes well. One dollop in the center seemed to work best, piping until it spread out to reach the edges of the cookies. The ganache has failed both times - all the cream makes it way too runny and it drips off the cookies, leaving the marshmallows only semi-covered. I had much better luck with plain chocolate melted in 30 second intervals in the microwave.

Matt W

If you want a difficult recipe that includes the stickiest homemade marshmallow that will get all over you, this is the one. Don’t even think about putting it in the piping bag. I finally got there and they tasted great, but my wife had to rescue me from marshmallow Armageddon in the meantime.

Rebecca

Instead of dealing with the marshmallow nonsense pipping, I recommend spooning the marshmallow into one cookie, putting another on top to make a sandwich and then dipping half the sandwich in the ganache.

Tracy

I had to make two batches cause I watched the first one go wrong at the adding the peppermint extract to the marshmallow stage…as soon as I added it, the mixture changed from perfect marshmallow to more of a marshmallow fluff that would not hold. The second batch I added the peppermint extract with the sugar mixture, and just added more than prescribed. The marshmallow was wonderful, held it’s shape and still tasted like peppermint. These are like holiday mallomars, absolutely wonderful.

Janet

I had read remarks on making these and decided that I was up for the challenge! Shortbread cookies where simple to make and used a 2” cutter. The marshmallow was sticky as expected but managed. We had to spread the marshmallow around the cookie with a small knife. The only different they that we did was to double dip the cookie in the ganache. These will be made again!

MH

Very good! Per another commenter's suggestion, used only 3 tsp gelatin and found the marshmallow sticky but not prohibitively so. Making disposable piping bags out of waxed paper also helped. I omitted the peppermint extract from the shortbread base, as incorporating it into the refrigerated dough seemed too fussy. More of a project than most cookies, but they turned out both tasty and surprisingly beautiful!

Dave

Meh. More trouble than they are worth. Only OK tasting. Messy to make and I have no clue how to get them to look like the picture.

MSCosta

These are tasty but that marshmallow layer is a nightmare. I felt like I was fighting an alien trying to get it in the piping bag. I lost.

sylvia

These took forever to make! Then they needed to be eaten right away as the shortbread gets soggy and the peppermint melts…

Becky

I was so excited to make this recipe because I love the combination of chocolate and peppermint. But almost nothing worked about it. I couldn’t find anything in the article about the size to make the cookies. They didn’t taste nearly enough like peppermint. FYI: I tried to make the marshmallow with agar-agar instead of gelatin and that didn’t work (not the creator’s fault). The chocolate never really melted for the ganache, so the ganache was runny and also didn’t taste strongly of peppermint.

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Peppermint Patty Shortbreads Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to shortbread? ›

For great shortbread, regardless of your chosen recipe:
  • Sift the flour before mixing to help remove lumps.
  • Avoid over-mixing the dough.
  • Score the surface for even baking without bubbles or cracks.
  • Chill the shaped dough thoroughly before baking.
  • Cut the shortbread while it is still warm, for smooth, even slices.

What's the difference between shortbread and butter biscuits? ›

The difference between these cookies come down to the ratios of flour, eggs, and sugar. Due to differing ratios, shortbread cookies are crumblier and more "sandy" than butter cookies, which are firm and solid enough to be iced.

What's the difference between Scottish shortbread and cookie? ›

Walkers Scottish cookies often have more ingredients than shortbread, including those that aid in leavening such as baking powder and baking soda. The leavening agents are responsible for the notable crunch and open texture of the Scottish cookie, which is not nearly as crumbly as shortbread.

Why do you put an egg in shortbread? ›

Adding hard-boiled egg yolks to a basic shortbread recipe makes cookies more tender with the perfect buttery-soft texture. The addition is a sure-fire way to improve the texture of your cookies, but perhaps not always worth the extra time and effort.

What are common mistakes when making shortbread? ›

The most common mistakes when making shortbread are over-working the dough, and incorporating too much flour. The less you work the dough, the more crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth your shortbread cookies will be.

What not to do when making shortbread? ›

The key with shortbread is not to overhandle it. Make the dough exactly as instructed, but don't mess around making shapes or over rolling the dough - you will end up with delicious but tough biscuits. Stretching and pulling the dough activates the gluten in the flour, making chewy cookies and not crisp ones.

What brand of butter is best for shortbread? ›

The best butter for shortbread is an unsalted, European style butter. European style butter has less water in it than most American style butters, so it will give you a better flavor and texture in your cookie.

What do Americans call shortbread? ›

Shortbread isn't a bread, it's what we Americans call a cookie.

What is the difference between Irish shortbread and Scottish shortbread? ›

Irish Shortbread Is Distinct From Scottish Shortbread

Irish shortbread not only sometimes changes up the butter-to-sugar ratio (possibly going with 2/3 a cup of sugar to 1 cup of butter), but also adds cornstarch in place of some of the flour present in the traditional recipe.

What is shortbread called in Scotland? ›

Shortbread or shortie is a traditional Scottish biscuit usually made from one part white sugar, two parts butter, and three to four parts plain wheat flour. Shortbread does not contain any leavening, such as baking powder or baking soda.

What are the 3 traditional shapes of shortbread? ›

There are 3 shapes: fingers, petticoat tails, and rounds

Meet the 3 shortbread shapes: petticoat tails, rounds, and fingers (the most popular type).

Did Mary Queen of Scots invent shortbread? ›

Shortbread may have been made as early as the 12th Century, however its invention is often attributed to Mary, Queen of Scots in the 16th Century.

Why does shortbread have holes in the top? ›

The word "bread" comes from "biscuit bread" which was made from leftover bread dough that was sweetened and dried out in the oven to make biscuits. Why do you poke holes in shortbread? The holes allow the moisture to escape during baking and more even heat distribution. This helps dry out and crisp up the cookies.

Why is shortbread so difficult? ›

Ingredient Ratios:Butter: Shortbread relies heavily on butter for its flavor and texture. Make sure you are using the correct ratio of butter to flour. If there is too much flour or too little butter, the dough may be too dry. Measuring Accuracy: Accurate measuring of ingredients is crucial in baking.

Why do you put shortbread in the fridge before baking? ›

Why do you put shortbread cut-out cookies in the fridge before baking? This is to resolidify the butter. The butter is at room temperature when making the dough resulting in a soft dough. If baked straight away, the butter would melt away immediately when hitting the hot oven and the shortbread would spread.

What happens if you don't poke holes in shortbread? ›

Piercing the shortbread with a fork is not only for decoration, but it's meant for more even baking. Poking holes in the shortbread allows the heat to penetrate the cookie, hence more even baking. Notice I'm using powdered sugar here.

What are the qualities of a good shortbread? ›

Good shortbread is pale, buttery, crunchy, and 'short'. This means it crumbles at every bite, giving that characteristic shortbread texture. It shouldn't be soft or chewy like cookies, and it shouldn't be browned.

What does adding cornstarch to shortbread do? ›

A cornstarch shortbread cookie is a shortbread cookie that contains cornstarch along with all-purpose flour in the cookie dough. The cornstarch is used to give these buttery treats a crispy, melt-in-the-mouth texture. It also helps prevent the cookies from becoming too crumbly and breaking apart.

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