Christmas time to me means lots of homemade treats. Homemade treats are some of my favorite things to give and receive. Today I’m sharing a cookie recipe that is so festive and perfect for Christmas. I just love the stripes in these peppermint shortbread cookies. And I’m not just stopping at the peppermint shortbread cookies. I’m excited to be partnering with some of my favorite food blogging friends today to bring you a virtual Christmas cookie exchange.

We all love Christmas Cookie Exchange Parties because you go to the party with one kind of cookie, but come home with dozens of cookies to taste! There’s nothing better than seeing all of the cookies out on all of their plates and getting to go around and fill up your bags with other people’s delicious recipes. Here are 40+ delicious cookie exchange recipes so you can find the perfect cookie to take to the party this holiday season!

I just doubled my recipe for shortbread cookies and added some peppermint extract and red food coloring to half the dough. I love the gel food coloring. You can add as much or as little to get the color you want.

I then rolled and patted out my dough and stacked it up, alternating between the white and red dough, to get the look of stripes. This is the part that took the longest. You can make these any height or width you like.

It works best to chill the dough for 30 minutes or so before you slice your cookies and then bake them.

Peppermint Shortbread Cookies

Peppermint Shortbread cookies are easy to make and perfect for Christmas.

Ingredients

2 sticks of butter - room temp.
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 cups flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
red gel food coloring

Instructions

Using a hand mixer, cream together butter and sugar.
Add a pinch of salt, flour, and vanilla and combine.
Divide dough in half and remove 1 half and set onto parchment paper.
Add red gel food coloring and peppermint extract to the remaining half still in bowl.
Combine until all the red color is combined. Only add enough until you get the color you want.
Dough may look crumbly, but will form a ball as you gather it all together.
Roll out your dough and create the striped pattern you like.
Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and let it chill for about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Remove from fridge and cut into equal slices and place on a cookie sheet.
**This recipe will make 1 to 2 dozen cookies depending on the size of your cookie.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the edges just start to get golden brown.

The hint of peppermint is just perfect in these cookies. You could even add in some crushed peppermint candy to add even more peppermint flavor to these before you bake them.

Plus I’m a sucker for red and white and stripes on anything! 🙂

Now check out these other amazing cookie recipes that are perfect for a cookie exchange party! Or to give to your friends and neighbors as gifts this year. I know I’m always wanting to try new cookie recipes.

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