pink peppermint melt-a-ways

How To Make pink peppermint melt-a-ways

• Step 1
  In a medium size bowl, combine the flour and cornstarch, then set the bowl aside.
• Step 2
  In a large bowl cream together until light and fluffy, the butter and the 1/2 cup of powdered sugar.
• Step 3
  Mix in the peppermint extract.
• Step 4
  Gradually add the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, and mix well.
• Step 5
  Thoroughly mix the food coloring into the cookie dough.
• Step 6
  At this point, I refrigerate the cookie dough (in a bowl covered with aluminum foil), so the dough firms up enough to shape into dough balls. This may take anywhere from 1-2 hours. (I let mine set overnight in the refrigerator, and bake mine the next day when I have the time.) I then let the dough sit on the counter (in the bowl covered with foil) for about an hour, before making the cookies.
• Step 7
  When ready to bake the cookies, heat your oven to 350º F. And in a shallow bowl, add the 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar. Set the bowl aside. (Use more powdered sugar if need be.)
• Step 8
  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Step 9
  Shape the cookie dough into 1-inch balls. (I used a small cookie scoop which is equivalent to 1 tablespoon to make each cookie, then shape the cookie dough into 1" balls.)
• Step 10
  Place the dough balls 2-inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheets.
• Step 11
  Place baking sheets in the oven, and bake for about 13 minutes (until the bottoms of cookies are lightly brown) then remove from oven, and let cookies set 2 minutes on baking sheet before removing them to a wire rack.
• Step 12
  Gently roll the warm cookies in the powdered sugar, then place the powdered coated cookies back on the wire racks.
• Step 13
  Once the cookies have cooled slightly, gently roll them again in the powdered sugar, and place them back on the wire racks to finish cooling.
• Step 14
  Note: I had noticed after baking 2 sheets of cookies, the cookie dough was becoming soft, so I place the remaining cookie dough back in the refrigerator, so it could firm up a bit, then finished baking the cookies. Also, once these cookies had cooled, I then place them in a container (such as Tupperware or Rubbermaid) and in the freezer, as these cookies do keep well if stored in the freezer. I then only take out a few cookies at a time when I want to serve them.
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