“I originally adapted this cookie from Lee Bailey’s recipe for Cracked Sugar Cookies published in his book Country Desserts (Three Rivers Press, 1988). We bake this recurring favorite version at City House every December for our dessert menu’s cookie plate—in our special yearly holiday gift box cookie compilation—and they make the most divine ice cream sandwich cookies, too,” says Nashville chef Rebecca Turshen.
Delicious and versatile, these mint sugar cookies are not just for the holiday season! Turshen puts a spin on the flavors year-round by adding chilled brown butter for a cozier fall vibe.
recipe 
yields
Makes 30 cookies
1 cup unsalted butter
1¼ cups plus 4 tablespoons sugar, divided
3 egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon mint oil (not extract)
2¼ cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla malt powder
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup King Leo peppermint candy, crushed into pea-sized bits
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
For the cookie dough:
For the sugar salt sprinkle:
steps
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and 1¼ cups of sugar on high speed until pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Pause mixer. Scrape down sides of bowl before adding egg yolks, vanilla, and mint oil.
- In a separate bowl, whisk to combine flour, malt powder, 1 teaspoon salt, baking soda, and peppermint candy. Return mixer to low speed. Slowly add half dry mixture to butter mixture. Mix until fully incorporated. Add remaining dry mixture, continue mixing until well combined.
- In a small bowl, combine remaining 4 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using 1-ounce cookie scoop to portion balls of dough, arrange cookies on sheet spaced 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with sugar-salt topping. Bake until cookies look “cracked” on top and have lightly toasted edges, about 10-12 minutes.
Date Published: 11.29.23
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Recipe By
From Rebecca Turshen of City House in Nashville
