COOKIES

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix the dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside. Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer, or use a hand mixer.  Mix on high speed until the butter is light and creamy, about 2 minutes.  Add the powdered sugar and mix at low speed until the sugar is incorporated. Add the peppermint extract and mix at medium speed until well combined.  Add the dry ingredients 1 cup at a time at medium-low speed until all of it is incorporated.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and turn the mixer to medium and mix for a few seconds.
3. Roll out and cut cookies: Working with about 1/3 of the dough at a time, roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to a thickness of about 1/4 inch.  You can also pat the dough out with your hands.  I do. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out dough circles and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing them at least an inch apart.  These cookies barely spread.
4. Bake the cookies for 14 to 15 minutes until they are just slightly starting to brown on the bottoms.  The tops will still look pale.  Transfer from the oven and leave on the cookie sheets for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.  Be gentle when removing them from the cookie sheet as they e break easily when warm.

PEPPERMINT ICING

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan or in the microwave.  Add the peppermint extract and mix to combine. Add 1 tablespoon of milk.  Slowly add the powdered sugar, mixing well until the frosting is smooth.  Add the second tablespoon of milk as needed for the perfect spreading consistency.  Make sure to whisk or beat the frosting until it’s perfectly smooth.  If the frosting seems too thick, add a tiny bit more milk, only 1 teaspoon at a time. If it’s too thin, add a little more sugar.
2. Spread the icing on the cookies and immediately sprinkle them with the crushed peppermint candy.  Allow the cookies to sit, until the frosting has completely set.
3. Store the cookies between layers of wax paper in an airtight container.
4. These cookies are better the longer they are in an airtight container.  Cookies will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.