Gluten-Free White Chocolate Peppermint Icebox Cookies
Gluten-Free White Chocolate Peppermint Icebox Cookies are the easiest cookie you’ll bake this holiday season! They’re slice and bake, so just freeze the dough, slice and bake when you’re ready for some cookies. They’re perfect for cookie swaps, homemade tasty gifts and for serving to last minute guests. Trust me, you’ll want to keep this dough in your freezer all season long.
Around the holidays, I tend to reach for peppermint and dark chocolate. They just go so well together. But, I think that white chocolate is often missed when it comes to baking with peppermint and candy canes. Well, these gluten-free white chocolate peppermint icebox cookies are here to make up for that!
They are buttery, tender, sweet, soft and just a little bit crunchy from the candy canes. I’m not going to lie, I may have gone a little overboard with the peppermint recipes this year.
We have peppermint hot chocolate, gluten-free peppermint hot chocolate cookies, and now these gluten-free white chocolate peppermint icebox cookies. So much candy cane goodness here!
You’ll love how easy icebox cookies are to make and bake. In preparation for the many Christmas celebrations I’ll be attending in the next week, I started stocking my freezer with this cookie dough so I’ll be ready and won’t have to stress about making desserts.
This way, I can slice and bake these white chocolate peppermint cookies the day of the party while I get ready and it’s really no biggie since the bulk of the work is already done. Plus, who doesn’t love the smell of cookies baking while they get ready for the holidays?
Table of Contents
What Are Icebox Cookies?
Icebox cookies are also known by a few other names, such as refrigerator cookies or slice-and-bake cookies. Essentially, they’re a make-ahead cookie that you roll the dough into a log, freeze it, and then slice into rounds and bake. They’re perfect for making ahead for the holidays.
Also, if you’re like me and have a big sweet tooth, they’re also great because you can slice off a few rounds whenever you want to bake a few cookies. No need to have a dozen cookies sitting in your kitchen when you only want to eat a few.
I always keep a roll in my freezer around the holidays in case I have any unexpected guests come over. Then, I can just slice and bake and in about 10 minutes, I have some delicious icebox cookies to feed my guests! No need for defrosting, rolling or scooping. Just slice and bake!
Can I Add Peppermint Extract to the White Chocolate?
If you really love peppermint and want to add even more peppermint flavor to this recipe, you may be thinking I’ll just add some peppermint extract to the white chocolate and all will be great right? Well.. yes and no. It depends.
White chocolate and water don’t mix. If you add a water-based peppermint extract to white chocolate, it will seize up. Instead, use an oil-based peppermint extract if you want to add peppermint flavor to the white chocolate coating.
To find out if your peppermint extract is water-based or oil-based, just look at the ingredients on the bottle to see what the first ingredient listed is.
Gluten-Free White Chocolate Peppermint Icebox Cookies
If you’re headed to a holiday party, cookie swap or just need an easy homemade gift idea, then these gluten-free white chocolate peppermint icebox cookies are for you. They’re tender and buttery and dipped in creamy white chocolate and topped with crushed candy canes for that perfect peppermint flavor in every bite. Gluten-free cookies have never been so easy with these slice and bake cookies!
Gluten-Free White Chocolate Peppermint Icebox Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups gluten-free flour blend
- 1 tsp xanthan gum (if your blend doesn't already have it)
- 6 candy canes (divided)
- 1 cup white chocolate chips (see notes for tips)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and granulated sugar for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add milk, peppermint extract, vanilla, and salt and mix to combine.
- Add in the gluten-free flour (and xanthan gum if using) about a cup at a time, mixing in between, until the flour is incorporated.
- Stir in 2/3 of the chopped candy canes (4 candy canes worth) until incorporated into the dough.
- Scoop cookie dough out onto a piece of parchment paper and roll into a log. I like to somewhat shape it into a log with my hands and then cover with parchment paper and roll it until it becomes a log shape. The log should be about a foot long and 2 inches wide. Cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Freeze for at least an hour.
- Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice cookie log into 1/4 inch pieces and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375F until the outer edges of the cookie just begin to brown. Let cool for 5 minutes on the pan before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- While the cookies are cooling, add white chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl or glass measuring cup. Melt in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until chocolate is just melted. It should take about 90 seconds in total.
- Dip the cooled cookies in the white chocolate, covering about half of the cookie. Use a spoon if need be to spoon the white chocolate over the cookie. Sprinkle with remaining candy canes.
- Let the white chocolate set completely before serving. You can speed up the process by placing them in the freezer for 10 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
I’m Megan
A gluten-free food blogger from Chicago and lover of all things food, showing you gluten-free can be easy and delicious, too. Let’s make gluten-free stress free together! Read more…
