Peppermint and White Chocolate Sugar Cookies

For the cookies:
In the bowl of your stand mixer (with paddle attachment fixed), cream together the butter, shortening and sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in the egg and heavy cream and mix on medium until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly and gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet. Once the dry ingredients have been added, mix on high for 30 seconds. Now add the vanilla extract and peppermint extract. Beat to incorporate. Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

Once you have given your dough time to refrigerate, preheat your oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Roll out your dough on a generously floured surface with a flour-dusted rolling pin. Roll out to 1/8 of an inch thick and cut out your desired shapes with a cookie cutter (we used a 2 inch star). Lay out your shapes on your prepared baking sheets (leaving about an inch of space between each cookie).

Bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes or until they begin to golden slightly. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:
Place the white chocolate in a glass bowl over a small saucepan of barely simmering water to create a double boiler. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Melt the white chocolate, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a small bowl once melted and allow to cool slightly.

In the bowl of your stand mixer (with paddle attachment fixed) cream together the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Next, add the melted white chocolate and peppermint extract and mix on medium until incorporated. In 1/4 cup increments, add the confectioners’ sugar into the creamed mixture on low speed. Once all of the confectioners’ sugar has been added, mix on high for about 30 seconds. Squeeze a couple of drops of blue food coloring into the frosting (if using) and mix with a rubber spatula to combine.

Now start assembling your cookies. Spread a dollop of frosting on each cookie and spread into a thin layer. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candy on top. Store at room temperature (in an airtight container) or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.