These Peppermint Bark Cookies Don't Need Cookie Cutters: The Dough Gets Sliced Instead

Christmas cookies often involve rolling out dough, cutting individual shapes, and gathering scraps for another round. Peppermint bark icebox cookies skip that process. The chocolate dough is shaped into one thick log, chilled until firm, and cut into rounds before baking.

Kaleigh McMordie's recipe from Lively Table combines chocolate cookies with melted white chocolate and crushed peppermint candy. The topping gives each cookie the flavor and appearance of peppermint bark without mixing candy pieces into the dough.

The method also separates preparation from baking. The dough spends about two hours in the refrigerator, making it firm enough to slice without spreading or losing its round shape before it reaches the oven.

The chocolate dough gets rolled into a log before chilling

Start by melting chocolate and setting it aside to cool. Cream butter with the sugars, then add an egg and peppermint extract.

Mix in the melted chocolate and espresso powder before adding flour, baking soda, and salt. Stop mixing once the ingredients form a dough.

Transfer the dough onto waxed paper or parchment and shape it into a log approximately two inches wide.

Wrap the log, twist the ends closed, and refrigerate for about two hours until firm.

Once chilled, remove the wrapping and cut the dough into rounds between ¼ and ½ inch thick.

Arrange the slices on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (177°C) for nine minutes.

The chilled dough holds its shape during slicing, eliminating the need for cookie cutters or rolling out individual portions.

Allow the baked cookies to cool before adding the topping.

White chocolate and crushed peppermint go on after baking

Melt white chocolate in the microwave, using short intervals and stirring between each one to prevent overheating.

Drizzle the melted chocolate across the cooled cookies, creating thin white lines over the dark chocolate surface.

Before the coating sets, sprinkle crushed peppermint candy over the top.

The pieces adhere to the melted chocolate, adding peppermint flavor and a crisp texture.

Let the white chocolate harden before transferring the cookies into a storage container.

The finished cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days, according to the recipe.

Unlike traditional cutout cookies, these don't require separate shapes or decorative icing. The round slices provide the base, while the white chocolate and peppermint create the holiday finish.

The dough gets its shape before chilling, the cookies get sliced before baking, and the peppermint bark topping comes last.