50 Fun and Festive Peppermint Desserts

From the Recipe Creator: These peppermint cookies are a variation of the cookies my mother made when I was growing up. Now my 13-year-old daughter and I bake them together. They’re always a huge hit! The taste is like rich hot chocolate baked into a scrumptious cookie. —Larry Piklor, Johnsburg, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: We’re always looking for those showstopping peppermint desserts, especially during the holidays. This one is very impressive, but couldn’t be easier to make. No one will ever know it’s made with a store-bought angel food cake. —James Schend, Taste of Home Deputy Editor

From the Recipe Creator: Garnished with toasted coconut and more peppermint candy, this creamy dessert welcomes the holidays! Look for premade shortbread crusts in the baking aisle of the grocery store. —Cheryl Perry, Hertford, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: Mint and chocolate are perfect partners in these cutout cookies! —James Schend, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: When I first made this peppermint cake it was snowing outside, the entire family was home, and we enjoyed it all together. A perfectly pretty holiday cake for a perfect holiday moment! Be sure to measure the peppermint extract carefully—it’s strong, and a little bit goes a very long way. —Mindie Hilton, Susanville, California

From the Recipe Creator: Classic dark chocolate peppermint bark gets a new look by swirling dark and white chocolate together. You can also layer them if you wish. Be sure to use real peppermint oil (not extract) so your chocolate won’t seize into a big clump. —James Schend, Taste of Home Deputy Editor

From the Recipe Creator: People are thrilled when they see me coming with this rich, smooth cheesecake—it’s always a crowd-pleaser. Not only does it look sensational, but it is so scrumptious. —Carrie Price, Ottawa, Illinois

From the Recipe Creator: What a great make-ahead peppermint dessert! This cake log is perfect for the holidays because you can make it when you have time, store it in the freezer and scratch dessert off of your to-do list. —Brenda Sinclair, Princeton, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: Taking a cue from Star Mints, I created a buttery cookie with a holiday look. This one melts in your mouth faster than its candy cousin. —Gloria McKenzie, Panama City, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: This peppermint dessert is fun, refreshing and low in fat! —Lynn Bernstetter, Lake Elmo, Minnesota.

From the Recipe Creator: My jewel-toned squares are softer than store-bought gumdrops, and their terrific taste has a true old-fashioned quality people love. You can’t eat just one! —Richard Bunt, Painted Post, New York

From the Recipe Creator: I wanted to impress my husband's family with something you'd expect to find in a European bakery, and these chocolaty treats are what I came up with. The flaky pastry melts in your mouth. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon

From the Recipe Creator: With its pretty pink layer and fabulous mint flavor, this Peppermint Bundt Cake is a great holiday peppermint dessert. Because I work full-time, I like the convenience of starting with a cake mix. —Lisa M. Varner, El Paso, Texas

From the Recipe Creator: My grandmother encouraged me to enter these mint brownies in the county fair some years ago—and they earned top honors! They're a delicious treat to serve during the holidays. —Marcy Greenblatt, Redding, California

From the Recipe Creator: Red velvet cookies and cakes are so pretty, but I always wish they had a bigger flavor. I infused these thumbprints for a peppermint dessert. —Priscilla Yee, Concord, California

From the Recipe Creator: Peppermint ice cream makes this creamy drink taste—and look—more like a dessert than a punch! I've mixed it many times for ladies' lunches and buffets. For a fun garnish, hang mini candy canes around the punch bowl or on cups. —Neva Schnauber, Ft. Collins, Colorado

From the Recipe Creator: This peppermint dessert is very pretty and festive-looking on a cookie platter. I often cover a plate of these peppermint cookies with red or green plastic wrap and a bright holiday bow in one corner. And yes, they really do melt in your mouth! —Denise Wheeler, Newaygo, Michigan

From the Recipe Creator: Serve your family and friends this delicate twist that showcases one of the most popular flavors of the season…peppermint! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: A merrier melt-in-your-mouth sweet than this butter-mint holly would be hard to find! It's inexpensive to make, looks so lovely on a candy tray and doesn't require refrigeration.

From the Recipe Creator: When my college roommate first made this peppermint pie, I couldn’t get enough! Using a store-bought crust helps save time when you’re in the midst of the holidays. —Charlotte Stewart, Mesa, Arizona

From the Recipe Creator: The fluffy, airy texture of handmade marshmallows will remind you of glistening snowflakes. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: Santa is sure to stop by your house if you leave these minty triple-chocolate peppermint cookies waiting for him. They’re quick and easy for the whole family to make together. —Teresa Ralston, New Albany, Ohio

From the Recipe Creator: These peppermint lollipops can be made with any shape cookie cutter. Gingerbread men, snowmen, Christmas trees and reindeer—there are endless color and design options, so let your creative juices flow! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

From the Recipe Creator: One sight of this lovely peppermint cake will have guests saving room for dessert! For an easy garnish, sprinkle with crushed mint candies.—Agnes Ward, Stratford, Ontario

From the Recipe Creator: With flecks of mint candy, this peppermint ice cream recipe is perfect for the holidays. —Berneice Metcalf, Leavenworth, Washington

From the Recipe Creator: No time to bake cookies from scratch? Create a tasty treat in little more than half an hour by doctoring butter-flavored crackers with vanilla chips and mint candies.—Kathleen Felton, Fairfax, Iowa. Next, get to know the difference between spearmint and peppermint.

From the Recipe Creator: This fabulous peppermint dessert has the magical flavor of candy canes plus the bonus of an Oreo cookie crust. And it looks like a winter wonderland. —Dawn Kreuser, Green Bay, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: The holidays don’t begin around our house until a batch of these cookies is baking in the oven. Their wonderful aroma scrumptiously says, “Christmas!”

From the Recipe Creator: Even though Nana is no longer with us, her peppermint desserts bring me so much joy every time I bake them. For a more indulgent version, double the frosting and pile it on high! —Chekota Hunter, Cassville, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: I tuck a peppermint patty inside these treats for a fun surprise. The bites will melt in your mouth. —Karen Nielson, St. George, Utah

From the Recipe Creator: No one will believe that these rich and buttery cookies are light, but they are! With their colorful swirls, each one of these minty, sugary bites has its own look. —Lois Hill, Thomasville, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: With angel food cake, fudge sauce and peppermints, this cake roll is easy and pretty. —Suellen Calhoun, Des Moines, Iowa

From the Recipe Creator: I first made this peppermint dessert for a ladies’ meeting at our church. I’m still making it, and the compliments keep coming. —Elma Penner, Oak Bluff, Manitoba

From the Recipe Creator: As rosy as Santa's cheeks, these merry morsels with chocolate kisses on top are a delightful yuletide favorite and one of my most-requested recipes. —Traci Wynne, Denver, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: Our family has enjoyed this remarkable layered peppermint cake for years. It’s a favorite for many occasions. —Barbara Humiston, Tampa, Florida

From the Recipe Creator: This recipe came from an old family friend and is always high on everyone's cookie request list. I make at least six batches for Noel nibbling and give some away as gifts. —Beverly Fehner, Gladstone, Missouri

From the Recipe Creator: Indulge in candy-shop flavor with these rich swirled squares. For Christmasy color, I add crushed peppermint candies and red food coloring. —Suzette Jury, Keene, California

From the Recipe Creator: I created these peppermint bars for my daughter. The buttery shortbread texture just melts in your mouth. They’re a hit wherever I take them. —Susan Ciuffreda, Huntersville, North Carolina

From the Recipe Creator: Is it a cookie or a candy? No matter which answer folks choose, they find these minty morsels yummy. The recipe makes so much that you can whip up tons of gifts at once. —Adina Skilbred, Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin

From the Recipe Creator: If you’re looking for a peppermint dessert that’s festive, delicious and easy to make, this is the one for you. Drizzled in hot fudge sauce and loaded with pretty peppermint pieces, this almost tempting treat will have guests asking for seconds. —Pam Lancaster, Willis, Virginia

From the Recipe Creator: When chocolate and mint get together with a hint of peppermint, mmm…magic happens. If you don't have mini muffin pans to make these cookies, use disposable foil baking cups.—Pam Correll, Brockport, Pennsylvania

From the Recipe Creator: I love to make cheesecakes and frequently give them as gifts or donate them to fundraisers. This peppermint dessert is very popular. —Gretchen Ely, West Lafayette, Indiana

From the Recipe Creator: We like to stir different flavored candy canes into the dough for fun variety. —Joan Cossette, Colbert, Washington

From the Recipe Creator: I love to make spritz cookies. Each year I make several varieties of cookies and then deliver them to friends. I love to watch them crack a smile when they see a plate full of cookies. —Margaret Otley, Waverly, Nebraska

From the Recipe Creator: My grandmother gave me a cookbook stuffed with recipes. This is a slight twist on one of the first—and best—recipes I made from the book. It’s best to store this peppermint dessert in the refrigerator. —Mary Murphy, Evansville, Indiana

From the Recipe Creator: Since chocolate and mint is my favorite flavor combination, these dainty frosted treats are hard to resist. But I manage to save some for guests, because they make my cookie trays look so elegant. —Anne Revers, Omaha, Nebraska