Peppermint White Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp peppermint extract
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup Ghirardelli peppermint chunks

1. Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.

2. Using a stand mixer, beat butter for 1 minute on medium speed (level 4 on my KitchenAid) until completely smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and mix on medium speed until fluffy and light in color. Mix in egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract (I started on level 2, then increased to 4 as the wet ingredients were incorporated). Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.

3. On low speed (level 2), slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. The cookie dough will be thick. Add the white chocolate and peppermint chips. Stir for 5 seconds to combine. Cover dough tightly and refrigerate for a full day (up to 3 days).

4. When ready to bake: preheat oven to 350. Remove cookie dough from refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10-20 minutes. After chilling, the dough may be crumbly, but will come together as you roll it into to balls for baking.

5. Scoop 1.5 tbsp of dough (large cookie scoop) and roll into balls, placing onto ungreased baking sheet (I did 9 cookies per sheet). Bake for 10-11 minutes, until just lightly golden brown around the edges.

6. Allow to cool 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Notes: Cookies stay fresh covered tightly at room temperature for up to a week. Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months; bake frozen cookie dough balls for 1 extra minute, no need to thaw. (To freeze, prepare through step 3, chilling dough for 3 hours. Roll into balls, place in freezer on a tray for another hour, until solid. Place in zip-top freezer bag, labeled with the recipe, baking temp and time, and a use by date. When baking, simply remove desired number of dough balls from the freezer just before preheating oven).

Yield: 30 cookies.

(adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction)