Growing up in my family, the holidays always meant a lot of baking was happening. Every kind of of sweet treat -from fudge to fruitcake to pfeffernusse- might be in the works in the lead up to Christmas. But, one of the simplest cookies was always the biggest hit: sugar cookies.

This year we’ve got a new take on this classic recipe that is also incredibly yummy. With the addition of a few extra ingredients, regular sugar cookies are transformed into really gorgeous wintertime treats worthy of any gift basket or holiday spread.

Unlike many sugar cookies recipes, this one is a drop cookie recipe. This means no holiday cookie cutters for these bad boys. Instead, after the dough is made and then left to chill in the fridge for an hour you form the dough into balls, then roll them in sugar, then top them with crushed peppermint candies (or candy canes).

To make this magic topping, simply place the candy in a freezer bag, zip it up, and then hit it with a rolling pin. You’re looking for a texture chunkier than sand, but still fairly fine.

There’s also a bit of peppermint extract in the cookie dough as well, so you get a wonderful minty flavor in every single bite. But, the final step is the one that really makes these cookies completely drool-worthy.

You’ll want to make sure to leave plenty of room between each cookie as they will spread in the oven. Once these cookies are out of the oven and cooled off, you drizzle melted chocolate over the top using a fork or butter knife. We used chocolate chips melted in 30 second bursts in the microwave for ours.

You can also leave the tops plain if you prefer. Honestly, these cookies are delicious either way!

It really couldn’t be easier to make these very pleasing cookies that pack a lot more flavor than regular sugar cookies. Plus, they make the cookie platter look incredible.

Try these simple peppermint sugar cookies and they might just become part of your holiday traditions going forward. And, who doesn’t love something wonderful to look forward to each year?