This post is filled with so many of my favorite things I’m literally giddy writing it! I don’t even know where to start. But let’s start with the ice cream.
Did you know my favorite flavor of ice cream is peppermint stick? I have loved it my whole life. Growing up my mom would always buy me my very own container of it right around the holidays. I felt so special having my very own quart that I didn’t have to share! Fast forward to being an adult and you had better believe that come the month of December there is a quart of Gifford’s Pink Peppermint Stick ice cream in my freezer…and all 3 of my guys know it is mama’s so hands off!
But I was in a super festive mood this past week. So I had Carter and Hunter hang out in the other room while I put together the Ultimate Pink Peppermint Stick Milkshakes! I mean we are talking vintage sundae glasses, marshmallow cream, crushed peppermint sticks, whipped cream, sprinkles and my favorite cookie: Pinwheel Swirl Cookies.
Every Christmas my grandma bakes these pinwheel cookies. They are sweet and buttery and flavored with almond extract. My all time favorite cookie. So how crazy is it to admit that I have never baked them! Why would I need to when grandma bakes them yearly? Well this year just being so different meant I had to handle the baking of these cookies myself. And I’m happy to report they came out perfectly (but grandma’s still tastes better!) Grandma would always color them pink, green and white. But since I knew I’d be serving them with Gifford’s Pink Peppermint Stick Ice Cream I decided to twist it up a bit and do red, pink and white. And I think they came out oh so festive.
Be sure to head to your local grocer to pick up a quart of Gifford’s Pink Peppermint Stick Ice cream (you can head over here to find a store near you: https://www.giffordsicecream.com/ice-cream-store-locations/). These milkshakes would be such a fun activity to do with your family during that week between Christmas and New Years. Have fun, be creative, and enjoy some of my favorite holiday treats.
Ultimate Pink Peppermint Stick Milkshakes:
Makes 2:
¼ quart Gifford’s Pink Peppermint Stick Ice Cream
¼-½ cup milk
¼ cup marshmallow cream
Crushed peppermint sticks
Whipped cream
Assorted seasonal sprinkles
In your blender combine the Gifford’s ice cream and ¼ cup milk. Blend adding more milk as needed for desired thickness.
To prep glasses:
Spoon the marshmallow cream onto a microwave safe plate. Microwave on high for 15-20 seconds; until it’s melted. Dip the rims of your sundae glasses into the melted marshmallow cream then immediately dip into the crushed peppermint sticks. Let it harden (takes only a few minutes).
Poor your milkshakes into the prepared glasses. Top with whipped cream, seasonal sprinkles, and serve with Pinwheel Swirl Cookies!
Pinwheel Swirl Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- Pink & red food coloring
- Confectioners sugar
- Colored jimmies sprinkles
Instructions
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Make your dough the day before baking or at least have about 4-6 hours to refrigerate dough.
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In your mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add the egg and almond extract. Once combined, beat in the flour, baking powder and salt until smooth. Evenly divide dough into 3 pieces. Leave one piece plain, color one section pink and the other red. Form each section into a flattened rectangle, wrap separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm.
To assemble cookies:
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Divide each portion in half. Sprinkle your work surface with confectioners sugar (Grandma recommends rolling out your dough on wax or parchment paper). Working with one portion of each color, roll into a 10” x 6” rectangle. Stack each rectangle on top of each other (I did red, pink and white on top). Starting at the long side, roll tightly in “jelly roll fashion peeling back wax paper while rolling” (Grandma’s words). At this point you want to press the sprinkles all around the roll of dough. Wrap the roll and put in the freezer for about 15 minutes, until firm.
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Preheat the oven to 35Using a serrated knife, cut the roll into ¼” slices. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet 1” apart. Bake for 9-10 minutes only until set, not browned at all. These freeze well!
Sponsored by Gifford’s. All opinions are my own.
