1-Preheat and prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F to 375°F (175°C to 190°C), depending on your oven’s performance and how soft or crisp you want your cookies. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, silicone mats, or lightly grease with nonstick spray.

2-Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine flour, crushed peppermint candies, salt, and if using, baking powder and baking soda. Mix well to distribute the peppermint pieces evenly so they don’t sink or clump.

3-Cream butter and sugar: In a separate large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl sides as needed for even mixing.

4-Add egg and extracts: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond or peppermint extract until well combined.

5-Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed. Finish mixing by hand with a spatula to avoid overworking the dough, which can result in tough cookies. If dough feels sticky, chill it for 30 minutes or add a little more flour.

6-Optional candy cane shaping: Divide the dough in half. Knead red food coloring into one half. Roll white and red dough halves into ropes, twist together, and shape into candy canes. Chill shaped dough on baking sheets for 15 minutes before baking for better shape retention.

7-Form and bake cookies: For classic rounds, scoop dough by tablespoon or cookie scoop, roll into balls, and optionally roll in powdered sugar for a frosted look. Place dough balls spaced about 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.

8-Bake: Bake for 9 to 12 minutes, until the bottoms are golden brown and the tops are set but not browned or shiny. Use light-colored baking sheets when possible; dark sheets may require reducing baking time by 2 minutes.

9-Cool: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3 to 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.