In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter until smooth. Gradually add in the sugar and continue mixing on medium until fluffy.

Add in the egg and peppermint extract and beat until mixed well.

Place the mixer on low and add in the flour mixture, mixing until just blended.

Knead the dough into a ball and flatten into a disc shape. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

On a lightly floured surface roll the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out 30 peppermint candy shapes. Place the cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until they no longer look wet on top.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely.

To make the royal icing put the powdered sugar and corn syrup in a bowl. Add the water 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring well after each addition, until desired consistency is reached. Add in peppermint if desired and mix well.

Put 3/4 of the frosting in one bowl and tint it super white. Tint the remaining 1/4 of the frosting red.

Pipe a white outline around the outside of the cookies and around the middle circle. Thin the remaining
icing and flood the inside of the cookies with white icing doing 3 or 4 at a time.

Quickly pipe the red icing on the middle circle by going top to bottom, side to side, and then two diagonal lines.

Using a toothpick drag the toothpick through the red icing in three circles each going the same way to make the peppermint candy.

Repeat with the remaining cookies.

Allow to dry for 12 hours or overnight before storing.