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These adorable and delicious Candy Cane Cookies are so fun to make and are a Christmas staple for holiday baking!
Step by step photos and instructions below!
I love a good Christmas cookie recipe, and these ones are just SO CUTE!
I’ve been baking up some Gingerbread Men and Spritz Cookies this year – go check those out too!
We make 1 cookie dough then divide the dough and color half of it red. Chill the dough for a bit, then twist together the red dough with the white dough, and shape into candy cane shapes.
While candy canes ARE red and white, I like to be a bit more subtle with the food coloring and use crushed peppermint candy canes to dust the cookies at the end.
I have included step by step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Why this recipe works
- Fun to make! Grab some friends or some kids, make some dough and have everyone twist their own.
- Adaptable. Make wreaths or other shapes!
- Delicious. Well, duh. Goes without saying?
Kylee’s Notes & FAQs
Storing cookies
Store in a covered container at room temperature for up to a week.
Substitutions/Additions
- If you love more peppermint flavor you can add 1 teaspoon peppermint extract and only 1 teaspoon vanilla. You do you!
- You can leave out the peppermint and just do almond extract if you don’t like peppermint flavor!
Recipe Ingredients and Possible Substitutes
The full list of ingredients and quantities is found in the printable recipe card below.
How to make Candy Cane Cookies from scratch
Full, printable recipe below – just scroll down to the recipe card!
Get prepped
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
Make the dough
In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment combine butter and powder sugar on low until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Add egg and egg white along with vanilla extract and and peppermint and mix on medium speed until fluffy and well combined, making sure to scrape down the edges as you go, about 3 minutes.
Add the flour and salt and mix on low until fully blended.
Color the dough
Divide the dough in half and wrap one half in plastic wrap and shape it into a disc.
To the second half add 3-4 drops of red food gel and knead until fully colored.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate both dough discs for 1 hour or overnight (the longer you chill it the better).
Shape and bake!
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface, roll a tablespoon of each dough (white and red) into a 4- 6 inch long rope.
Place the ropes side by side and carefully twist the red and white ropes together; curving the end down resembling a cane, add to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, repeat with the remaining dough.
Brush with beaten egg white and transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until firm and golden around edges. Baking time will vary based on your oven, so do keep an eye on them!
Remove cookies from baking sheets promptly and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Decorate
While the cookies cool, combine crushed candy canes and sugar, mixing well. Coat the cookies with candy mixture and allow them to cool completely.
Keep uneaten cookies sealed in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Devour.
More delicious cookies:
- Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies. Perfect chocolate chip cookies are the go-to, bees-knees, classic kind of cookie. Crispy, with a little chew, bursting with chocolate chips. Heaven.
- Crispy Chewy Oatmeal Cookies. These crispy chewy oatmeal cookies are my absolute ideal cookie. Crisp, with a slight chew, lots of vanilla, and butter and EASY to make!
- Triple Chocolate Cookies. These soft and chewy triple chocolate cookies are dangerous! They have 3 types of chocolate and are decadent and delicious. Grab a glass of milk!
- German Chocolate Cookies. German Chocolate Cake in cookie form! Soft, chewy chocolate cookies topped with a creamy, caramel/coconut/pecan frosting and drizzled with melted chocolate.
- ALL COOKIE RECIPES
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Candy Cane Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg white (slightly beaten)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup finely crushed peppermint candy
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 3-4 drops red food gel
- 1 egg white (lightly beaten)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment combine butter and powder sugar on low until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and egg white along with vanilla and and peppermint and mix on medium speed until fluffy and well combined, making sure to scrape down the edges as you go, about 3 minutes.
- Add the flour and salt and mix on low until fully blended. Divide the dough in half and wrap one half in plastic wrap and shape it into a disc. To the second half add 3-4 drops of red food gel and knead until fully colored, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate both dough discs for 1 hour or overnight, the longer you chill it the better.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface, roll a tablespoon of each dough (white and red) into a 4- 6 inch long rope. Place the ropes side by side and carefully twist together; curving the end down resembling a cane, add to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, repeat with the remaining dough. Brush with beaten egg white and transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until firm and golden around edges. Remove candy canes from cookie sheets promptly and transfer to a wire rack with a large spatula.
- While the cookies cool, combine crushed peppermint candy and sugar, mixing well. Coat the cookies with candy mixture and allow them to cool completely.
- Devour
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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