Make Jolly Candy Cane Cookies: A Festive Holiday Recipe

Sweet memories burst with every bite of these delightful candy cane cookies that dance between crisp and chewy textures.

Childhood winters whisper through the peppermint-swirled dough, reminding you of cozy kitchen moments.

Delicate red and white swirls create a festive visual symphony that captures holiday magic.

Sharing these treats during warm gatherings where laughter echoes and cookies disappear quickly.

Baking becomes an adventure when you mix simple ingredients into something extraordinary.

The kitchen fills with an irresistible minty fragrance that beckons everyone near.

One taste will transport you straight to a winter wonderland of sugary delight.

This recipe promises to become your new favorite seasonal tradition that everyone will request repeatedly.

Why Candy Cane Cookies Bring The Holiday Joy

• Craft Festive Holiday Cheer: These candy cane cookies transform simple ingredients into a delightful Christmas treat that captures the magic of the season with their iconic red and white twisted design.
• Master Easy Decorative Baking: The recipe offers a straightforward method to create visually stunning cookies that look professionally made, requiring minimal culinary skills and delivering maximum visual impact.
• Enjoy Irresistible Peppermint Flavor: Packed with peppermint extract and optional crushed candy topping, these cookies deliver a bold, refreshing taste that perfectly balances sweet butter cookies with cool minty notes.
• Create Family Baking Memories: The simple twisting technique makes this an ideal recipe for baking with kids, encouraging hands-on participation and building joyful holiday traditions through a fun, interactive cooking experience.

Simple Ingredients For Candy Cane Cookies

• Butter: Provides rich, creamy flavor and tender texture for the cookie.
• Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create a golden, crisp edge.
• Egg: Binds ingredients and contributes to the cookie's structure.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances overall sweet flavor profile.

• Peppermint Extract: Creates signature candy cane taste and festive aroma.
• Red Gel Food Coloring: Adds classic red and white striped appearance.

• Flour, Baking Powder, Salt: Essential for creating cookie's tender, crisp texture and providing structure.

• Granulated Sugar, Crushed Peppermint Candies: Provides extra crunch and decorative sparkle to the cookies.

Steps To Make Candy Cane Cookies With Ease

Step 1: Whip Up The Dough Magic

In a spacious mixing bowl, grab your softened butter and sugar. Cream them together until they transform into a fluffy cloud-like mixture. Crack in the egg and splash in vanilla and peppermint extracts, blending until smooth. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually marry these dry ingredients into your creamy mixture, creating a dreamy soft dough.

• Red gel food coloring

Slice the dough in half. Leave one portion pure white and knead the other with vibrant red coloring. Wrap each section in clingy plastic and send them chilling in the refrigerator for a cool 30-minute nap.

Step 2: Craft Whimsical Candy Cane Shapes

Fire up the oven to 375F (190C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Take small portions of red and white dough, rolling each into slender ropes about 4-5 inches long. Gently intertwine these ropes like dance partners, curving the top to create that classic candy cane silhouette. Carefully place each twisted creation on the prepared baking sheet.

Step 3: Bake And Beautify

Slide the baking sheets into the oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges look just barely set – watch carefully to avoid over-browning. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for a quick 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for cooling.

• Granulated sugar
• Crushed peppermint candies

While cookies are still warm, sprinkle with a magical dust of sugar and crushed peppermint for an extra festive touch.

Pro Tips For Perfect Candy Cane Cookies

• Chill Thoroughly: Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading and help maintain the candy cane shape during baking.
• Maintain Consistent Size: Use a kitchen scale or equal-sized portions to ensure uniform cookies that bake evenly and look professionally made.
• Handle with Care: Work quickly when twisting dough ropes to prevent warming, which can make them difficult to shape and less defined.
• Prevent Cracking: Roll dough ropes gently and avoid pressing too hard to keep the twisted design smooth and prevent structural breaks.
• Cool Completely: Allow cookies to cool entirely on wire racks to develop a crisp texture and prevent potential sogginess from trapped moisture.

How To Store Candy Cane Cookies And Keep Them Fresh

• Refrigeration: Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container lined with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. Cookies will stay fresh for up to 5 days when refrigerated.
• Freezing: Preserve cookies for longer by placing them in a freezer-safe container with wax paper separating each layer. Freeze up to 3 months for maximum flavor and texture preservation.
• Reheating: Restore cookie crispness by warming them briefly in a preheated oven at 300F for 3-5 minutes. Alternatively, enjoy cookies at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
• Moisture Prevention: Keep cookies crisp by adding a small piece of bread to the storage container, which helps absorb excess moisture and maintains their delightful crunch.

What Goes Well With Candy Cane Cookies

• Pair with Cocoa Comfort: Warm, rich hot chocolate perfectly complements the peppermint flavor, creating a cozy winter treat that'll make your taste buds dance with holiday cheer.
• Match with Creamy Vanilla Delight: A smooth vanilla bean ice cream provides a cool, creamy contrast to the crisp, minty cookie, balancing the sweet and refreshing flavors.
• Serve alongside Spiced Tea Bliss: A cinnamon or chai tea enhances the cookie's peppermint notes, offering a warming drink that elevates the festive cookie experience.
• Enjoy with Peppermint Milkshake Magic: A creamy peppermint milkshake doubles down on the minty flavor, creating an indulgent dessert combination that screams holiday happiness.

Fun Variations Of Candy Cane Cookies

• Chocolate Peppermint Swirl: Replace part of the plain dough with cocoa powder, creating a rich chocolate base that intertwines with the red-and-white stripes for a decadent winter treat.
• Almond Candy Cane Crunch: Add finely chopped almonds to the dough and sprinkle crushed toasted almonds on top after baking for a nutty, textural enhancement.
• White Chocolate Drizzle Edition: After cooling, melt white chocolate and drizzle it over the cookies, then sprinkle with crushed candy canes for an elegant, festive finish.
• Gluten-Free Holiday Version: Substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend, ensuring those with dietary restrictions can enjoy these classic holiday cookies.

Candy Cane Cookies FAQs Answered

• Why use peppermint extract in these cookies?

Peppermint extract adds an authentic candy cane flavor, creating that classic holiday taste that makes these cookies special and instantly recognizable. It provides a crisp, cool mint sensation that perfectly complements the sweet cookie base.

• Can I make these cookies without food coloring?

While red food coloring creates the traditional candy cane look, you can skip it and make plain white cookies. However, the visual appeal and festive spirit of the twisted red and white design will be lost. If you prefer, you could use natural food coloring alternatives.

• How do I prevent my cookies from spreading too much during baking?

Chilling the dough is crucial for preventing spread. The 30-minute refrigeration helps solidify the butter and prevents the cookies from becoming flat. Also, make sure your butter is just softened, not melted, and avoid overworking the dough when mixing.

• Are these cookies difficult to shape?

These cookies require a bit of practice but aren’t complicated. Start by rolling even-sized ropes of dough and gently twisting them together. Don’t worry if they’re not perfect – slightly imperfect cookies often look more homemade and charming.

Candy Cane Cookies Recipe

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• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 24 1x

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Description

Sweet candy cane cookies bring festive winter magic to holiday dessert tables, blending peppermint’s cool crunch with buttery cookie charm. Crisp red and white swirled treats offer delightful crispness that melts in your mouth, creating delicious Christmas memories.

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Ingredients

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Primary Ingredients:

• 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 ¾ cups (345 g) all-purpose flour

Flavor and Seasoning Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Red gel food coloring

Finishing Ingredients:

• ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon crushed peppermint candies

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Instructions

1. Craft a luxurious butter-sugar foundation by whipping softened butter and sugar until they transform into a cloud-like, airy mixture. Incorporate egg, vanilla, and peppermint extracts, blending thoroughly to create a harmonious liquid base.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate vessel. Gradually fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture, gently kneading until a supple dough emerges.
3. Partition the dough precisely into two equal portions. Infuse one half with vibrant red gel food coloring, massaging carefully to ensure uniform pigmentation.
4. Encase both dough sections in protective plastic wrap and allow them to rest and chill in the refrigerator for half an hour, enabling flavors to meld and texture to stabilize.
5. Warm the oven to 375F (190C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper, creating a pristine workspace.
6. Extract small segments of red and plain dough, rolling each into slender, elegant ropes approximately 4-5 inches long.
7. Delicately intertwine the red and plain ropes, gently curving the top to mimic a classic candy cane silhouette. Arrange carefully on prepared baking sheets.
8. Bake for 8-10 minutes, watching for subtle edge firming without overcooking. Allow cookies to rest briefly on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
9. Optional: Sprinkle a sparkling mixture of granulated sugar and crushed peppermint candies over warm cookies for an extra festive touch.

Notes

• Chill dough thoroughly to prevent spreading and maintain crisp candy cane stripes during baking.
• Use gel food coloring for vibrant, even red color without altering dough consistency.
• Keep dough chilled between batches to maintain shape and prevent softening.
• Twist ropes gently and evenly to create uniform, professional-looking candy cane patterns.
• Work on cool surfaces to prevent dough from becoming too soft and losing definition.
• Swap peppermint extract with almond or vanilla for different flavor variations.
• Gluten-free bakers can substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend.
• Crush candy canes finely for a more delicate topping texture.
• Store cookies in an airtight container between layers of parchment to prevent sticking.
• For dairy-free option, replace butter with plant-based margarine or coconut oil.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 24
• Calories: 138
• Sugar: 8 g
• Sodium: 55 mg
• Fat: 7 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 18 g
• Fiber: 0.5 g
• Protein: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 20 mg