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Candy Cane Cookies (Festive, Minty, and Fun!)

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These Candy Cane Cookies are a festive and delicious treat that's perfect for the holiday season! They're shaped like adorable candy canes, with a beautiful red and white swirl, and they have a delightful peppermint flavor. I love how these cookies are both fun to make and impressive to look at. They're perfect for Christmas cookie exchanges, holiday parties, or a special treat for your family and friends. Get ready to bake up some holiday cheer!

Why You'll Love These Candy Cane Cookies

  • Festive and Fun: The candy cane shape and red and white swirl make these cookies perfect for Christmas.
  • Peppermint Flavor: The peppermint extract adds a refreshing and festive flavor.
  • Soft and Chewy: These cookies have a soft and chewy texture.
  • Impressive: They look beautiful and are sure to impress your guests.
Ingredients for Candy Cane Cookies, including flour, sugar, butter, cream cheese, peppermint extract, and red food coloring.

Ingredients for Candy Cane Cookies

Here's what you'll need to make these festive cookies. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

Main Ingredients

  • Unsalted butter, room temperature (Fat)
  • Cream cheese, room temperature (Dairy)
  • Granulated sugar (Sweetener)
  • Large egg yolk (Binder)
  • Peppermint extract (Flavoring)
  • Salt (Seasoning)
  • All-purpose flour (Dry Ingredient)
  • Red gel food coloring (Coloring) Americolor Super Red recommended

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)

Variations

I love these Candy Cane Cookies as is, but here are a few ideas for variations:

  • Different Extract: Use vanilla extract, almond extract, or a combination of extracts instead of peppermint.
  • Add Chocolate: Dip the cooled cookies in melted chocolate or drizzle them with chocolate.
  • Sprinkles: Add some festive sprinkles to the dough or sprinkle them on top before baking.
  • Different Colors: Use different colors of food coloring, such as green and white, or blue and white.
Twisting the dough to create the candy cane shape for Candy Cane Cookies.

How to Make Candy Cane Cookies

Let me show you how to make these festive and delicious Candy Cane Cookies:

Cream Butter, Cream Cheese and Sugar

  1. I place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat for about 30 seconds, until creamy.
  2. I add the cream cheese, mix together until combined, then add the granulated sugar.
  3. I mix on medium speed for 30 seconds.

Add Egg Yolk, Peppermint Extract, and Salt

  1. I add the yolk, peppermint extract, and salt, and mix until everything comes together.

Add Flour

  1. With the mixer running on low, I add the flour in a steady stream, and mix just until combined.

Divide and Color Dough

  1. I divide the dough in half. If I have a kitchen scale, each half should be about 18 ounces.
  2. I keep one half in the mixer and add red gel food coloring to the dough.
  3. I mix just until the food coloring is incorporated and my dough is red.

Roll and Chill Dough

  1. I roll each color out between two sheets of parchment to a long rectangle, approximately ¼" thick, 5" wide, and 18" long. The dough will be soft, but by using the parchment paper, I should be able to work with it and form it into a rectangle. If I have too much trouble, I refrigerate the dough briefly just until it's easier to work with.
  2. I chill the dough rectangles in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

Stack and Roll

  1. Then I carefully stack the red on top of the white.
  2. I use a rolling pin to gently roll over the rectangle and meld the two colors together. I should now have a two-toned rectangle about ½" thick, 5" wide, and 18" long.
  3. I wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes.

Cut and Shape

  1. I use a sharp knife to cut thin strips from the rectangle. I start cutting at the top of the long side and cut across the short side. Each strip should be about ½-inch wide and 5-inches long.
  2. I roll the strip between my hands until the edges round out.
  3. I start to twist the dough gently with your fingers, creating a red-and-white spiral pattern.
  4. I curve one end of the dough around to form a hooked candy cane shape, and place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
  5. I repeat with the rest of the dough and more baking sheets until I've made about 36 candy cane cookies. If the dough starts to tear and becomes hard to work with during this process, I refrigerate it briefly to firm up.

Preheat and Chill

  1. I preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. I stick one of the baking sheets of cookies in the freezer while the oven preheats, so the cookies are chilled but not actually frozen when going in to bake.

Bake

  1. I bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes. The color won't change much, but they will puff up and lose their raw shine, and the bottoms will be light golden.

Cool and Store

  1. I cool completely before removing from the baking sheet.
  2. I store the Candy Cane Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Tips and Tricks for the BEST Candy Cane Cookies

Here are my secrets for making these cookies truly festive and delicious:

  • Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter, cream cheese, and egg yolk are at room temperature for the best results.
  • Don't Overmix: Overmixing the dough can make the cookies tough. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
  • Chill the Dough: Chilling the dough helps to prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking and makes it easier to work with.
  • Gel Food Coloring: Gel food coloring is more concentrated than liquid food coloring, so you'll need less of it to achieve a vibrant color.
  • Bake Until Just Set: The cookies should be just set and slightly puffed when they're done. They will firm up as they cool.

How to Serve

These Candy Cane Cookies are perfect for:

  • Christmas Cookies: A classic Christmas cookie that's sure to be a hit.
  • Holiday Parties: A festive and delicious treat for holiday gatherings.
  • Cookie Exchanges: A fun and unique cookie to bring to a cookie exchange.
  • Gifts: Package them in a cute tin or bag for a homemade gift.
A plate of Candy Cane Cookies ready for a holiday gathering.

Make Ahead and Storage

You can make the dough ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze it for longer storage. Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or frozen for up to 3 months.

FAQs about Candy Cane Cookies

  • Can I use a different extract?
    • Yes, you can use vanilla extract, almond extract, or a combination of extracts.
  • Can I make these without the food coloring?
    • Yes, you can omit the food coloring for plain peppermint cookies.
  • Can I use different colors of food coloring?
    • Absolutely!

Enjoy these festive, fun, and delicious Candy Cane Cookies! They're a perfect treat for the holiday season.

Print
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A plate of Candy Cane Cookies ready for a holiday gathering.

Candy Cane Cookies

  • Author: Caoimhe Byrne
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Chill Time: 55 minutes
  • Cook Time: 14 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 39 minutes
  • Yield: 36 cookies 1x
  • Category: Dessert, Cookies, Holiday, Christmas
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

These festive Candy Cane Cookies are a delightful holiday treat! Red and white swirled dough is shaped into candy canes and baked to create a beautiful and delicious cookie with a hint of peppermint.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ounces (2 sticks, 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 4 ounces (½ cup, 113g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 10 ounces (1 ⅓ cups, 283g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 16 ounces (3 ½ cups, 454g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (see notes)
  • Red gel food coloring (Americolor Super Red recommended)

Instructions

  • Cream Butter and Cream Cheese: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using a hand mixer), beat the softened butter for about 30 seconds until creamy.

  • Add Sugar: Add the softened cream cheese to the butter and beat until combined. Gradually add the granulated sugar and beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds, until well combined.

  • Add Egg Yolk, Extract, and Salt: Add the room-temperature egg yolk, peppermint extract, and salt to the mixture. Beat until everything is well combined.

  • Add Flour: With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the flour in a steady stream, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.

  • Divide and Color Dough: Divide the dough in half. If you have a kitchen scale, each half should weigh about 18 ounces. Return one half of the dough to the mixer bowl (or a clean bowl). Add red gel food coloring to this portion and mix on low speed (or by hand) until the color is evenly distributed and the dough is a vibrant red.

  • Roll Out Dough:

    • Place one portion of dough (either red or white) between two large sheets of parchment paper.
    • Roll the dough out into a long rectangle, approximately ¼-inch thick, 5 inches wide, and 18 inches long. The dough will be soft, but the parchment paper will prevent it from sticking.
    • Repeat with the other portion of dough.

  • Chill Briefly (Optional): If the dough is very soft and difficult to work with, place the rolled-out dough rectangles (still between the parchment paper) in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to firm them up slightly.

  • Stack and Roll: Carefully remove the top sheet of parchment paper from both dough rectangles. Place the red dough rectangle on top of the white dough rectangle. Gently use a rolling pin to roll over the stacked dough, melding the two colors together. The combined rectangle should now be about ½-inch thick, 5 inches wide, and 18 inches long.

  • Chill Dough: Wrap the stacked, two-toned dough rectangle tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, or until firm enough to slice.

  • Slice Dough: Unwrap the chilled dough. Using a sharp knife, cut thin strips from the rectangle. Start cutting at the top of the long side and cut across the short side. Each strip should be about ½-inch wide and 5 inches long.

  • Shape Candy Canes:

    • Take one strip of dough and gently roll it between your hands to round out the edges.
    • Gently twist the dough strip to create a red-and-white spiral pattern.
    • Curve one end of the twisted strip to form the hook of a candy cane.
    • Place the shaped candy cane cookie on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

  • Repeat and Chill: Repeat the shaping process with the remaining dough strips. If the dough becomes too soft and tears easily, return it to the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm up.

  • Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

  • Chill Before Baking (Important): Place one of the baking sheets of shaped cookies in the freezer for about 10 minutes while the oven preheats. This will help the cookies hold their shape during baking.

  • Bake: Bake one sheet at a time for 12-14 minutes. The cookies will not change color much, but they will puff up slightly and lose their raw shine. The bottoms may be lightly golden.

  • Cool: Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them. They will be fragile when warm.

Notes

  • Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room-temperature butter, cream cheese, and egg yolk helps the ingredients emulsify properly.
  • Measuring Flour: For the most accurate results, measure flour by weight. If you don't have a scale, use the "spoon and level" method: fluff the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level off the excess with a straight edge. Do not pack the flour.
  • Gel Food Coloring: Gel food coloring provides the most vibrant color without adding excess liquid to the dough. Americolor Super Red is a good brand for a bright red color.
  • Chilling Dough: Chilling the dough is important for making the cookies easier to shape and for preventing them from spreading too much during baking.
  • Baking Time: The baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven.
  • Storage: Store the cooled candy cane cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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