Homemade Candy Cane Cookies are easy to make, fun and festive!
Bring the magic of the holiday season to life with these Candy Cane Cookies! Their colors and classic peppermint flavor make them the perfect treat for Christmas gatherings… And just like my snow ball cookies and cut out sugar cookies, these are a festive addition to any Christmas cookie plate!
Whether you’re hosting a Christmas party, decorating a gingerbread house, or simply craving a sweet pick-me-up, these cookies are sure to satisfy!
Best served fresh from the oven, these cookies are delicious enjoyed with a cup of hot cocoa or a glass of cold milk… They also make a wonderful homemade gift, packaged in a festive tin or bag!
Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies Ingredients
These soft candy cane cookies are made with basic simple ingredients including:
Softened butter, all purpose flour, white sugar, salt, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, baking powder, egg and red food coloring… Plus some optional toppings like an easy egg wash, sugar or crushed candy canes!
How to make Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies
Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl beat together the butter, sugar, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, baking powder, salt and egg until well combined.
Next, add 2 3/4 cups of all purpose flour, and beat until just combined… Don’t over mix or the cookies will be tougher.
Divide your cookie dough in half… Wrap 1 of the halves like a disk in plastic wrap… This is your white layer.
For the red dough: Add your liquid red food coloring to the leftover half of the dough in the mixing bowl, and mix it until your cookie dough turns a bright red, and is evenly colored. Shape your red dough into a disk, and wrap it up with plastic wrap.
Chill Dough: Refrigerate both dough disks for at least 3 hours. Make sure the dough is well-chilled before rolling and shaping. This helps the dough maintain its shape during baking and prevents it from spreading.
Preheat Oven: After chilling for at least 3 hours, Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Prep Baking Sheets: and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
Form Candy Canes: Remove both of your dough disks from the refrigerator and unwrap them.
For smaller candy cane cookies use 1 tablespoons of each of the dough disks and roll each color individually into 4 inch long log.
For large candy cane cookies: use 2 tablespoons of each dough dish and roll 8 inch long logs.
Make sure you roll the dough logs to a consistent thickness to ensure even baking.
With one red and one white roll laying next to each other, twist them to form a spiral effect. Place your twisted candy cane dough onto your parchment lined baking sheet, THEN bend the top downward to make each one into a candy cane shape. (Be sure to leave 1-2 inches of space between each candy cane, so they don’t expand into each other as they bake.)
Quick Chill: After shaping the candy canes, chill them for 10 minutes before baking. This helps them hold their shape better.
Optional Sugar Sprinkle Finish: In a small bowl, whisk the egg white and water together. Then, use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash over the tops of your candy canes. And sprinkle granulated sugar over the tops of each one.
Bake: In a PREHEATED oven bake large cookies for 8 minutes or small cookies for 6 minutes… Just until the edges turn slightly golden. Keep a close eye on the cookies in the oven. Overbaking makes dry cookies.
Cooling Time: Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack. This will prevent them from breaking.
Remove cookies form he oven, and let them cool ON the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. Then use a spatula to transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely…. And Enjoy!
Flavor & Decorating Options
- Peppermint Intensity: For a stronger peppermint flavor, add a few drops of peppermint oil.
- Color Vibrancy: Use high-quality food coloring to achieve bright and vibrant colors.
- Decorating: Decorate your cookies with royal icing, sprinkles, or crushed candy canes for a festive touch!
Recipe Card
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Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon liquid red food coloring
- Optional Topping: 1 egg white & 1 tablespoon water for egg wash to hold sugar or crushed candy can topping. + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar or 2 tablespoons of CRUSHED candy canes!
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl beat together the butter, sugar, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, baking powder, salt and egg until well combined.
- Add 2 3/4 cups of all purpose flour, and beat until just combined… Don't over mix or the cookies will be tougher.
- Divide your cookie dough in half… Wrap 1 of the halves like a disk in plastic wrap… This is your white layer.
- Add your liquid red food coloring to the leftover half of the dough in the mixing bowl, and mix it until your cookie dough turns a bright red, and is evenly colored. Shape your red dough into a disk, and wrap it up with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate both dough disks for at least 3 hours. Make sure the dough is well-chilled before rolling and shaping. This helps the dough maintain its shape during baking and prevents it from spreading.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove both of your dough disks from the refrigerator and unwrap them.
For smaller candy cane cookies use 1 tablespoons of each of the dough disks and roll each color individually into 4 inch long log.
For large candy cane cookies: use 2 tablespoons of each dough dish and roll 8 inch long logs.
Make sure you roll the dough logs to a consistent thickness to ensure even baking. - With one red and one white roll laying next to each other, twist them to form a spiral effect. Place your twisted candy cane dough onto your parchment lined baking sheet, THEN bend the top downward to make each one into a candy cane shape. (Be sure to leave 1-2 inches of space between each candy cane, so they don't expand into each other as they bake.)
- After shaping the candy canes, chill them for 10 minutes before baking. This helps them hold their shape better.
- For a Sugar Sprinkle Finish: In a small bowl, whisk the egg white and water together. Then, use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash over the tops of your candy canes. And sprinkle granulated sugar over the tops of each one.
- Bake in a PREHEATED oven bake large cookies for 8 minutes or small cookies for 6 minutes… Just until the edges turn slightly golden. Keep a close eye on the cookies in the oven. Overbaking makes dry cookies.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack. This prevents them from breaking….. And Enjoy
Notes
Roll Evenly: Roll the dough logs to a consistent thickness to ensure even baking.
Gentle Handling: Handle the dough gently to avoid overworking it, which can lead to tough cookies.
Baking Time: Keep a close eye on the cookies in the oven. Overbaking can result in dry cookies.
Cooling Time: To prevent cookies from breaking, let the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack.
Storage: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Nutrition
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About Juliea
Juliea Huffaker is the creator of Farmhouse Harvest, and dedicated to teaching from-scratch cooking, sourdough baking, gardening, and food preservation. With over 25 years of hands-on experience she has preserved hundreds of jars of produce, mastered the art of meats and sourdough baking, and nurtured a thriving organic garden. Her recipes and articles have been featured across the web. And she’s passionate about inspiring others to embrace a simpler, self-sufficient life style.
