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Magic of Candy Cane Cookies Recipe

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4.8 from 56 reviews

These Magic Candy Cane Cookies are a festive holiday treat combining classic buttery sugar cookie dough with refreshing peppermint flavor. Swirled with traditional red and white dough shaped into charming candy cane forms, these cookies deliver a perfect balance of sweet and minty in every bite. Easy to make and delightful to share, they’re perfect for holiday parties or gifting.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Dough:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp peppermint extract
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • Red gel food coloring

Instructions

  1. Beat Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and powdered sugar together until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and fluffy, ensuring the sugar is well incorporated.
  2. Add Egg and Extracts: Mix in the large egg (at room temperature), vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Beat until all the wet ingredients are fully combined and the batter is smooth.
  3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt to evenly distribute the salt throughout the flour.
  4. Mix Dough: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until the dough forms and there are no dry spots remaining. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
  5. Divide and Color Dough: Divide the dough into two equal portions. Add red gel food coloring to one half and knead gently until the color is uniformly distributed; leave the other half white.
  6. Chill Dough: Wrap each dough half tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up the dough, making it easier to shape.
  7. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
  8. Shape Candy Canes: Take equal portions of red and white dough and roll each into thin ropes. Twist the ropes together and carefully shape them into candy cane forms, placing them on the prepared baking sheet with some space between each cookie.
  9. Bake: Bake the shaped candy cane cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until they are just set and edges are lightly golden. Avoid overbaking to maintain softness.
  10. Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheets before transferring them to a wire rack or serving plate.

Notes

  • Ensure the butter is softened but not melted for the best dough consistency.
  • If you don’t have gel food coloring, you can use liquid, but gel yields more vibrant colors without altering the dough texture.
  • Chilling the dough is crucial for easy shaping and helps prevent spreading during baking.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
  • For a stronger peppermint flavor, you can add more peppermint extract to taste.

Keywords: Candy Cane Cookies, peppermint cookies, holiday cookies, sugar cookies, festive cookie recipe, Christmas cookies

Find it online: https://hannahdelgado.com/magic-of-candy-cane-cookies-recipe/