Oh, these cookies! Every holiday season, the sweet scent of peppermint and vanilla fills my kitchen, bringing back so many happy memories. There’s just something magical about twisting together these festive candy cane shapes. They’re not just delicious; they’re a little piece of edible art that always brings smiles. And today, I’m going to walk you through all the wonderful Ingredients that make them so special.
Why You’ll Love These Candy Cane Cookies
- They’re incredibly festive and perfect for holiday baking or gifting.
- The peppermint and vanilla flavors are a classic, comforting combination.
- The dough is surprisingly easy to work with, even for beginners.
- They look impressive but are so much fun to make!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Unsalted Butter: Make sure it’s at room temperature! This is key for a smooth, creamy dough that mixes beautifully. If it’s too cold, it won’t cream properly; if it’s too warm, your cookies might spread too much.
- Peppermint Extract: This gives our cookies that signature cool, refreshing candy cane flavor. Don’t skimp on quality here!
- Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla balances the peppermint and adds a lovely depth of flavor.
- Baking Powder: Our little helper that gives the cookies a perfect, soft lift.
- Kosher Salt: Don’t skip the salt! It enhances all the other flavors and keeps the cookies from tasting flat.
- All-Purpose Flour: The structure of our cookie! Make sure to measure it correctly – spoon and level is best to avoid too much flour.
- Liquid Red Food Coloring: This is how we get that vibrant red swirl. Gel food coloring can also work, just use a tiny bit less as it’s more concentrated.
- Egg White & Sparkling Sugar: These are for the beautiful finishing touch! The egg white wash helps the sparkling sugar adhere and gives the cookies a lovely sheen. Sparkling sugar adds that extra sparkle and crunch.
How to Make Candy Cane Cookies Step by Step
First things first, let’s get our dough started. In your stand mixer, you’ll combine the softened butter, sugar, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt. Beat these together until they form a lovely, smooth paste that clings to the sides of the bowl. Don’t worry if it looks a little clumpy at first; just keep going!
Next, scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated. Beat in that large egg until it’s completely absorbed into the mixture. Now comes the flour – add it in and mix on low speed until it’s just combined. Stop as soon as you don’t see any dry streaks of flour left. Overmixing here can make your cookies tough, so be gentle!
This is where the magic happens for those beautiful swirls! Divide your dough in half. Take one half out of the bowl. To the remaining dough in the bowl, carefully add your red food coloring. Mix on low speed again until the color is perfectly distributed. Now you’ll have one white and one red dough. Pat each into a disk, wrap them up, and pop them in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or even overnight. This chilling time is super important for preventing your cookies from spreading too much!
My Top Tips for Success
- I always make sure my butter is perfectly at room temperature. It makes such a difference in the dough’s texture!
- In my experience, chilling the dough for the full recommended time (or even overnight!) is non-negotiable for perfectly shaped candy canes.
- Trust me on this one: don’t overmix the flour. As soon as it’s combined, stop.
- When rolling the ropes, try to make them as even in thickness and length as possible for the prettiest twist.
- I like to use a kitchen timer for baking – those 8-10 minutes fly by, and you don’t want to overbake!
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not chilling the dough enough: This is the number one culprit for cookies that spread and lose their shape. The butter needs to firm up.
- Overmixing the flour: This develops too much gluten, leading to tough, chewy cookies instead of tender ones. Mix until just combined.
- Dough too warm when shaping: If your dough is too soft, it will be hard to roll and twist, and it will likely spread in the oven. If it warms up, pop it back in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
- Baking on a hot cookie sheet: This causes the butter to melt too quickly, resulting in misshapen cookies. Always let your baking sheets cool completely between batches.
How to Store Candy Cane Cookies
- At room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 5-7 days.
- In the freezer (baked): Place cooled cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- In the freezer (dough): Wrap the disks of dough tightly in plastic wrap, then an additional layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before shaping and baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use salted butter instead?
Yes, you can, but omit the 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt from the recipe. Unsalted butter gives you more control over the salt content.
My dough is too sticky to roll. What should I do?
Your dough might be too warm. Pop it back into the refrigerator for another 20-30 minutes to firm up. A lightly floured surface can also help.
How do I prevent my cookies from spreading too much?
Ensure your butter is at room temperature (not melted!), chill your dough for the full recommended time, and make sure your oven is preheated correctly.
Can I make these cookies without a stand mixer?
Absolutely! You can use a hand mixer for creaming the butter and sugar, and then mix in the flour by hand with a sturdy spoon or spatula.
Can I use natural food coloring?
Yes, but be aware that natural food colorings might not yield as vibrant a red as artificial ones, and you may need to use more.
I hope these Candy Cane Cookies bring as much joy and festive cheer to your kitchen as they do to mine. They truly are a delightful treat to make and share. Go ahead and get baking, and don’t forget to tell me how your beautiful Ingredients turned out!
PrintCandy Cane Cookies
Festive and fun, these buttery peppermint and vanilla cookies are twisted into classic candy cane shapes, perfect for holiday baking.
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 220
- Yield: 36 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (227g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 3/4 cup (385g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon liquid red food coloring
- 1 egg white
- 2 tablespoons sparkling sugar
Instructions
- Place the softened butter, sugar, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, baking powder, and kosher salt into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Beat the mixture until a smooth paste forms and clings to the side of the bowl.
- Scrape down the side of the bowl with a spatula.
- Add the large egg to the mixture.
- Beat until the egg is fully absorbed.
- Add the all-purpose flour to the bowl.
- Beat on low speed until just combined and no dry streaks of flour remain.
- Divide the dough in half and remove one half from the bowl.
- Carefully add the liquid red food coloring to the remaining dough in the bowl.
- Mix on low speed until the red color is evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Pat each piece of dough (one white, one red) into a flat disk.
- Wrap each disk separately in plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate the dough for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.
- Check the chilled dough; it should be firm but still easy to shape straight from the fridge.
- If the dough is too firm, let it warm at room temperature for a few minutes until malleable.
- If the dough becomes too soft, return it to the refrigerator for a short period.
- Pinch off a 1-inch round piece of the white dough.
- Roll the white dough piece into a 5-inch rope.
- Pinch off a 1-inch round piece of the red dough.
- Roll the red dough piece into a 5-inch rope, ensuring it is the same length as the white rope.
- Place the white and red ropes next to each other.
- Twist the two ropes together to form a striped rope.
- Carefully transfer the twisted rope to the prepared baking sheet.
- Curve the top of the twisted dough into a candy cane shape.
- Repeat the shaping process with the remaining dough, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- Prepare the egg white wash by beating the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water until foamy.
- Brush the top of each shaped cookie with the egg white wash.
- Sprinkle sparkling sugar generously over each cookie.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Bake until the edges of the cookies are just barely brown.
- Let the baked cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
- Transfer the cooled cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Ensure the cookie sheets are completely cool before baking the next batch of cookies.
Notes
Ensure butter is at room temperature for best dough consistency.
Chill dough for at least 3 hours; this prevents spreading.
Do not overmix the flour; mix until just combined.
Let baking sheets cool completely between batches to prevent misshapen cookies.
