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Home » Recipes » Dessert Recipes » Cookie Recipes » Candy Cane Cookies

Candy Cane Cookies

By Lynette on December 15, 2021 · Leave a Comment

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candy cane cookie on plate

Here’s a simple step-by-step recipe to make candy cane cookies easily at home. Red and white dough flavored with peppermint extract, twist together to make these Christmas treats. Make them with your kids, the whole family will enjoy them!

candy cane cookie on plate

A great Christmas cookie comes with tradition. And this cookie is no different. Created by using an old recipe I found in a Better Homes and Garden Christmas cookie book, this delicious cookie does not disappoint with its fun creation to its hint of peppermint flavor.

What Are Candy Cane Cookies?

These cookies are a twist on a regular shortbread cookie. Containing no baking powder or baking soda, they are a dense sweet cookie with a hint of peppermint due to the extract that is added. Half of the dough is colored red to twist with the other half of the dough to form the perfect candy cane. Because they are dense cookies, you can hang them on your tree for decoration!

ingredients in kitchen

Ingredients

This cookie is unique in that it uses powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar. I found no difference in taste but did want to note that you’ll want to sift the powdered sugar before adding it to the recipe to keep those pesky lumps out.

  • butter
  • powdered sugar
  • egg
  • vanilla
  • pepperiment extract
  • salt
  • all-purpose flour
  • red food coloring

How to Make Candy Cane Cookies

These are super simple to make combining basic baking skills with a little twist of food coloring.

cookie dough in bowl

Create the Cookie Dough

In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat the butter until softened. Sift the powdered sugar and add it to the butter. Beat together until fluffy. Add in the egg, vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt. Beat well. Mix in the flour until well incorporated.

Coloring the Cookie Dough

Divide the dough in half. Remove one-half from the large mixing bowl. Add food coloring to the other half and using your mixer, add enough food coloring to create a red dough.

Chilling the Cookie Dough

After you have one half colored red, wrap each half in wax paper or a sealed plastic bag. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

red and white rope of dough to make candy cane cookies

Making The Candy Canes

Shape a teaspoon of white dough into a 4-inch rope. Repeat with the red dough. Place both ropes side by side and twist together. Form the twisted ropes into a candy cane shape and place them 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet.

Bake

Bake in a 375˚ F preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are just lightly brown. Remove from the cookie sheet and cool.

candy cane cookies on plate

Tips for Candy Cane Cookies

Red Food Coloring: The type of food coloring you use will greatly impact the taste of your cookie. Red food coloring can have a bitter taste. I recommend using Wilson Food Coloring. It has no taste and has a beautiful red.

Storage Tips: Once baked and cooled, you can store these cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also store them in the freezer. One ready to serve, let thaw for 1-2 hours.

Looking for More Cookies for Your Cookie Tray?

  • Chocolate Ritz Peanut Butter Cookies
  • Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
  • Easy Sugar Cookies Recipe
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Candy Cane Cookies

  • Author: Lynette
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 40 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

Here’s a simple step-by-step recipe to make Candy Cane Cookies easily at home. Red and white dough flavored with peppermint extract, twist together to make these Christmas treats. Make them with your kids, the whole family will enjoy them!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon red food coloring

Instructions

  1. Prep:  Preheat oven to 375˚ F.
  2. Dough: In a large bowl using a mixer, beat the butter until softened.  Add powdered sugar and beat until fluffy.  Add the egg, vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt and mix in.  Add flour and beat until it forms a dough. 
    cookie dough in bowl
  3. Color Dough:  Divide the dough in half.  Take ½ half of the dough out of the bowl.  With the remaining half, mix in the red food coloring until well combined.  Cover each half and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
    teaspoons of dough
  4. Make Candy Canes: Take 1 teaspoon of red dough and 1 teaspoon of white dough.  Roll each into a 4-inch rope.  Place both ropes beside each other and twist together.  Form into a cane—place canes on an un-greased baking sheet.
    red and white rope of dough to make candy cane cookies
  5. Bake: Bake in a preheated 375˚ F oven for 8-10 minutes or until edges start to slightly turn golden brown.  Remove from oven and cool.

Equipment

hand held mixer with beater

Hand Held Mixer

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food coloring by Wilton

Food Coloring

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set of 3 glass mixing bowls

Mixing Bowls

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Notes

Sift the powdered sugar:  Make sure to sift the powdered sugar before mixing it into the dough to avoid lumps.

Beat the dough well:  Don’t be afraid to keep beating the dough with your mixer until it forms a smooth dough.  It will take a few minutes to get the right consistency.

Chill the dough as you make the candy canes:  Pull out a small portion of dough to make the candy canes.  Keep the remaining dough in the refrigerator.  It is easier to work with the dough when chilled.

Red Food Coloring: The type of food coloring you use will greatly impact the taste of your cookie. Red food coloring can have a bitter taste. I recommend using Wilson Food Coloring. It has no taste and has a beautiful red.

Storage Tips: Once baked and cooled, you can store these cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also store them in the freezer. One ready to serve, let thaw for 1-2 hours.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 83
  • Sugar: 3
  • Sodium: 9.9
  • Fat: 4.8
  • Carbohydrates: 9
  • Protein: 1
  • Cholesterol: 16.9

Keywords: candy cane cookies

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About Lynette

Lynette is the home cook, recipe tester and photographer for Cleverly Simple which she created in 2010.  Most of her recipes come from the treasured recipe box passed down from her great-grandma, grandmother, and mother.

Lynette’s recipes and projects have been featured in Country Living, Good Housekeeping, House Beautiful and others.

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Lynette Rice head shotHi, I’m Lynette. My desire is to help women who feel uninspired weave time honored recipes into their routines to create a sense of simplicity. Most of my recipes come from the treasured recipe box passed down from my great-grandma, grandmother and mother. And I want to share them with you.  Learn more.

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