Description
Candy Cane Cookies are festive holiday treats with red and white swirls, infused with peppermint flavor and a soft buttery texture. These Christmas cookies are perfect for cookie swaps, dessert trays, and edible gifts. Easy to make, fun to shape, and great for freezing too.
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
Red food coloring (gel preferred)
Instructions
1. Beat the softened butter with powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.
2. Add in egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Mix until fully blended.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Gradually add to the wet ingredients to form a soft dough.
4. Divide the dough in half. Leave one half plain, and tint the other half with red food coloring. Mix until evenly colored.
5. Wrap each dough half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
6. Roll equal pieces of each dough into ropes, twist one red and one white together, and shape into candy canes.
7. Place shaped cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
8. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes until set but not browned.
9. Let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to wire rack.
Notes
These cookies freeze beautifully once baked.
Don’t overbake—edges should remain pale.
Use gel food coloring for vibrant red color without altering the dough texture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 135
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 65mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 20mg