Description
Delight in the festive spirit with these charming Candy Cane Cookies featuring a tender, buttery base delicately infused with peppermint and vanilla extracts. These visually stunning red and white twisted treats are perfect for holiday gatherings and make for a fun baking project with their colorful dough twirling and optional crushed candy cane topping for an extra peppermint punch.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2 sticks salted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Coloring and Decoration
- 1/2 – 1 tsp red food coloring (gel or liquid)
- 3 candy canes, crushed (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the dough base: Place the softened butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl or stand mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed with a hand mixer or stand mixer paddle attachment for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and peppermint extracts and mix well to fully combine.
- Add flour to form dough: Gradually incorporate the all-purpose flour, adding one cup at a time and mixing on low speed to combine completely between additions. Scrape down the bowl sides and bottom as needed to ensure even mixing.
- Chill the plain dough: Remove half of the dough and form it into a one-inch-thick disc. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight to firm up.
- Color and chill the red dough: Add red food coloring to the remaining dough and mix on low until fully incorporated. Knead on a clean surface to distribute the color evenly, form into a one-inch-thick disc, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven and prepare sheets: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Form candy cane shapes: Unwrap both dough discs. Pinch off 1/2-tablespoon pieces from each color separately. Roll each piece into a 5-inch rope, keeping red and white doughs separate during rolling. Place a red rope next to a white rope and twist them together, pinching ends to seal. Shape the twisted ropes into candy cane forms and place on baking sheets. Refrigerate dough if it becomes too sticky for easier handling.
- Bake and decorate: Bake the cookies for 12 minutes or until the white dough is just lightly golden. Immediately after baking, sprinkle crushed candy canes over the cookies if using. Let cookies cool completely on the baking sheets.
- Store properly: Once cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container in a single layer separated by parchment paper. They keep fresh for up to 1 week at room temperature.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring if possible for more vibrant red color; adjust quantity to get desired hue.
- If dough becomes too sticky during shaping, refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up.
- Crushed candy canes add a crunchy texture and extra peppermint flavor but are optional.
- For best results, use room temperature egg and softened butter to ensure smooth mixing.
- Store cookies well to maintain freshness and prevent sticking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
