Description
These Candy Cane Cookies are a festive holiday treat with buttery vanilla dough, a hint of peppermint, and the classic red-and-white twist everyone loves. They’re perfect for Christmas dessert platters, cookie exchanges, holiday baking days, and easy recipe collections when you need fun food ideas and cheerful dessert ideas that look impressive without being hard to make.
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring
2 tablespoons crushed peppermint candy
Instructions
1. Beat the butter and powdered sugar together until light and creamy.
2. Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until smooth.
3. Add the flour and salt, then mix just until a soft dough forms.
4. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Leave one plain and tint the other with red food coloring.
5. Wrap both dough portions and chill for 30 minutes until easier to handle.
6. Pinch off small equal pieces from each dough and roll them into ropes about 5 inches long.
7. Place one plain rope and one red rope side by side, press lightly, then twist gently.
8. Curve the top of each twisted piece to form a candy cane shape.
9. Arrange on a lined baking sheet and chill again for 10 to 15 minutes.
10. Bake at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes, until set but not browned.
11. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candy while still slightly warm, then cool completely.
Notes
Do not skip chilling the dough, or the candy cane shape may spread and lose its neat striped look while baking.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 55mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 22mg
Keywords: candy cane cookies, christmas cookies, holiday dessert, peppermint cookies, easy cookie recipe, festive dessert, christmas baking, cookie exchange