Candy Cane Cookies Recipe

Introduction

These festive Candy Cane Cookies are a delightful treat perfect for the holiday season. Soft, buttery, and beautifully striped with red and white dough, they’re sure to brighten up any cookie platter. Plus, they’re straightforward to make and fun to shape.

Ingredients

• 125 g unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup)
• 100 g powdered sugar (3/4 cup)
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250 g all-purpose flour (2 cups)
• 1 pinch of salt
• Red gel food coloring

Instructions

1. Step 1: Beat the softened butter with the powdered sugar until light and creamy.
2. Step 2: Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
3. Step 3: Add the flour and salt and mix just until the dough comes together without overmixing.
4. Step 4: Divide the dough in two portions.
5. Step 5: Tint one half with red gel food coloring, then wrap both portions in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
6. Step 6: Shape small 15 g balls of dough.
7. Step 7: Roll one red ball and one plain ball into thin ropes, twist them together, and bend the top to form a candy cane shape.
8. Step 8: Place the shaped cookies on a lined baking sheet and chill for 1 hour or freeze for 20 minutes.
9. Step 9: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
10. Step 10: Let cool before serving.

Tips & Variations

• Use gel food coloring instead of liquid to keep the dough from becoming too soft.
• For extra festive flair, sprinkle coarse sugar on top before baking.
• Try peppermint extract instead of vanilla for a minty twist.

Storage

Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. You can also freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months—thaw at room temperature before serving. If you want to freeze dough, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before shaping and baking.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular food coloring instead of gel?

Regular liquid food coloring can be used, but it may soften the dough slightly. Gel food coloring is preferred for maintaining dough consistency and vibrant color.

How do I prevent the candy cane shape from losing its form during baking?

Chilling the shaped cookies before baking helps them hold their shape. Freezing for 20 minutes or chilling for an hour on the baking sheet is ideal.

Candy Cane Cookies Recipe

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4.9 from 116 reviews

These festive Candy Cane Cookies are a delightful holiday treat featuring a tender, buttery dough twisted into iconic red and white candy cane shapes. Infused with vanilla and lightly sweetened, these cookies are perfect for Christmas celebrations, combining a fun shaping process with a simple baking method to create charming, delicious cookies that delight kids and adults alike.

• Author: Sana
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
• Yield: 20 cookies 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Cookie Dough

• 125 g unsalted butter, softened (1/2 cup)
• 100 g powdered sugar (3/4 cup)
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250 g all-purpose flour (2 cups)
• 1 pinch of salt

Decoration

• Red gel food coloring

Instructions

1. Cream the Butter and Sugar: Beat the softened butter with the powdered sugar until the mixture is light and creamy, ensuring good incorporation of air for a tender cookie texture.
2. Add Egg and Vanilla: Incorporate the egg and vanilla extract into the butter-sugar mixture and mix until smooth, creating a homogeneous batter.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour and a pinch of salt to the wet ingredients, mixing gently just until the dough comes together without overmixing to avoid a tough cookie.
4. Divide the Dough: Split the dough evenly into two portions for coloring and shaping.
5. Color One Portion: Tint one half of the dough with red gel food coloring thoroughly, then wrap both the colored and plain dough portions in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes to firm up.
6. Shape Dough Balls: After chilling, roll small balls of dough weighing approximately 15 grams each, preparing for the twisted candy cane shape.
7. Form Candy Cane Shapes: Roll one red dough ball and one plain dough ball each into thin ropes, twist the two ropes together carefully, and bend the top to mimic a traditional candy cane hook.
8. Chill Shaped Cookies: Place the formed candy cane-shaped cookies onto a lined baking sheet and chill for 1 hour to help maintain their shape during baking. Alternatively, freeze for 20 minutes as a quicker option.
9. Bake the Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), then bake the cookies for about 10 minutes or until the edges turn lightly golden, indicating they are perfectly baked.
10. Cool and Serve: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on the baking sheet before serving or storing to allow them to set and finish firming up.

Notes

• Use gel food coloring for more vibrant colors without altering the dough consistency.
• Chilling the dough and shaped cookies is essential to maintain the candy cane shape during baking.
• You can store the baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
• For a festive touch, consider adding a little peppermint extract to the dough instead of vanilla extract.

Keywords: Candy Cane Cookies, Christmas Cookies, Holiday Cookies, Festive Cookies, Vanilla Cookies, Twisted Cookies