Candy Cane Cookies Recipe

Candy cane cookies are here, and I’m pretty much losing my mind over how festive these red and white beauties are! Every year when December rolls around, my kitchen turns into a full-on Christmas cookie factory. Henry and the kids Isabella, Emma, and Noah always ask for our favorite holiday treats, and these peppermint sugar cookies have become a non-negotiable part of our baking lineup.

There’s something magical about twisting red and white dough into perfect little candy canes. The kids love helping me roll the dough (even if their “ropes” sometimes look more like wonky snakes), and the smell of peppermint and vanilla baking in the oven? Pure Christmas magic. Plus, these cookies look so impressive that everyone thinks you spent hours making them, but trust me, they’re way easier than they look!

If you’re looking for more festive peppermint cookies to add to your holiday spread, you’ll love my best butter cookies recipe they’re another family favorite that pairs perfectly with these candy canes.

Why You’ll Love These Candy Cane Cookies

• Festive and fun: The red-and-white twist design screams Christmas and looks absolutely beautiful on any cookie platter.
• Perfect peppermint flavor: That combination of almond extract and crushed peppermint candy topping is chef’s kiss.
• Easy to make: Despite looking fancy, the dough comes together quickly and the shaping is actually really fun (even for kids!).
• Great for gifting: These cookies hold up beautifully in tins and make the sweetest homemade gifts for teachers, neighbors, and friends.
• Texture heaven: Crispy edges with a slightly soft center exactly what you want in a Christmas sugar cookie.
• Make-ahead friendly: You can freeze the shaped dough or the baked cookies, which is a total lifesaver during the busy holiday season.

What You Need for Christmas Candy Cane Cookies

Let me walk you through what goes into these gorgeous holiday cookie recipes. I love that most of these ingredients are probably already in your pantry!

For the cookie dough:

• Shortening: This keeps the cookies from spreading too much and helps them hold that perfect candy cane shape. You can use all butter if you prefer, but I’ll share my tips for that below.
• Butter: Adds richness and that classic buttery cookie flavor we all love.
• Confectioners sugar: Also called powdered sugar this creates a more tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture compared to granulated sugar.
• Egg: Binds everything together and adds structure.
• Almond extract: This is my secret weapon! It gives these cookies an amazing flavor that reminds me of those classic candy canes. You can swap for peppermint extract if you want a stronger mint flavor.
• Vanilla extract: Because vanilla makes everything better.
• Salt: Just a pinch to balance the sweetness.
• All-purpose flour: The base of our dough.
• Red gel food coloring: Gel is the way to go here for those vibrant, cheerful red stripes. Regular food coloring works too, but the color won’t be as bright.

For the topping:

• Crushed peppermint candy: I usually grab candy canes or peppermint discs and give them a good smash. The kids think this part is hilarious.
• Sugar: Mix this with the crushed candy for a sparkly, sweet topping.

How to Make the Best Candy Cane Cookies

Making these red and white twist cookies is easier than you think! Here’s my step-by-step process:

Prepare the cookie dough

Start by creaming your shortening, butter, and confectioners sugar together in a large bowl or stand mixer. Beat this for about 3-4 minutes until it’s light and fluffy this is important for getting that perfect tender texture.

Add your egg, almond extract, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until everything’s nicely combined and looking smooth.

Now gently mix in your all-purpose flour until just combined. Don’t overmix here! You want to stop as soon as you don’t see any more flour streaks.

Divide and color your dough

This is where the magic starts to happen! Split your dough into two equal portions. I usually eyeball this, but you can weigh them if you want to be precise.

Add that gorgeous red gel food coloring to one half. Mix it in completelyyou want a nice, even red color throughout. The other half stays plain white.

Cover both bowls with plastic wrap and pop them in the fridge for about 2 hours. You want the dough firm enough to handle without being sticky. If you’re short on time, an hour might work, but 2 hours is really the sweet spot.

Shape your candy canes

This is the fun part that the kids always want to help with! Take about a teaspoon of the plain dough and roll it between your hands and the counter to create a rope about 4 inches long. It should be about as thick as a pencil.

Do the same thing with a teaspoon of red dough.

Place both ropes side by side, press the tops together lightly, then twist them down the length. It’s like making a pretty striped rope! Transfer to your parchment paper or silicone mat lined baking sheet and gently curve the top down to form that classic candy cane hook shape.

Keep going until you’ve used up all your dough. Make sure to space them about 2 inches apart on your baking sheets they spread just a little bit.

Bake to perfection

Pop your cookies into a preheated 375°F oven and bake for 8-9 minutes. You want them just barely starting to turn golden on the edges. Don’t overbake! They’ll seem a bit soft when you first take them out, but they firm up as they cool.

Here’s the key: Leave them on the baking sheet for the topping step.

Add that peppermint sparkle

While your cookies are still warm on the baking sheet, mix your crushed peppermint candy with the sugar and sprinkle generously over the top. The warmth helps everything stick perfectly.

Let the cookies sit on the baking sheets for 5-10 minutes to set, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips for Candy Cane Cookies

Storing baked cookies: Keep your finished candy cane cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. I like to layer them with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Freezing the dough: Shape your cookies, lay them on a baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Then transfer to a freezer container with parchment between the layers. They’ll keep for up to 3 months! Bake directly from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the bake time.

Freezing baked cookies: Flash freeze the cookies in a single layer, then pack them into a freezer-safe container. I prefer a hard container over a bag to prevent breakage. These will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 2 months.

FAQs About Candy Cane Cookies

My Final Thoughts on These Festive Cookies

I absolutely love making these candy cane cookies every December. They’ve become such a special tradition in our house Isabella has gotten really good at rolling the dough ropes now, and Emma loves being in charge of the peppermint crushing (with adult supervision, of course!). Even little Noah gets involved with sprinkling the topping, though I’ll admit we end up with peppermint sugar pretty much everywhere.

These cookies also make the sweetest gifts. I pack them in clear cellophane bags tied with red ribbon, and they look so beautiful. My neighbors and Henry’s coworkers always light up when they see these arriving!

The flavor is exactly what you want in a Christmas cookie that perfect balance of buttery sweetness with bright peppermint. And despite looking like you spent hours on fancy pastry work, they’re honestly so simple that even baking beginners can nail them.

So grab your apron, put on some Christmas music, and make a batch of these gorgeous peppermint sugar cookies. Your kitchen will smell amazing, you’ll end up with the prettiest cookies on your holiday platter, and you might just start a new family tradition. Can’t wait to hear how yours turn out be sure to tag me on Instagram when you make them!

Yes to both! For the dough, shape your cookies first, then freeze them on a baking sheet until solid. Transfer to a freezer container with parchment between layers they’ll keep for 3 months. For baked cookies, flash freeze them in a single layer, then pack into a container (I prefer containers over bags to prevent crushing). They stay perfect for up to 2 months.

Related Recipes You’ll Love

If you’re on a Christmas cookie baking spree (and honestly, who isn’t in December?), here are some other festive treats you need to try:

• Christmas Pinwheel Cookies Another stunning red-and-white cookie with a beautiful spiral design!
• Best Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Recipe These snowcapped beauties are perfect for your holiday cookie tray.
• Snickerdoodle Blondie Bites Because sometimes you need a break from rolling dough, and these bar cookies are absolutely delicious.

Happy baking, and here’s to a delicious, festive holiday season

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