Description
Candy Cane Cookies are festive, soft sugar cookies twisted with red and white dough to resemble classic candy canes, infused with peppermint and vanilla flavors. Perfect for holiday celebrations, these cookies have a delightful minty aroma and a tender crumb, ideal for gifting or enjoying with a cup of hot cocoa.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Dough
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons pure peppermint extract
- 1¼ teaspoons clear vanilla flavoring
- ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Coloring
- ½ teaspoon red squeeze gel color
Instructions
- Cream Butter: Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer at medium-high speed, cream the softened unsalted butter for 1½ to 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Add Sugar and Cream: Reduce mixer speed to low, add granulated sugar, cream of tartar, and heavy cream. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until the butter mixture becomes fluffy.
- Incorporate Egg: Lower speed to low and add the egg, mixing until well combined.
- Add Flavors: Mix in the peppermint extract and clear vanilla flavoring thoroughly.
- Add Dry Ingredients: On low speed, slowly add the baking powder and all-purpose flour, half a cup at a time, mixing just until no visible streaks of flour remain.
- Divide Dough: Split the dough into two equal balls. Return one ball to the mixing bowl for coloring, cover the plain dough and refrigerate it for 1 hour.
- Color Dough: Add the red gel color to the dough in the mixer bowl. Mix on low speed until the red color is even with no white streaks. Transfer colored dough to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat Oven: Just before taking dough out of the refrigerator, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare Dough Portions: Remove both dough balls from fridge; split each color ball in half, leaving half refrigerated for later use.
- Prepare Rolling Surface: Cover counter or cutting board with parchment paper to avoid red dough staining the surface.
- Form Dough Balls: Using a ½ tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop out red and white dough into small balls and roll each tightly to ensure rope shapes hold. Chill balls for 10-15 minutes for best results.
- Roll Ropes: Roll each dough ball by hand into a 5-inch long rope, working quickly to keep hands cool and dough pliable.
- Twist Ropes: Lightly press the bottoms of one red and one white rope together, carefully twisting them with light pressure while keeping them rounded, not flattened.
- Shape Cookies: Place twisted ropes on prepared baking sheet, curve the top to create a candy cane shape. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing cookies 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 7 minutes at 350°F until just set.
- Cool: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Repeat: Take the remaining refrigerated dough halves and repeat the scooping, rolling, twisting, baking, and cooling steps.
- Store: When cooled completely, store cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Keep hands cool while rolling to prevent dough from becoming too soft and sticky.
- Chilling dough balls before rolling helps maintain shape during twisting and baking.
- Use clear vanilla flavoring to preserve the dough’s bright white part of the candy cane cookie.
- The twisting should be gentle to keep the ropes rounded for traditional candy cane appearance.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Candy Cane Cookies, holiday cookies, peppermint cookies, sugar cookies, Christmas cookies, twisted cookie ropes, festive cookies
