Description
Magic of Candy Cane Cookies are festive, soft sugar cookies featuring a delightful peppermint flavor and a beautiful twisted red and white pattern that resembles candy canes. Perfect for holiday celebrations, these cookies are made with room-temperature butter, powdered sugar for softness, peppermint extract for a refreshing winter touch, and gel food coloring for vibrant color that holds during baking.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Base
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 ½ cups (310g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Red gel food coloring (AmeriColor or Chefmaster recommended)
Instructions
- Make the Dough Base: In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes using a hand mixer. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract, mixing until just combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture, mixing gently until a soft dough forms.
- Divide and Color the Dough: Divide the dough evenly in half. Leave one half plain (white dough). To the other half, add red gel food coloring and mix until the color is even.
- Chill the Dough: Wrap each dough half separately in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to make them easier to handle and help the cookies retain shape during baking.
- Preheat the Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- Shape the Candy Canes: Pinch off equal teaspoon-sized pieces of red and white dough. Roll each into ropes about 10 to 12 cm long. Lay the red and white ropes side by side, twist gently together, then curve one end to form the candy cane shape. Place shaped cookies on the prepared baking sheets spaced slightly apart.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the cookies are set but not browned. Overbaking will make them less soft.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy the peppermint aroma and festive look!
Notes
- Use room-temperature butter for a creamy dough texture and even mixing.
- Powdered sugar keeps the cookies soft rather than crisp.
- Use pure peppermint extract sparingly; a little goes a long way.
- Gel food coloring produces vibrant colors without making the dough sticky—AmeriColor or Chefmaster brands are best.
- Don’t skip salt—it enhances the sweetness flavor balance.
- Chill dough thoroughly to make shaping easier and help cookies hold their shape while baking.
- Roll dough ropes gently; pressing too hard can flatten the candy cane shapes.
- Use equal amounts of red and white dough for consistent twists.
- Do not overmix the dough to maintain softness in the cookies.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Candy cane cookies, peppermint cookies, holiday cookies, soft sugar cookies, festive cookies, Christmas cookies, peppermint extract, sugar cookies
