Description
Delight in these festive Candy Cane Cookies, featuring a tender, buttery sugar cookie dough infused with refreshing peppermint extract and beautifully twisted red and white dough ropes shaped into classic candy canes. Perfect for holiday gatherings or gifting, these cookies are as charming as they are delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie 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
- ½ teaspoon red squeeze gel color
Instructions
- Cream Butter: Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer on medium-high speed, cream the softened unsalted butter for 1½ to 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
- Add Sugar and Cream: Reduce speed to low and add granulated sugar, cream of tartar, and heavy cream. Increase speed to medium and mix for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Incorporate Egg: Reduce speed to low, add the egg, and mix until well incorporated.
- Add Flavorings: Mix in the peppermint extract and clear vanilla flavoring thoroughly.
- Add Dry Ingredients: On low speed, gradually add baking powder and all-purpose flour half a cup at a time, mixing just until fully combined with no visible streaks of flour.
- Divide Dough: Split the dough into two equal balls. Place one ball in the mixing bowl for coloring, cover the other (white dough) and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Color Dough: Add red gel color to the dough in the mixing bowl. Mix on low until fully colored with no white streaks, then transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheet: Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper before removing dough from refrigerator.
- Portion Dough: Remove both doughs from refrigerator and split each in half, keeping half refrigerated.
- Scoop Dough Balls: On parchment-covered surface, scoop ½ tablespoon of red and white dough each, rolling into tight balls. Chill again for 10-15 minutes to help maintain shape.
- Roll Ropes: Roll each dough ball into 5-inch long ropes keeping your hands cool to prevent dough from softening.
- Twist and Shape: Press bottoms of red and white ropes together lightly, twist gently to keep them rounded, then shape the top into candy cane hooks. Place on prepared baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake the cookies at 350°F for 7 minutes until set but not browned.
- Cool: Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Repeat: Use the remaining dough halves to repeat the shaping and baking process.
- Store: Store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container to keep fresh.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is crucial to minimize spread during baking and preserve the candy cane shapes.
- Oven temperatures may vary; monitor cookies closely near the end time to avoid overbaking.
- Peppermint extract is key for the authentic candy cane flavor—omit if you prefer classic sugar cookies.
- Cover your work surface with parchment paper when rolling dough to prevent red gel staining counters.
- Keep your hands cool when rolling dough ropes to maintain shape and texture.
- Ensure twisted dough ropes remain rounded and avoid flattening for authentic candy cane appearance.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
