Description
These Candy Cane Cookies combine festive red and white peppermint-flavored dough twisted into charming candy cane shapes. Perfect for the holidays, they offer a delightful balance of buttery richness and refreshing peppermint with a crisp edge and tender center.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 3/4 cups (385 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon liquid red food coloring
Finishing
- 1 egg white
- 2 tablespoons sparkling sugar
Instructions
- Mix the Dough: Place the butter, sugar, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, baking powder, and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until a paste forms and clings to the sides of the bowl. Scrape down the bowl, then beat in the whole egg until fully absorbed. Add the flour and mix just until combined with no remaining dry flour streaks.
- Divide and Color the Dough: Remove half the dough from the bowl. To the remaining dough, add the red food coloring carefully and mix on low speed until the color is evenly distributed.
- Chill the Dough: Shape each dough portion into disks, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight to firm up.
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking and allow even baking.
- Shape the Candy Canes: Remove the dough from the fridge. The chilled dough should be firm but pliable; let it sit a few minutes if too hard. Pinch off a 1-inch round piece of white dough and roll it into a 5-inch rope. Repeat with a piece of red dough of the same length. Place the ropes side by side, twist together gently, and form the top end into the curved candy cane shape. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Apply Egg Wash and Sugar: Beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water until foamy. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top of each shaped cookie with the egg white wash. Sprinkle sparkling sugar over the tops to add a festive sparkle.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown.
- Cool and Store: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Notes
- Peppermint-flavored red and white dough makes a tasty, striking holiday cookie.
- Be careful not to let the dough warm too much before shaping, or it will be difficult to handle.
- The sparkling sugar adds a nice festive finish and a hint of crunch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 111 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 36 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 24 mg
