Description
Candy Cane Cookies are festive peppermint-flavored treats perfect for holiday celebrations. These soft, yet slightly crisp cookies combine a lovely mix of vanilla and peppermint extract, twisted together in red and white dough to resemble candy canes. The sparkling sugar topping adds a delightful crunch and shimmer, making them charming and delicious for any Christmas cookie platter.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2 sticks (227g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) 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 (385g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon liquid red food coloring
To Finish
- 1 egg white
- 2 tablespoons sparkling sugar
Instructions
- Make the dough: Place the butter, sugar, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, baking powder, and kosher salt into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until a smooth paste forms that clings to the sides of the bowl, ensuring the ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Add egg and flour: Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the egg and beat until it is completely absorbed. Gradually add the flour and mix on low speed until just combined, making sure no dry streaks of flour remain.
- Divide and color the dough: Remove half of the dough from the bowl. Add the liquid red food coloring carefully to the remaining dough in the bowl and mix on low speed until the color is evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Chill the dough: Shape each half of the dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight to firm up for easier handling and to prevent spreading during baking.
- Preheat oven: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking.
- Shape the cookies: Remove the chilled dough disks from the fridge. The dough should be firm but malleable; if too stiff, let sit at room temperature for a few minutes. Pinch off a 1-inch piece from the white dough and roll it into a 5-inch rope. Repeat with the red dough, ensuring ropes are the same length.
- Form candy canes: Place the red and white ropes side by side and gently twist them together. Transfer the twisted rope onto the prepared baking sheet and bend the top into a candy cane shape. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart.
- Prepare egg white wash: Beat the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water until foamy. Brush each cookie on top with the egg white wash to help the sugar adhere and promote a glossy finish.
- Add sparkling sugar: Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sparkling sugar evenly over all cookies for a crunchy and festive topping.
- Bake the cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown. Remove and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat and cool baking sheets: Allow baking sheets to cool completely before placing the next batch of dough on them to prevent spreading and maintain cookie shape.
Notes
- If the dough is too dry, sprinkle a little cool water and work it in until it comes together smoothly.
- If cookies spread too much while baking, chill the shaped, unbaked cookies in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes before baking.
- Let cooling racks and cookie sheets cool between batches to avoid dough melting and spreading excessively.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature; they will keep fresh for up to two weeks.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
