Description

Magic of Candy Cane Cookies are soft, festive sugar cookies that combine peppermint flavor and classic holiday colors. These cookies feature a tender, powdery texture achieved with powdered sugar and room-temperature butter, enhanced with pure peppermint extract and vibrant red gel food coloring. Twisted together in a candy cane shape, they make a perfect treat for holiday celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough Base

1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract (pure)
2 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Coloring

Red gel food coloring (AmeriColor or Chefmaster recommended)

Baking Supplies

Parchment paper for lining baking sheets

Instructions

Make the Dough Base: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together using a hand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Mix until just combined.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add this mixture to the butter mixture, stirring gently until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix to keep the cookies tender.
Divide and Color Dough: Split the dough evenly in half. Leave one half plain as the white dough. To the other half, add red gel food coloring a little at a time and mix until the dough is evenly colored with a rich red hue.
Chill the Dough: Wrap both dough halves separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This step firms up the dough, making it easier to handle and helping the cookies keep their shape during baking.
Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Set your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
Shape the Candy Canes: Pinch off teaspoon-sized pieces from each color dough. Roll each piece into a rope about 10–12 cm (4–5 inches) long. Lay one red and one white rope side by side and gently twist them together. Curve one end of the twisted rope to form a candy cane shape. Place on the baking sheets, spaced slightly apart to allow room but expect minimal spreading.
Bake: Bake the cookies for 8–10 minutes until they are set but not browned. This ensures the cookies remain soft and tender.
Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy the festive peppermint aroma and charming candy cane look!

Notes

Use room-temperature butter for a creamy texture and better dough incorporation.
Powdered sugar melts into the dough resulting in soft, tender cookies instead of crispy ones.
Pure peppermint extract provides a subtle but authentic winter flavor; a little goes a long way.
Gel food coloring is preferred over liquid to avoid sticking and achieve vibrant, rich red without adding moisture.
Chilling the dough is essential for easy shaping and to maintain the candy cane’s defined twist during baking.
Do not overmix dough once flour is added to keep cookies soft.
Roll ropes gently to avoid flattening the dough and losing the candy cane texture.
Use equal amounts of red and white dough pieces for balanced, even twists.
High-quality gel colors like AmeriColor or Chefmaster produce professional results.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: candy cane cookies, peppermint cookies, holiday cookies, sugar cookies, festive cookies, Christmas cookies, red and white cookies, gel food coloring, soft sugar cookies