These pretty Candy Cane Cookies are as fun to make as they are to eat. A classic sugar cookie dough is brightened with peppermint and vanilla, then split, colored, twisted and shaped into festive candy canes. They’re an easy, kid-friendly holiday treat that looks impressive without a lot of fuss.
Fun & Easy Candy Cane Cookies
This recipe is delightfully simple. The dough smells wonderful from the butter, vanilla and peppermint even before baking. It comes together quickly: tint half the dough red, twist it with the white portion, shape into candy canes and bake. The result is soft, minty cookies with a striking red-and-white spiral that’s perfect for holiday plates and classroom parties.
Why I Love These Christmas Cookies
Holiday baking often becomes a treasured tradition, and these candy cane cookies fit right in. They deliver the festive look of decorated cookies with much less time and mess. If you enjoy hands-on holiday projects but prefer something quick and tidy, these cookies are an ideal choice: flavorful, decorative, and easy enough to make with kids.
Recipe Ingredients
- Butter and shortening: 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 1/2 cup shortening, both at room temperature.
- Powdered sugar: 1 1/2 cups, for a smooth, tender dough.
- Egg: 1 large egg, room temperature.
- Vanilla and peppermint extracts: 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 teaspoon peppermint for the signature flavor.
- All-purpose flour: 3 cups; you can try a gluten-free AP blend but texture may change.
- Salt: a pinch.
- Red food coloring: about 1/2 teaspoon, more if you want a brighter red.
How to Make Candy Cane Cookies
Cream together the fats and sugar: In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, shortening and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add wet ingredients: Scrape the bowl, then add the egg, vanilla and peppermint extract and mix until combined.
Incorporate dry ingredients: Add the flour and salt and mix on low until just combined. Avoid overmixing for tender cookies.
Dye and chill the dough: Divide the dough into two equal portions. Add red food coloring to one portion and mix until the color is even. Form each portion into a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap or cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Shape the cookies: Remove chilled dough and pinch off a 2-tablespoon piece from each color. Roll each piece into a 6-inch rope. Press the ropes together at one end, gently twist to form a spiral, then bend the top to shape a candy cane. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Chill and bake: Refrigerate shaped cookies for about 20 minutes, then bake at 375°F (190°C) for 10–12 minutes. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Serve and enjoy: These cookies are best the day they’re baked but store well for gifting or holiday trays.
Tips for Success
- Don’t skip the shortening: Shortening helps the cookies hold their shape. Using only butter can cause more spreading.
- Use room-temperature ingredients: Make sure the butter, shortening and egg are at room temperature for even mixing and a smooth dough.
- Try different flavors and colors: Swap peppermint for spearmint (add green coloring), or experiment with rum or citrus extracts and complementary colors.
- Make other shapes: The same twisted ropes can become wreaths or rings—decorate with sprinkles or edible pearls for variety.
How to Make the Dough In Advance
- Prepare the dough through the chilling step, shape each portion into disks and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap.
- Store wrapped disks in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to finish, slice, roll, twist and bake as directed.
Can You Freeze Candy Cane Cookies?
- Yes. Fully baked cookies can be wrapped individually and frozen for up to one month. Thaw on the counter or in the fridge before serving.
- You can also freeze shaped, unbaked cookies. Freeze them on a baking sheet in a single layer until firm, then wrap individually and store in a freezer-safe container.
- When baking from frozen, thaw in the fridge overnight and add a minute or two to the baking time if needed.
Candy Cane Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup shortening, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring (adjust for desired color)
Instructions
- Beat butter, shortening and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Scrape the bowl and add the egg, vanilla and peppermint extract; mix until combined.
- Add flour and salt and mix on low speed until just combined.
- Divide the dough in half and add red food coloring to one half; mix until even. Form each half into a 1-inch-thick disk and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Pinch off 2-tablespoon portions from each color. Roll each into a 6-inch rope. Press ropes together at the top, twist gently, then bend to form a candy cane. Place on prepared sheets.
- Refrigerate shaped cookies for 20 minutes, then bake 10–12 minutes. Let cool on the sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- Serve once cooled.
Equipment
- Oven
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an estimate. Values will vary by ingredients and portion size.
More Easy Desserts to Try
- Easy Tres Leches Cake
- Peach Dump Cake from Scratch
- Pumpkin Swirl Bread