Candy Cane Cookies Recipe
These Candy Cane Cookies are a festive and flavorful treat perfect for the holiday season. Soft and buttery with a hint of peppermint, they combine cream cheese for extra tenderness and a vibrant swirl of red gel food coloring to resemble classic candy canes. Ideal for sharing at parties or gifting to loved ones, these cookies offer a delightful balance of sweetness and minty freshness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: About 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 8 oz unsalted butter (1 cup), room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese (1/2 cup), room temperature
- 10 oz granulated sugar (1.33 cups)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 16 oz all-purpose flour (3.5 cups)
- Red gel food coloring (Americolor Super Red recommended)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the unsalted butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This creates a smooth and tender base for your cookies.
- Add Egg Yolk and Peppermint: Beat in the egg yolk and peppermint extract to the creamed mixture until fully incorporated, adding a rich, minty flavor to the dough.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until the dough forms to avoid overworking and toughening it.
- Divide and Color Dough: Divide the dough into two portions. Leave one portion plain and add red gel food coloring to the other portion, kneading gently until the color is evenly distributed.
- Form Candy Cane Shapes: Roll out the plain dough and the red dough into long ropes of equal length and diameter. Twist the two ropes together to resemble a candy cane. Cut into desired cookie lengths and curve the top to create the classic candy cane shape.
- Chill the Cookies: Place the shaped cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This helps maintain their shape during baking.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the chilled cookies for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy your peppermint-flavored candy cane cookies!
Notes
- For best results, use gel food coloring to avoid altering the dough’s consistency.
- Chilling the dough is essential to prevent spreading and help the cookies hold their shape.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- These cookies freeze well; freeze baked cookies or dough portions for up to 3 months.
Keywords: candy cane cookies, peppermint cookies, holiday cookies, Christmas cookie recipe, cream cheese cookies
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