Description
Delight in the festive spirit with these classic Candy Cane Cookies, featuring a perfect blend of peppermint and vanilla flavors in a tender sugar cookie. Twisted red and white dough ropes create charming candy cane shapes that are sure to brighten any holiday celebration.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons pure peppermint extract
- 1¼ teaspoons clear vanilla flavoring
- ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon red squeeze gel color
Instructions
- Cream Butter: Using a stand mixer or handheld mixer on medium-high speed, cream the softened unsalted butter for 1½ to 2 minutes until smooth.
- Add Sugar and Cream: Reduce speed to low and add granulated sugar, cream of tartar, and heavy cream. Increase speed to medium and mix for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is fluffy.
- Incorporate Egg: Lower the mixer speed to low and add the egg. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Add Extracts: Mix in the peppermint extract and clear vanilla flavoring evenly.
- Add Dry Ingredients: With the mixer on low, slowly add the baking powder and all-purpose flour in ½ cup increments. Mix just until flour is incorporated and no streaks remain.
- Divide Dough: Split the dough into two equal balls. Place one ball back in the mixing bowl for coloring. Cover the other ball and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Color Red Dough: Add red gel color to the dough in the bowl. Mix on low speed until uniformly colored with no streaks visible. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat and Prepare: Just before removing dough from fridge, preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Portion Dough: Split both red and white dough into halves, keeping half of each chilled.
- Roll Dough Balls: On parchment-covered surface, scoop ½ tablespoon portions of white and red dough. Roll each into tight round balls. Chill for 10 to 15 minutes for best shape retention.
- Form Ropes: Roll each dough ball into 5-inch long ropes, keeping hands cool to maintain shape.
- Twist Ropes: Lightly press ends of one red and one white rope together, twist gently without flattening to preserve round shape.
- Shape Candy Canes: Place twisted ropes on baking sheet 2 inches apart and curve one end to form candy cane hook.
- Bake Cookies: Bake at 350°F for 7 minutes until edges are set but center is soft.
- Cool Before Removing: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat Baking: Take remaining dough halves from refrigerator and repeat the rolling, twisting, shaping, and baking process.
- Store Properly: Once cooled, store cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Chilling the dough is essential to prevent cookies from spreading too much and helps keep the candy cane shape.
- Oven temperatures may vary; monitor cookies closely during baking to avoid overbaking.
- Peppermint extract is key for authentic flavor; omit if you want plain sugar cookies.
- Use parchment paper on counters when rolling red dough to prevent staining surfaces.
- Keep hands cool while rolling to prevent dough from warming and losing shape.
- Maintain rounded ropes when twisting; avoid flattening for authentic candy cane appearance.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
