Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies Recipe

If you’re on the hunt for a festive, fun, and absolutely delightful holiday treat, you’re going to adore this Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies Recipe. I love this because it captures the classic peppermint flavor with a stunning red and white twist that’s as pretty as it is tasty. Whether you’re baking for a crowd or just craving a seasonal sweet, these cookies have got your back!

this Recipe

Ingredients You’ll Need

The magic in this Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies Recipe comes from simple, quality ingredients that come together beautifully—you don’t need anything fancy, just a few pantry staples with a full burst of peppermint love.

• Unsalted butter: Room temperature butter is essential for that creamy, pliable dough.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar gives these cookies the perfect level of sweetness and texture.
• Peppermint extract: The star of the show—it gives that cool, minty zing that pairs so well with vanilla.
• Vanilla extract: Adds warm, rounded notes to balance the peppermint.
• Baking powder: Helps give the cookies a nice lift.
• Kosher salt: Just a pinch to enhance all the flavors without overpowering.
• Egg: Binds everything together and adds moisture.
• All-purpose flour: The foundation for a tender but sturdy dough perfect for shaping.
• Liquid red food coloring: For that festive, cherry-red tone—just a little goes a long way.
• Egg white: Used to brush on top for sparkle and help the sugar stick.
• Sparkling sugar: The final festive touch that adds crunch and shine.

Variations

I like to make this Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies Recipe my own by tweaking the colors or flavors depending on the occasion, and there are a few simple swaps you can try to make it suit your style or needs.

• Add dark chocolate chips or drizzle: My family goes crazy when I drizzle melted dark chocolate over the cooled cookies—it’s the perfect mint and chocolate combo.
• Try natural red coloring: I once swapped liquid food coloring for beet powder for a natural alternative; just a heads-up, the color is softer but still festive.
• Make them gluten-free: I tested this with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour, and while the texture is a little different, it still holds shape beautifully.
• Use peppermint oil: For a stronger punch, just be careful—it’s very concentrated, so start with less.

How to Make Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies Recipe

Step 1: Whip Together Your Base Dough

Start by beating softened butter, sugar, peppermint extract, vanilla, baking powder, and salt in your stand mixer bowl until you get a smooth paste that clings slightly to the side of the bowl. This stage is key because it ensures the sugar dissolves well and you get a tender cookie. Then beat in the egg until fully absorbed. Finally, add the flour and mix just until combined—no more dry streaks of flour. Overmixing can make cookies tough, so stop as soon as the dough looks uniform.

Step 2: Divide, Color, and Chill the Dough

Split your dough in half. Add the red food coloring carefully to one half and mix on low until you get an even cherry shade. I discovered this trick after accidentally adding too much—start with a few drops, then add more if needed. Next, pat both dough portions into disks, wrap them tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Chilling helps the dough firm up so it’s easier to shape.

Step 3: Shape Your Candy Canes

Once chilled, work with one dough disk at a time. Pinch off a 1-inch piece of the white dough and roll it into a 5-inch rope. Do the same with the red dough, making sure your ropes match lengths. Then gently twist the two ropes together and shape the top into a candy cane curve. I like to work quickly here, because if the dough warms up too much, it can get sticky and lose shape. If that happens, pop the shaped cookies back into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes.

Step 4: Add Sparkling Sugar and Bake

Make a simple egg white wash by beating one egg white with a tablespoon of water until foamy. Brush this over each cookie—this helps the sparkling sugar stick and gives a beautiful gloss. Sprinkle on your sugar, then bake the cookies on parchment or a silicone mat-lined sheet at 350ºF (175ºC) for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are just golden. Pro tip: let your cookie sheet cool completely between batches to prevent the butter in your cookies from melting too quickly and spreading.

How to Serve Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies Recipe

Garnishes

For garnish, I usually stick with sparkling sugar because it adds this perfect sweet crunch and festive sparkle. Sometimes I add a light dusting of powdered sugar for a snowy effect that looks magical on holiday cookie trays.

Side Dishes

I love pairing these peppermint cookies with a warm mug of hot cocoa or peppermint-spiked coffee. They also go wonderfully with creamy eggnog or even just a simple glass of cold milk—great for satisfying every craving.

Creative Ways to Present

When I want to go festive, I arrange the cookies standing upright in a pretty holiday tin lined with red tissue paper or nestle them in clear cellophane bags tied with red and green ribbons for gifting. You can even stack them with mini candy canes between layers or place them around the base of a Christmas centerpiece for a charming edible decoration.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

These peppermint candy cane cookies keep well at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two weeks. I always store mine layered between sheets of parchment or wax paper to keep them from sticking and losing their pretty shape.

Freezing

I like to freeze the dough disks before baking—just wrap tightly and pop them in the freezer up to a month. When ready, thaw in the fridge overnight, then shape and bake as usual. You can also freeze fully baked cookies in an airtight container; they thaw quickly and taste just as fresh.

Reheating

If you want to refresh your cookies, I gently warm them in a 300ºF oven for about 5 minutes to regain some crispness without drying them out. Avoid microwaving as it tends to make them soft and chewy instead of delightfully crisp.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

This Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies Recipe has become a holiday staple in my kitchen because it’s surprisingly easy to master, and the outcome never fails to impress family and friends. The peppermint flavor feels nostalgic and fresh all at once, and the candy cane shape always sparks smiles. I hope you give these a try and find yourself loving them as much as I do—they’re a little bit of holiday magic wrapped in a cookie!

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