These Candy Cane Cookies are a classic holiday must-make. Peppermint-flavored sugar cookie dough is formed into red-and-white candy cane shapes — perfect for holiday cookie platters or a special treat for Santa.
🎄A Fun Candy Cane Cookie Recipe for Christmas
These Candy Cane Cookies are a playful variation on a classic sugar cookie. Their minty flavor, bright color, and distinct curve make them a festive addition to any holiday cookie tray. There are several ways to assemble candy cane cookies; this recipe uses a two-tone layered dough that yields smooth, consistent stripes and allows for more twists in each cookie.
Below you’ll find a full step-by-step guide for making, shaping, and baking these cookies, along with tips to help you get great results on the first try. If you prefer, skip ahead to the recipe card later in the page.
More Christmas Cookies
If you want more holiday cookie ideas, try classics like Pinwheel Cookies, Pecan Snowball Cookies, or Big Soft Sugar Cookies. If you love peppermint, look for collections of peppermint desserts or ideas for peppermint-themed treats.
Table of Contents
- A Fun Candy Cane Cookie Recipe for Christmas
- What You’ll Need
- Candy Cane Cookies Recipe
- Instructions
- Tips For Cookie Success
- Troubleshooting and FAQs
🧾 What You’ll Need
Ingredients
This recipe uses familiar baking staples. Below are notes on a few ingredients to help you get the best texture and flavor.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter at room temperature — soft and pliable but not greasy or melted. If you only have salted butter, omit the added salt in the recipe.
- Cream cheese: Full-fat block cream cheese adds tenderness to the cookies. Don’t use whipped tub-style cream cheese.
- Egg yolk: The recipe calls for one large egg yolk.
- Peppermint extract: Use a peppermint extract or emulsion you like for a clear mint flavor. If you prefer a subtler mint, reduce the amount slightly.
- Red gel food coloring: Gel colors give a vibrant red without thinning the dough. Add coloring gradually until you reach the shade you want.
Equipment
- Baking sheet: A good-quality aluminum baking sheet helps cookies bake evenly and prevents overly dark bottoms.
- Mixer: A stand mixer or hand mixer will make combining ingredients effortless.
- Parchment paper: Use parchment or silicone liners for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- Rolling pin: Any rolling pin will work; a French-style pin is convenient for rolling rectangles.
- Kitchen scale (optional): We recommend a scale for consistent results, especially with flour measurements.
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If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and a comment — we love hearing how your cookies turn out. Share a photo on social media with #sugarhero if you like!
Candy Cane Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 oz unsalted butter (1 cup), room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese (1/2 cup), room temperature
- 10 oz granulated sugar (about 1 1/3 cups)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 16 oz all-purpose flour (about 3 1/2 cups)
- Red gel food coloring
Instructions
- Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium until creamy, about 30 seconds.
- Add the cream cheese and beat until combined. Add the granulated sugar and mix on medium for about 30 seconds until light and smooth.
- Add the egg yolk, peppermint extract, and salt. Mix until the ingredients come together.
- With the mixer running on low, add the flour in a steady stream and mix just until the dough forms. Scrape the bowl as needed; avoid overmixing.
- Divide the dough in half. If you have a scale, each half will be roughly 18 ounces. Leave one half plain and tint the other half with red gel food coloring until the color is uniform.
- Roll each color between sheets of parchment into a long rectangle about 1/4″ thick, 5″ wide, and 18″ long. If the dough is too soft, chill briefly to firm it up.
- Chill the rectangles for 10 minutes. Carefully stack the red rectangle on top of the white, then gently roll with a rolling pin to meld them into a two-tone rectangle about 1/2″ thick. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes.
- Use a sharp knife to cut 1/2″ wide strips across the short side of the rectangle. Each strip should be about 5″ long. Roll each strip between your hands to round the edges, then gently twist to create a red-and-white spiral and curve one end to form a candy cane. Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- If the dough becomes too soft while shaping, refrigerate briefly. Repeat until all dough is shaped, about 36 cookies total.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place a baking sheet of shaped cookies in the freezer while the oven preheats so they go into the oven chilled.
- Bake for 12–14 minutes. The cookies will puff slightly and lose their raw shine; the color should remain vibrant and the bottoms lightly golden.
- Cool completely on the baking sheet before removing. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week, or freeze for up to three months.
Measuring Tips
These recipes are developed using weight measurements. A kitchen scale gives the most consistent results, but cup measures are included if you prefer them. When using cups, avoid packing flour — use the spoon-and-level method for accuracy.
Nutrition
Calories: 135 kcal | Carbohydrates: 18 g | Protein: 2 g | Fat: 6 g | Sugar: 8 g
Don’t miss the step-by-step visual guide later in this post showing how to make Candy Cane Cookies.
📋 Instructions
Below is a photo tutorial and condensed instructions. Full details and ingredient amounts are provided in the recipe card above.
Cream together ingredients
- Beat room-temperature butter until creamy. Add cream cheese and sugar and mix until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the egg yolk, peppermint extract, and salt, and mix until just combined.
Add the flour
- Reduce mixer speed and add flour gradually, mixing just until combined. Scrape the bowl so everything is incorporated.
- The dough should be soft but not sticky.
Divide the dough
- Divide dough in half. Tint one half red with gel food coloring.
- Roll each half between parchment into a long rectangle about 1/4″ thick, 5″ wide, and 18″ long.
- Chill briefly, stack the red rectangle on the white, and roll to meld. Flatten to about 1/2″ thick and chill until firm.
- Cut 1/2″ strips across the width. Each strip should measure roughly 5″ long.
Shape the cookies into candy canes
- Roll a strip between your hands to round the edges.
- Gently twist to form red-and-white spirals.
- Curve one end into a hook to create the candy cane shape and place on parchment-lined sheets.
Create the candy cane shape
- Place the shaped cookies on baking sheets and chill briefly while the oven preheats.
- Bake at 350°F for 12–14 minutes until set. Allow to cool completely before serving.
💡 Tips For Cookie Success
Follow these tips for the best outcome:
- Follow the method: This specific method — cream, combine, layer, chill, then cut and shape — gives consistent results. Read the full recipe before starting.
- Measure accurately: Too much flour will dry out the dough. A kitchen scale yields the most reliable results. If using cups, use the spoon-and-level method rather than scooping directly from the bin.
- Avoid overmixing: Mix just until ingredients are incorporated. Overmixing develops gluten and can make cookies tough.
- If dough gets soft: Chill it briefly (10–15 minutes) before rolling or shaping to make it easier to work with.
💡 Troubleshooting and FAQs
- Color intensity: Bright red requires a fair amount of gel coloring. Use a concentrated gel for the best color with minimal impact on dough texture.
- Gifting: These cookies make lovely edible gifts—arrange them on cookie plates or wrap individually for party favors.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week, or freeze for up to three months. For longer storage, freeze shaped cookies on baking sheets until firm, then transfer to an airtight container. You can also freeze the layered dough; thaw in the refrigerator before shaping and baking.
If you try this recipe, please leave feedback and share photos with the hashtag #sugarhero — we love seeing how your cookies turn out!