Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and peppermint extracts; mix until combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients on low speed. Mix until just combined — don’t overmix!
- Add Candy Canes: Gently fold in the crushed candy canes for peppermint crunch.
- Festive Stripes: For candy cane stripes, divide dough in half. Tint one half with red food coloring. Roll both halves into ropes, twist them together, then slice into cookie rounds.
- Shape Cookies: Chill your cookie dough for at least 30 minutes. Cold dough is easier to roll and shape. Scoop dough with a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop onto baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Press extra crushed candy canes on top if desired.Shape into Candy Canes Divide and roll – Take a small portion of dough (about 1–2 tablespoons). Roll it into a thin rope, roughly 5–6 inches long.Add the stripes (optional) – If you want the classic red-and-white candy cane look, divide a small piece of dough and color it red with food coloring. Twist the red and plain dough together gently into a rope.Form the hook – Lay the rope on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Curve one end to form the candy cane hook. The rest remains straight.Keep it neat – Don’t stretch too thin; the cookie will spread slightly during baking. Make sure the hook is smooth and connected well so it doesn’t break.
- Bake: Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges are just turning golden. Be careful not to overbake to keep cookies soft.
- Cool: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
Use room temperature butter for easier creaming with sugar, which helps create a light and fluffy cookie texture.
Crush candy canes finely to evenly distribute the peppermint flavor and avoid large, sharp pieces in the cookies.
Don’t overmix the dough once you add the flour — overworking the dough can make the cookies tough.
Chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking if you want thicker, chewier cookies. This step is optional but recommended.
Underbake slightly (take cookies out when edges just start to brown) for soft, tender centers that stay fresh longer.
Values are approximate for a standard sugar cookie base with peppermint flavoring and crushed candy cane toppings. %DV is based on a 2,000-calorie daily diet. For larger cookies or more candy on top, calories, sugar, and fat will increase.
Candy Cane Cookie Nutrition Facts (Estimated Per Cookie)
| Nutrient | Amount | % Daily Value (DV) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 140 kcal | 7% |
| Total Fat | 6 g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat | 3.5 g | 18% |
| Trans Fat | 0 g | — |
| Cholesterol | 20 mg | 7% |
| Sodium | 90 mg | 4% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 20 g | 7% |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.5 g | 2% |
| Total Sugars | 12 g | — |
| Includes Added Sugars | 11 g | 22% |
| Protein | 2 g | 4% |
| Vitamin D | 0 IU | 0% |
| Calcium | 10 mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.4 mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 20 mg | 0% |
Values are approximate for a standard sugar cookie base with peppermint flavoring and crushed candy cane toppings. %DV is based on a 2,000-calorie daily diet. For larger cookies or more candy on top, calories, sugar, and fat will increase.