Soft, chewy and so pepperminty, these Candy Cane Cookies are the perfect Christmas cookie! Rolled in powdered sugar and softly baked, this is the best way to enjoy a candy cane.
Candy Canes Never Tasted So Good
I don’t know if you are one of those people who love eating a candy cane all by itself, but I am not one of those people. Like at all. But every Christmas, I seem to end up with tons of peppermint candy canes that I throw out. One day I got the bright idea to crush them up and add them to some sweet and soft cookie dough and the candy cake cookie was born! While I hate plain candy canes, this is a recipe I can get behind. You will LOVE these.
Only Basic Pantry Ingredients Needed
I love making all sorts of cookies because they are pretty darn simple to throw together at a moment’s notice because I generally have all the ingredients on hand. Things like butter, granulated sugar eggs, vanilla, all purpose flour, some leavenings and a little salt. The only ‘specialty’ item needed is the candy canes, but I think you should all be able to find those pretty readily this time of year.
How to Make Candy Cane Cookies
I use the basic creaming method to make these pretty little red speckled cookies. It’s the most common cookie making method and should be pretty familiar to you if you’ve ever made cookies of any kind before.
Crush the Candy Canes
Place candy canes into a plastic food storage bag and crush using a rolling pin. I throw the candy canes in, wrappers and all, crush away and then remove the plastic. You need 1/4 cup of crushed candy canes. Set these aside.
Make the Cookie Dough
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla and egg. Scrape sides and mix again. Stir all dry ingredients together in a small bowl and then in pour into the mixer and slowly mix until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of the bowl and mix again briefly. Stir in crushed candy canes.
Roll in Powdered Sugar
Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on the baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.
Bake and Serve
Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begins to barely brown and cookies look matte {not melty or shiny}. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Storing Candy Cane Cookies
You can store these cookies at room temperature on the counter for up to 3 days, as long as they are in an airtight container. After day 2, they will start to taste not as fresh, but nothing that a quick 5 second zap in the microwave can’t fix!
If you’d like to freeze these, feel free to store them in an airtight, freezer safe bag or container, divided by parchment or wax paper. Freeze for up to 4 months. To defrost, grab 1-2 and microwave until warm.
Other Cookie Recipes You Will Love:
Love these candy cane cookies? Here are a few others I’m sure you and your family will love:
- Cranberry Orange Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Cake Mix Cookies
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
Candy Cane Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 whole candy canes crushed (1/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 whole egg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease light colored baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray, line with parchment paper or use silicone baking mat and set aside.
- Place candy canes into a plastic food storage bag and crush using a rolling pin. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla and egg. Scrape sides and mix again. Stir all dry ingredients together in a small bowl and then in pour into the mixer and slowly mix until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of the bowl and mix again briefly. Stir in crushed candy canes.
- Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on the baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begins to barely brown and cookies look matte {not melty or shiny}. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
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