Description
These festive Candy Cane Cookies are the ultimate holiday treat — buttery, soft, and twisted in cheerful red and white stripes. Perfect for Christmas cookie exchanges, edible gifts, or family baking sessions. Includes almond and vanilla flavor, with tips for peppermint variations. Discover how to shape, store, and serve them flawlessly.
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
Red gel food coloring
Red sanding sugar (optional)
Instructions
1. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix until smooth.
3. Gradually mix in flour and salt until a soft dough forms.
4. Divide the dough in half. Leave one half plain and color the other red.
5. Wrap both doughs in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
6. Roll each dough into 4-inch ropes. Twist one red and one plain rope together.
7. Curve the top of the twisted rope into a candy cane shape.
8. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
9. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes, until just set.
10. Let cool 5 minutes on the sheet, then transfer to a wire rack.
Notes
Chill the dough for clean shaping and reduced stickiness.
Gel food coloring is best to maintain dough texture and get vibrant red.
Cookies can be shaped and frozen raw — bake from frozen with 1–2 extra minutes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Holiday Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 105
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 40mg
- Fat: 5.5g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 15mg