Description
Start your holiday baking with these festive Crispy Candy Cane Cookies — the perfect combination of buttery vanilla-almond dough and peppermint twist! Shaped into adorable candy canes and dusted with sugar, these cookies snap with each bite and look as good as they taste. Whether you’re baking for cookie swaps, dessert tables, or just a cozy winter snack, this easy recipe will steal the show. Great for gifting, parties, or pairing with your favorite cup of hot cocoa, they’re a must-have in your holiday baking list. Keywords: quick dessert, holiday baking, peppermint cookie, festive cookie, Christmas ideas, easy cookie recipe.
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
Red gel food coloring
1/4 cup coarse sugar or sanding sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup of softened unsalted butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
2. Add 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, and 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract. Mix until fully combined.
3. Gradually stir in 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour until the dough comes together.
4. Divide dough in half. Leave one half plain; add red gel food coloring to the other and mix until evenly tinted.
5. Take 1 tablespoon of each dough color, roll into 5-inch ropes, twist together, and shape into candy canes.
6. Roll shaped dough in coarse sugar or sanding sugar for a sparkling finish.
7. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 9–11 minutes until edges are just golden.
8. Cool completely before storing.
Notes
For crispier cookies, bake until just golden around the edges — avoid underbaking.
Use gel food coloring to avoid altering the dough’s consistency.
Chill twisted cookies for 10 minutes before baking to help them retain shape.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 30mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Protein: 1.3g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
Keywords: crispy candy cane cookies, holiday cookie recipe, peppermint cookies, Christmas dessert, festive cookies