Description
Sweet holiday magic comes alive with candy cane cookies, delightful peppermint treats that dance between crisp texture and festive cheer. Festive bakers can easily craft these delectable Christmas cookies with simple ingredients and cheerful spirit.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2.5 cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 0.5 teaspoon peppermint extract
- Red food coloring
Finishing Ingredients:
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon crushed candy canes (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the foundational mixture by combining softened butter and sugar until achieving a creamy, aerated texture. Introduce egg, vanilla, and peppermint extracts, thoroughly blending until uniform.
- Gradually incorporate flour and salt, gently mixing until a malleable dough emerges.
- Partition the dough into identical halves, maintaining one portion in its natural state. Infuse the alternate segment with red food coloring, ensuring even pigmentation throughout.
- Encase both dough variations in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes to stabilize consistency.
- Preheat the oven to 375F (190C) and prepare baking surfaces with parchment or silicone liners.
- Extract small portions of plain and crimson dough, rolling each into slender 4-5 inch cylindrical shapes.
- Intertwine the colored segments, delicately curving the uppermost portion to emulate a traditional candy cane configuration.
- Carefully position the shaped confections onto prepared baking surfaces.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, targeting set edges without excessive browning.
- Allow cookies to rest momentarily on baking sheet, then transition to cooling rack.
- Optional: Create a festive garnish by combining granulated sugar with finely crushed candy cane fragments, sprinkling over warm cookies for enhanced visual and gustatory appeal.
Notes
- Softening butter is crucial for achieving a smooth, creamy texture that blends perfectly with sugar, ensuring your cookies have a light, tender consistency.
- Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading during baking, creating crisp, defined candy cane shapes with clean twists and curves.
- Use gel food coloring for more vibrant red without adding extra liquid that could alter the dough’s consistency, giving your cookies a professional-looking finish.
- Twist ropes gently and consistently to create uniform candy cane patterns, keeping strands equal in thickness for balanced, professional-looking cookies.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 182
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg