Description
These Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies are a festive and flavorful holiday treat featuring a delightful combination of peppermint and vanilla flavors. The dough is divided and colored to create red and white twisted candy cane shapes, finished with a sparkling sugar coating for a charming shimmer. Perfectly tender and visually festive, these cookies are ideal for holiday gatherings or as a sweet seasonal gift.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 2 sticks (227g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 3/4 cups (385g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon liquid red food coloring
For Finishing
- 1 egg white
- 2 tablespoons sparkling sugar
Instructions
- Make the dough: Place the butter, sugar, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, baking powder, and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until a paste forms and clings to the side of the bowl, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides, then beat in the egg until fully incorporated. Add the all-purpose flour and mix on low speed until just combined, ensuring no dry streaks remain.
- Color half the dough: Divide the dough in half, removing one portion from the bowl. Add the liquid red food coloring to the remaining dough in the mixer bowl and mix on low speed until the color is evenly distributed and uniform.
- Chill the dough: Pat each half of the dough into flat disks. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight, to firm up the dough for easier shaping.
- Preheat the oven: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking.
- Shape the cookies: Remove dough from the refrigerator and allow to soften slightly if too hard, but do not let it get too warm. Pinch off a 1-inch piece of white dough and roll it into a 5-inch long rope. Repeat with the red dough, ensuring both ropes are equal length. Place the ropes side by side and twist tightly together. Curve the twisted rope at the top to form a candy cane shape. Place shaped cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Apply egg white wash and sugar: In a small bowl, beat egg white with 1 tablespoon water until foamy. Brush each cookie lightly with the egg white wash and sprinkle sparkling sugar evenly over the tops for a festive shimmer.
- Bake the cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are just barely brown and cookies are set. Avoid overbaking to maintain tenderness.
- Cool the cookies: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Allow baking sheets to cool fully before baking subsequent batches to prevent spreading from residual heat.
Notes
- For best results, chill the dough overnight to make shaping easier.
- Do not overbake to keep cookies tender and soft rather than dry and crunchy.
- The egg white wash with sparkling sugar adds a beautiful festive shimmer and helps the sugar adhere.
- Allow baking sheets to cool between batches to prevent cookie spreading.
- You can substitute liquid red food coloring with gel food coloring for a more vibrant color if desired.
