Candy cane cookies are my absolute favorite Christmas cookie to make, and not just because they look adorable (though they totally do). I started making these about six years ago when my daughter came home from preschool talking about how her teacher brought in “cookies that look like candy canes!” and I was like, okay, challenge accepted.
First attempt? Total disaster. The dough was too soft, the colors bled together, and they looked more like weird pink blobs than candy canes. My husband walked into the kitchen, looked at them, and asked if I was making “experimental art cookies.” Thanks, babe. Real supportive.
But here’s the thing—after a few tries and some trial and error, I figured out exactly what makes these homemade candy cane cookies work every single time. And now they’re the first cookies to disappear at every holiday party we go to.
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Why This Easy Candy Cane Cookies Recipe Works
Look, I’m gonna be honest with you. Most candy cane cookie recipes online make it seem way more complicated than it actually is. Some tell you to chill the dough for four hours (who has that kind of planning skills?), others want you to use special cookie cutters or stencils. Nope.
This peppermint candy cane cookies recipe is straightforward: make a simple sugar cookie dough, divide it in half, color one half red, roll them into ropes, twist them together, and bake. That’s it. The peppermint extract gives you that authentic candy cane flavor without having to crush actual candy canes into your dough (though we do sprinkle some on top because it looks pretty).
The secret I learned after multiple failed batches? Refrigerate your dough for at least 2-3 hours. I know, I know—it’s annoying to wait. But room temperature dough is impossible to roll into nice ropes. It just gets sticky and messy and you’ll end up with flour everywhere and red food coloring on your hands that won’t come off for two days. (Learned this the hard way at Thanksgiving 2019.)
What You Need for Best Candy Cane Cookies Recipe
Cookie Dough Ingredients
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (this makes them extra tender)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (please don’t use margarine)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract (McCormick brand works great)
- Red gel food coloring
For Decorating
- Crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
- White sparkling sugar (optional but makes them look fancy)
Speaking of food coloring—oh wait, I forgot to mention—use GEL food coloring, not the liquid stuff. The liquid will make your dough too wet and the colors won’t be as vibrant. I made this mistake once and ended up with pale pink cookies instead of bright red. Not cute for Christmas.
How to Make Candy Cane Cookies From Scratch
Step 1: Make the Cookie Dough
In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set that aside.
In your stand mixer (or large bowl with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes until it’s light and fluffy. This is important—don’t skip the creaming step or rush it. It incorporates air and makes your cookies tender instead of dense.
Add the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Beat until everything’s combined. Scrape down the sides of your bowl because there’s always butter hiding up there.
Turn your mixer to low and gradually add the flour mixture. Mix just until combined—don’t overmix or your cookies will be tough.
Step 2: Divide and Color
Here’s where it gets fun. Divide your dough into two equal portions. I actually weigh mine to make sure they’re even, but you can eyeball it if you want.
Leave one portion plain (this’ll be your white stripes). Add red gel food coloring to the other half. Start with just a tiny bit—like the size of a pea—and knead it in. You can always add more but you can’t take it away. I usually end up using about ½ teaspoon of gel color to get a nice bright red.
Knead each portion a few times until the color is evenly distributed. Your hands will get red—just accept it. Wear those cheap disposable gloves if you don’t want to look like you committed a crime for the rest of the day.
Step 3: Chill the Dough (Do NOT Skip This Step)
Wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. I know it seems like forever, but cold dough is SO much easier to work with.
I usually make my dough in the morning or even the night before, then bake in the afternoon. Makes the whole process way less stressful.
Step 4: Shape Your Candy Canes
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Take your dough out of the fridge. Pinch off about a teaspoon of red dough and a teaspoon of white dough. Roll each into a ball, then roll each ball into a rope about 5 inches long on a lightly floured surface.
This takes practice. The key is—oh wait, I almost forgot—use the palm of your hand and roll gently from the center outward. If you press too hard, the rope will stick to the counter. If the dough starts getting too soft and sticky, pop it back in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Place the red and white ropes side by side. Gently twist them together, starting from the middle and working your way to each end. Don’t twist too tight or they’ll break. Not tight enough and they’ll unravel. It’s a whole thing.
Curve one end down to form the candy cane hook. Place on your prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Step 5: Add Toppings and Bake
While the dough is still soft, sprinkle crushed candy canes or peppermint candies on top. Press them down very gently so they stick.
Bake for 9-11 minutes. They should look matte on top and just barely starting to brown on the bottom edges. Don’t overbake! They’ll continue to firm up as they cool.
Let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes—they’re delicate when hot—then transfer to a wire rack.
Christmas Candy Cane Cookies Tips
Keep your workspace cool: If your kitchen is warm, the dough will get soft and sticky fast. I sometimes work in batches and keep the dough in the fridge between batches.
Make them uniform: Use a ruler to measure your ropes if you want all your cookies to be the same size. I’m usually too lazy for this but it does make them look more professional.
Freeze the dough: You can freeze the colored dough portions for up to 3 months. Just thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
Storage: Store these candy cane cookies with icing or sprinkles in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They also freeze beautifully.
Get kids involved: Rolling the ropes is actually a great job for kids. Yeah, their candy canes might look a little wonky, but they’ll be so proud of themselves. My son made some last year that looked more like question marks than candy canes and he was SO excited about them.
Decorated Candy Cane Cookies Variations
Want to switch things up? Here are some things I’ve tried:
White chocolate drizzle: Melt some white chocolate and drizzle it over the cooled cookies. Extra fancy.
Different colors: Make green and white cookies for a different look. Or do all three colors if you’re feeling ambitious.
Chocolate dipped: Dip the bottom third of each cookie in melted chocolate. Delicious.
Add sprinkles: Use red and white nonpareils on top instead of crushed candy.
These festive candy cane cookies have become our Christmas tradition. Every year around December 1st, my kids start asking when we’re making “the candy cane cookies.” And every year, we make way too many and end up giving them away to teachers, neighbors, mail carriers… basically anyone who might appreciate a homemade cookie.
The smell of peppermint baking in the oven just screams Christmas to me. It reminds me of my grandma’s house during the holidays—she always had those little butter mints on the coffee table, and these cookies taste just like that memory.
Let me know how yours turn out! And if your first batch looks a little rough, don’t worry—mine did too. Just keep trying. The wonky ones still taste amazing 🎄🍪
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