Candy Cane Cookies

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This sweet and chewy Christmas Candy Cane Cookie recipe is adapted from my award winning Lemon Crinkle Cookies recipe. It’s the ever popular holiday version that is chewy, minty and just divine! My favorite way to enjoy a candy cane!

Why You’ll Love Candy Cane Cookies

These candy cane sugar cookies have simple, everyday ingredients (most that you already have in your pantry!) to make soft, chewy and delicious peppermint cookies. Perfect for the Christmas season because this recipe uses peppermint candy canes! YUM! They add a touch of holiday cheer to cookie platters and are a fun and decorative addition to your holiday parties.

Candy Cane Cookies Tips and Tricks

I love a soft, chewy and pepperminty cookie, especially at Christmas. So, if you have made a few of my Christmas cookie recipes before, odds are you will like this recipe as written. Here are some tips and tricks to get you cookies that look just like mine!

Baking Time. I use lighter colored baking sheets, so the bake time is based on that. If using a nonstick darker baking sheet, reduce baking time by about 2 minutes.

Peppermint. The addition of peppermint extract takes these to the next level of festive! Try adding a few drops of peppermint extract to the dough. Start with 1/2 teaspoon and work up from there.

Spreading. If your cookies are spreading too much, it’s because there isn’t enough flour. The butter to flour ratio is off…happens a lot with cookies because everyone measures their flour a little differently. Try adding in 1 tablespoon of flour and baking one cookie to see if you get that signature cookie dough texture.

Ingredients Needed for Candy Cane Cookies

Here is everything you need to make these cookies! Most are pantry staples that you probably already have!

• candy canes– you can buy peppermint candy canes and crush them yourself, or buy pre-crushed peppermint candies.
• butter– use real butter, not margarine for these cookies. Some readers have had problems making these and it’s because they used margarine.
• granulated sugar– to sweeten.
• vanilla extract– for flavoring.
• 1 egg– for structure and texture.
• salt– balances out the flavors.
• baking powder + baking soda– this gives the cookies their rise and texture.
• all purpose flour–  this fills the cookie out and gives them some structure.
• powdered sugar– rolling the dough in powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar) puts the crinkle onto these cookies.

How to Make Candy Cane Cookies

This is a simple cookie dough with crushed peppermint candies mixed in. For full recipe details, including ingredient measurements and baking time see the printable recipe card down below. Here is step by step what you can expect when making this recipe:

Prep

Preheat your oven to 350° F. Spray light colored cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray, line with parchment paper or use silicone baking mat and set aside.

Crush Candy Canes

Throw the candy canes into a plastic zip top bag and bang them up with a rolling pin or mallet. I didn’t even unwrap the candy canes. Once they’re crushed, you can pick out the plastic wrappers. I had a few bigger chunks of candy cane, but for the most part, these were pretty small.

Make Candy Cane Cookie Dough

In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. This is a super important step for soft cookies. Whip in vanilla extract and egg. Scrape sides and mix again.

Measure out your baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir it into your flour. Excluding the powdered sugar, dump all your dry ingredients into the bowl and mix until it’s just incorporated. Scrape sides of the bowl and mix again briefly.

Add in Crushed Candy Canes

Add in the crushed candy canes. I don’t know about you but I could eat this whole bowl of dough. Come to momma.

Form Into Balls + Roll in Powdered Sugar

Pour powdered sugar into a separate bowl or large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begins to BARELY golden brown. This is the key to their chewiness. For best results, you want the outside of the cookie to look matte (not shiny) when you pull them out. Mine were done in 8 minutes on the nose. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Storing Candy Cane Cookies

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week. Obviously, the longer they sit, the less fresh they will be! Nothing a quick zap in the microwave can’t handle though.

To Freeze: Place baked and cooled cookies into a freezer safe, airtight container with parchment paper separating the layers. Cookies will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw on the counter.

FAQ About Candy Cane Cookies

More of the Best Christmas Cookies to Bake!

• Triple Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
• Chewy Chocolate Fudge Cookies with Peppermint Glaze
• Chocolate Mint Cookies
• Perfect Shortbread Cookies
• Christmas Shortbread Cookies

I LOVED how these Christmas Candy Cane Cookies turned out and hope they make it to your mouth soon. These are great to add to Christmas cookie platters, cookie exchanges or to leave out on Christmas Eve for Santa! Whatever your holiday tradition is, I hope you make these this holiday season! The printable recipe card is below! Have a great day, friends! 🙂

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.