Candy cane cookies made with buttery vanilla dough twisted red and white — festive, fun, and perfect for any holiday cookie tray.
Candy cane cookies are buttery vanilla sugar cookies twisted into festive red-and-white candy cane shapes. They’re perfect for Christmas cookie trays and holiday baking!
Made with my classic sugar cookie dough, these homemade Christmas cookies are fun to shape, with a tender texture and a delicious vanilla flavor.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Festive Christmas cookies: Classic red-and-white twists that look beautiful on holiday cookie trays.
- Buttery vanilla flavor: Made with a tender sugar cookie dough and simple ingredients.
- Fun to make: Roll and twist the dough into candy cane shapes, perfect for baking with kids.
Ingredients You Nedd
- All-purpose flour: Regular all-purpose flour works perfectly for these cookies.
- Powdered sugar: Use finely powdered sugar for the best texture.
- Unsalted butter: Softened to room temperature, but not melted.
- Egg: One large egg at room temperature.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract for a classic vanilla flavor.
- Salt: Fine salt.
- Red gel food coloring: Choose a concentrated gel coloring for a vibrant red dough.
Tips for Perfect Candy Cane Cookies
- Use softened butter: It should be soft but not melted.
- Measure the flour accurately: Use a kitchen scale to avoid dry, crumbly dough.
- Keep the dough cool: Refrigerate whenever it becomes too soft to handle.
- Roll evenly: Make both ropes the same thickness for neat candy cane twists.
- Chill before baking: Cold, shaped cookies hold their candy cane shape better.
How To Make Candy Cane Cookies
Cream the softened butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl (hand mixer or stand mixer).
Add the egg and vanilla extract, and beat again until fully combined.
Add the flour and salt, then mix on low speed until a smooth dough forms.
Divide the dough in two. Tint one half with red gel food coloring and mix on low speed until evenly colored.
Wrap both portions in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Shape small dough balls, about 15 g each. If the dough becomes too soft, refrigerate the balls for 20 minutes to firm them up.
Take one red ball and one white ball, roll each into a rope, twist them together, then bend the top to form the candy cane hook.
Place each cookie on a lined baking sheet and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes, just until the edges turn lightly golden.
Let the cookies cool, then enjoy as is—or finish with a drizzle of white chocolate or a sprinkle of sugar for a festive touch.
Recipe Variations
- Peppermint candy cane cookies: Replace some of the vanilla with a few drops of peppermint extract.
- Chocolate candy cane cookies: Replace 2 tablespoons of flour with unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Green candy cane cookies: Use green gel food coloring instead of red for a different Christmas look.
Recipe Questions
Can I skip chilling the dough?
Chilling makes the dough easier to shape and helps the cookies keep their candy cane twists during baking.
Can I use liquid food coloring?
Gel food coloring works best because it gives a stronger color without adding too much liquid to the dough.
Why do my candy cane cookies spread?
The dough may have been too warm. Chill the shaped cookies before baking and avoid using overly softened butter.
How do I store candy cane cookies?
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
More Christmas Cookies
- Iced gingerbread cookies
- Iced Christmas sugar cookies
- Spiced snowflake cookies
- Gingerbread men
- White chocolate candy cane cookies
I hope you’ll love this recipe. If you try it, feel free to leave a comment. Happy baking!
Recipe Video
Candy Cane Cookies
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 18 cookies
Description
Candy cane-shaped cookies, perfect for Christmas! Made with a buttery shortbread dough colored with red food coloring (makes about 18-20 cookies).
Ingredients
- 125 g unsalted butter, softened (½ cup)
- 100 g powdered sugar (¾ cup)
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 250 g all-purpose flour (2 cups)
- 1 pinch of salt
- Red gel food coloring
Instructions
- Beat the softened butter with the powdered sugar until light and creamy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
- Add the flour and salt and mix just until the dough comes together without overmixing.
- Divide the dough in two portions.
- Tint one half with red gel food coloring, then wrap both portions in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- Shape small 15 g balls of dough.
- Roll one red ball and one plain ball into thin ropes, twist them together, and bend the top to form a candy cane.
- Place the shaped cookies on a lined baking sheet and chill for 1 hour or freeze for 20 minutes.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
- Let cool before serving.
Notes
Storage: Keep the cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Tips:
- Use softened butter for the perfect texture.
- If the dough becomes too soft, refrigerate it for 10-20 minutes to make it easier to shape.
- Freeze the cookies for 20 minutes before baking to help them hold their shape.
- Opt for gel food coloring to keep the dough firm.
- Watch the baking time—cookies should be lightly golden around the edges.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: cookies
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 2282
- Sugar: 99.6 g
- Sodium: 2419.3 mg
- Fat: 108.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 292.2 g
- Protein: 33.2 g
- Cholesterol: 454.8 mg
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