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 (1/2 cup)
- 100 g powdered sugar (3/4 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