Magic Candy Cane Cookies
Magic Candy Cane Cookies are soft, buttery holiday cookies with festive red and white swirls and a refreshing peppermint flavor. Perfect for gifting, cookie exchanges, or cozy winter baking, they bring classic Christmas charm to every bite.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- hand or stand mixer
- baking sheets
- parchment paper
- wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- red gel food coloring
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar until creamy and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract, mixing until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually fold into the butter mixture until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough into two equal portions. Leave one portion plain and add red gel food coloring to the second portion, kneading until evenly colored.
- Wrap both dough portions in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Pinch equal amounts of red and white dough, roll into ropes, twist together, and curve into candy cane shapes. Place on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, until cookies are set but not browned.
- Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Chill the dough between shaping batches to keep the twists defined. Gel food coloring gives vibrant color without affecting texture. Dust with sanding sugar before baking for extra sparkle.