Candy Cane Cookies

These delicious little candy cane cookies look and taste just like candy canes, and they bake up soft and chewy!! They’re so much fun to shape and bake.

How to Make These Candy Cane Cookies

Let’s walk through each step of this recipe to make sure it turns out as amazing as possible!

I’ve also included a short video on how to make these cookies in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1: Make the Cookie Dough

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup cream cheese on medium speed with a hand mixer or whisk attachment until smooth.

Next, add 1 1/4 cups of granulated sugar and mix on a medium-high speed for a couple of minutes, until the mixture becomes lighter in color.

Add in 1 egg, 2 tsp peppermint extract, and 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract. Mix on a medium speed until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour (use a scale or fluff the flour in the bag, then spoon it into the measuring cup and level it), 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1 tsp fine salt, and 1/2 tsp baking powder.

Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture on a low speed until it is JUST incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between additions. At this point, the dough should still be pretty thick and sticky.

Step 2: Color and Chill the Dough

Spread out a long piece of plastic wrap and scoop half of the uncolored dough onto it. Flatten the dough into a rectangle that’s about 1/4 inch thick, then wrap the dough tightly and place it in the fridge to chill.

Color the remaining dough red with a generous squirt of red gel food coloring (if you use liquid food coloring, use 1 Tbsp). Mix until the dough is just evenly colored.

Flatten the dough into a rectangle that’s about 1/4 inch thick on a piece of plastic wrap. Wrap the dough tightly and place it in the fridge to chill.

Chill both portions of dough in the fridge for an hour or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C right before you start shaping the cookies, and line two light-colored, large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.

It will take a bit of time to shape all the cookies, and that should give your oven enough time to fully preheat. Set aside.

Step 3: Shape the Candy Cane Cookies

Unwrap each portion of cookie dough so that it’s sitting on top of the plastic wrap.

Use a 1/2 tsp measure to scoop a portion of red and white dough, then use your hands to roll the dough out into thin strands that are about 4 inches long.

Twist the red and white strands together, then bend the top to form a candy cane shape.

This can take a little bit of practice, so don’t get discouraged if your first few are a little wonky! It gets easier the more you make!

Repeat with the remaining dough, making each cookie one at a time to prevent the dough from drying out.

Step 4: Chill and Bake the Candy Cane Cookies

The cookies don’t spread much as they bake, so you can place them about 1 inch apart. I was able to fit about 30 per sheet.

Chill the cut-out cookies (pan and all) one more time in the fridge for an hour or the freezer for 15 minutes to help them keep their shape as they bake.

Bake one sheet of cookies at a time for 12-14 minutes on the middle rack of your oven (bake time can vary based on the cookies’ size and the dough’s thickness).

Keep a close eye on the cookies and be sure to pull them out before the edges start to brown.

Let the baked cookies cool on the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling and enjoy!

Substitutions and Swaps

This recipe uses quite a few ingredients, and I know you might not have them all on hand.

Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered. Below are some swaps and substitutions that you can make.

• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place (and omit the salt)!
• Cream Cheese – Full-fat cream cheese that comes in a block works best. You can also use additional butter in place of the cream cheese, but the cookies will spread more.
• Granulated Sugar –  I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar, as it will change the texture of the cookies.
• 1 Large Egg– If you have an egg allergy, try using a flaxseed egg or a vegan egg replacer like this one made by Bob’s Red Mill.
• All-purpose flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a gluten-free flour blend if needed.
• Cornstarch – Cornstarch helps give these cookies a soft texture! If you don’t have any on hand, it can be omitted, but your cookies won’t bake up as soft.
• Gel Food Coloring – I used red gel food coloring to make these, but you can use whatever you have on hand.

How Many Cookies Does This Recipe Make?

This recipe can be used to make about 90 candy cane cookies, using a 1/2 tsp measure for each color of dough.

This recipe can be doubled or halved (use an egg yolk) to change the yield if needed. 

Making These Candy Cane Cookies in Advance and Storage Tips

You can store these cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature or for up to a month in the freezer.

This cookie dough can also be frozen for up to 1 month if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container. I like to move the cookie dough to the fridge the night before I plan to shape and bake the cookies.

You can also shape the cookies before freezing, then bake from frozen. Just add an extra 1–2 minutes to the bake time!

Tips for Making the Best Candy Cane Cookies

• Really cream together the butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar. It helps incorporate air into the dough, which makes tender, soft cookies.
• Properly measure the flour! It has a huge impact on how the cookies turn out! Either use a scale or fluff the flour in the bag, then spoon it into the measuring cup and level it.
• Take the time to chill the cookie dough. It helps prevent the cookies from spreading while they bake and helps them bake up with a soft texture.
• Give yourself plenty of time to roll out and shape these cookies. It took me about an hour and a half to shape all 90 candy cane cookies.
• Don’t overbake the cookies. Err on the side of underbaking your cookies, and remember that the cookies continue to bake for a few minutes once they’re out of the oven.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this recipe for candy cane cookies, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a rating and let me know your thoughts by sharing a comment.

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