These old-fashioned Candy Cane Cookies are perfect for holiday baking. Red and white peppermint cookie dough, twisted into a festive candy cane shape.
Candy Cane Cookies
This recipe for candy cane cookies is just like the cookies I remember trying when I was a kid. They aren’t overly sweet, just a wonderful combination of vanilla and peppermint flavor. They go perfectly with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate!
How to Make Old-Fashioned Candy Cane Shaped Cookies
- Start by preparing the cookie dough. This recipe makes a nice soft dough that is very easy to work with.
- Divide the dough in half and color one half red. Chill dough for about one hour or up to overnight.
- Scoop one tablespoon of each color dough and gently roll into a 6 inch rope shape.
- Gently twist into candy cane shape, pinching the ends together slightly. They don’t need to be perfect, we are going for a handmade look!
- Chill the shaped cookies for 15 minutes prior to baking.
Finishing the Cookies
Prepare peppermint glaze and spoon over still slightly warm cookies. This step is optional, but I love the pretty sheen and the light touch of sweetness. Since this cookie dough is not overly sweet, it benefits from a little something extra. If you are planning on storing these cookies or giving them as gifts and don’t want to use the glaze, try sprinkling with sugar or crushed peppermint before baking to add that extra sweetness.
Candy Cane Cookie perfection! In the original recipe for these cookies, I adapted from The Kitchn, the author says the cookies are even better the next day and I agree! These are great for making ahead as the flavor and texture of the cookies continues to improve. Just a note about this cookie dough, it’s not a sugar cookie dough. This is a sturdier shortbread dough meant to hold the shape of the candy cane. A sugar cookie would have more butter and sugar and would spread while baking.
More Christmas Recipes
Old-Fashioned Divinity Candy Recipe  Â
Easy Fudge Recipe – Copycat See’s Candies FudgeÂ
Old-Fashioned Peanut Brittle RecipeÂ

Old-fashioned peppermint Candy Cane Cookies.
- 2 sticks of butter at room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon of red food coloring
- For the glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and powdered sugar until fluffy.
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Add egg, vanilla and peppermint extract, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
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Reduce mixer speed and add flour and salt, mixing until well combined.
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Divide dough in half.
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In the bowl of the stand mixer, combine 1/2 the cookie dough with red food coloring.
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Shape cookie dough into disc and cover tightly with plastic wrap.
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Refrigerate one hour or up to overnight.
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Once dough has chilled, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
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Measure one tablespoon of each color dough and gently roll into 6 inch long log shapes.
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Twist cookie dough together and transfer to parchment paper or silpat lined baking sheet.
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Chill shaped cookie dough for 15 minutes before baking.
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Bake 10-12 minutes, or until bottoms of cookies are a very light golden brown.
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While the cookies are baking, prepare peppermint glaze. Spoon over cookies after they have cooled slightly.
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A beautiful accent to the candy cane cookies is to mash – very fine, several candy canes and sprinkle them on top right when they come out of the oven. Like a dusting of peppermint. Pretty and tasty!!
Sounds perfect, Lisa! Thanks for sharing!
Made a batch of these this AM. They are great and will look good on a cookie tray.
I was looking for a Christmas cookie recipes for my jobs Christmas party bake off and came across this recipe! These candy cane cookies look simple to make and very delicious! Thanks for posting this recipe! Looking forward to making these for the party!
Can I use any kind of sugar cookie recipe?
Such an adorable idea! We had such a fun time making them and they were delicious!
These are so festive! Saving this to make with my kids because I know they are going to love them!
What fun cookies for Christmas! My kids will love making these!
These cookies are so cute and taste so good!! I wanted to add a new cookie to my goodie plates I gift at Christmas and this one wins!
How cute are these! Definitely making these around Christmas time! I know my kids will love to help too!
Amazing Cookies!!! Totally will make them again.
So fun & easy! The perfect addition to my dessert trays! Wonderfully tasty, too!
I hadn’t had these since I was a girl, so it was fun to whip them up again. So fun and yummy, and I agree that they do taste better the next day!
I looove making these cookies for our Christmas parties! They are always a big hit!
I loved these cookies and so did the kids, they are so festive and cute and super fun to make, the perfect Christmas treat!