Last updated: September 30, 2026
Candy cane cookies bring the look of a peppermint stick to a soft, buttery sugar cookie base. You get the answer to a soft, evenly swirled cookie below, along with the full recipe card so you can start baking right away.
Why You’ll Love These Candy Cane Cookies
These candy cane cookies pair a classic butter cookie dough with a peppermint-tinted half for that signature red and white swirl.
You get a soft, slightly chewy center with crisp edges, and the dough holds its shape well through rolling and twisting.
The recipe card below has exact measurements, timing, and nutrition information, so you can follow along step by step.
What You Need for Candy Cane Cookies
You need softened butter, granulated sugar, an egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract for flavor.
All purpose flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt round out the dry ingredients that give the dough its structure.
Red gel food coloring tints half the dough, and crushed candy canes or peppermint candies finish the tops after baking.
Ingredient Notes
Gel food coloring works better than liquid drops here, since it tints the dough deeply without thinning it out.
Peppermint extract is stronger than mint extract, so use it sparingly and taste the dough if you want to adjust the intensity.
Crushed candy canes work best when they are pulsed in a food processor or crushed in a sealed bag with a rolling pin, since this gives you fine pieces that stick to the warm cookies.
How to Make Candy Cane Cookies
You start by creaming the butter and sugar together until the mixture turns pale and fluffy.
Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until everything is fully combined.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl, then mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in two additions.
Split the dough in half, and knead red gel food coloring into one half until you reach an even, deep red color.
Chill both halves of the dough for at least 30 minutes, since chilled dough is much easier to shape into clean twists.
Shaping the Candy Cane Twist
Roll a small piece of white dough and a small piece of red dough into ropes of the same length and thickness.
Lay the two ropes side by side, then twist them together gently from one end to the other.
Curve the top of the twisted rope into a hook shape so it looks like a candy cane, then place it on a lined baking sheet.
Space the shaped cookies about two inches apart, since they spread slightly as they bake.
Baking and Finishing
Bake the cookies until the edges are just set and the bottoms are lightly golden, watching closely near the end so the white dough does not brown.
Sprinkle the crushed candy canes over the cookies within the first few minutes after they come out of the oven, while they are still warm enough for the candy to stick.
Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before moving them, since they firm up as they cool.
Tips for the Best Candy Cane Cookies
Keep your work surface and hands lightly floured while rolling the dough ropes, since a sticky surface makes the twist uneven.
Work with one small portion of dough at a time and keep the rest chilled, since warm dough is harder to roll into a clean, even rope.
If the twist starts to loosen or unravel while you shape it, press the ends firmly onto the baking sheet to anchor them before baking.
Variations to Try
Swap the peppermint extract for orange extract and use green food coloring for a citrus twist on the same shape.
Dip the finished cooled cookies halfway into melted white chocolate before adding the crushed candy cane for a richer finish.
Make mini versions by using smaller dough ropes, which work well for cookie trays and gift boxes.
Storing and Freezing Candy Cane Cookies
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Layer parchment paper between the cookies if you stack them, since the crushed candy cane topping can stick to the cookie above it.
Freeze the baked and cooled cookies in a single layer, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 2 months, and thaw them at room temperature before serving.
You can also freeze the shaped, unbaked dough twists on a tray, then transfer them to a bag and bake straight from frozen, adding two extra minutes to the bake time.
Now it is time to put this candy cane cookies recipe to work. Follow the full recipe card below for exact measurements, timing, and nutrition information.
Candy Cane Cookies
Soft, buttery candy cane cookies with a hand-twisted peppermint swirl and a crushed candy cane topping, perfect for a holiday cookie tray.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red gel food coloring
- 1/2 cup crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together in a large bowl until pale and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until fully combined.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions, mixing just until combined.
- Divide the dough in half and knead the red gel food coloring into one half until evenly colored.
- Wrap both halves of dough separately and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll a small piece of white dough and a small piece of red dough into ropes of equal length and thickness.
- Twist the two ropes together gently and curve the top into a hook shape to form a candy cane.
- Place the shaped cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are just set and the bottoms are lightly golden.
- Sprinkle the crushed candy canes over the warm cookies within the first few minutes after baking.
- Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before serving or storing.
Notes
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, layering parchment between cookies. Freeze baked and cooled cookies for up to 2 months, or freeze shaped unbaked dough and bake from frozen, adding 2 extra minutes to the bake time.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1 cookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 130Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3.5gSodium: 45mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 1g
Candy Cane Cookies Questions and Answers
Why did my candy cane cookies spread flat instead of holding their shape?
Warm dough is the most common cause, so chill the dough fully before shaping and chill the shaped cookies again if your kitchen is warm.
Too little flour or an inaccurate measurement can also cause spreading, so spoon and level your flour rather than scooping it straight from the bag.
Can you use liquid food coloring instead of gel?
Gel food coloring gives a deeper color without adding extra liquid to the dough, so it is the better choice for this recipe.
Liquid food coloring can work in a pinch, but you may need more of it, and the dough can turn slightly softer as a result.
Why is my peppermint flavor too strong or too weak?
Peppermint extract varies in strength by brand, so start with the amount listed in the card and taste a bit of raw dough before shaping.
Add a small amount more at a time if you want a stronger flavor, since it is easy to add more but hard to remove.
Can you make the dough ahead of time?
You can make the dough up to 2 days ahead and keep it tightly wrapped in the refrigerator until you are ready to shape and bake.
Let the dough sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes if it becomes too firm to roll after a long chill.
What can you use instead of candy canes for the topping?
Crushed peppermint hard candies work the same way as candy canes and are often easier to crush evenly.
A light dusting of sanding sugar in red and white also works if you want a milder finish without the peppermint crunch.
Why did the red and white dough colors bleed into each other?
Over-kneading the twisted ropes causes the colors to blend, so twist gently and avoid pressing too hard once the colors meet.
Make sure both dough halves are fully chilled before shaping, since firm dough holds a cleaner line between colors.
Why This Recipe Works
This candy cane cookies recipe relies on a classic creaming method, where butter and sugar are beaten together first to build air into the dough.
That air gives the baked cookie a soft, tender crumb instead of a dense or tough one, even with the added handling from twisting the ropes.
Chilling the dough twice, once before shaping and again if the kitchen is warm, keeps the butter solid long enough for the cookies to hold their twisted shape in the oven rather than melting into a flat puddle.
Splitting the dough evenly and rolling matched ropes of white and red dough is what keeps the classic candy cane stripe consistent from cookie to cookie.
Bring the Candy Cane Look to Your Holiday Cookie Tray
Candy cane cookies are a simple way to add a festive, hand-shaped treat to your holiday baking lineup.
Print the recipe card above, gather your ingredients, and give these candy cane cookies a spot on your next cookie tray.
