Description
These Magic Candy Cane Cookies are festive, buttery sugar cookies with a delightful peppermint twist and a vibrant red and white swirl. Perfect for holiday celebrations, they combine classic sugar cookie flavors with a refreshing hint of peppermint to create a visually stunning and delicious treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp peppermint extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
Decoration
- Red gel food coloring
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer on medium speed.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until fully combined and smooth.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a dough forms.
- Divide and Color: Separate the dough into two equal portions. Leave one portion plain (white), and add red gel food coloring to the other portion, kneading until the color is evenly distributed.
- Form Candy Cane Swirls: Roll out each dough portion between two sheets of parchment paper to an even thickness (about 1/4 inch). Carefully stack the red dough log and the white dough log side by side and gently press them together. Twist the combined dough log to create a candy cane swirl effect.
- Slice Cookies: Using a sharp knife, slice the twisted dough log into 1/4 inch thick rounds, which will reveal the candy cane pattern.
- Chill: Place the cookie slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to help maintain their shape during baking.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the chilled cookies for 10-12 minutes until the edges are set but the centers remain soft.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Ensure butter is softened but not melted for optimal texture.
- Use gel food coloring to avoid altering dough consistency.
- Chilling the dough before baking helps preserve the candy cane swirl shape.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to one week.
- For a stronger peppermint flavor, you can add more peppermint extract to taste.
Keywords: candy cane cookies, peppermint cookies, holiday cookies, sugar cookies, festive cookies, Christmas cookies