Candy Cane Cookies

I don't know about you, but no Christmas is complete without these Candy Cane Cookies. A tasty butter cookie exploding with peppermint flavor, these traditional Christmas cookies make wonderful homemade gifts for family and friends, and they're sure to be a hit at your cookie exchange this year! Decorated with White Sparkling Sugar, these Candy Cane Cookies are a festive and fun holiday cookie that you'll love making with the kids. Don't forget to leave a few out for Santa, too!

AmountAbout 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients & Tools
Instructions

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Red food coloring
White Sparkling Sugar, 8 oz.

Tools
Parchment paper
Cooling rack
Baking sheet
Large bowl

Instructions

Click to mark complete

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper.
In large bowl, beat butter, sugar and salt with mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Add flour 1 cup at a time to butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. If dough becomes too stiff, add water, a teaspoon at a time. Do not chill dough.
Divide dough into 2 balls. Color one ball of dough with red color, adding additional if desired. Pinch off a 3/4 in. ball of each color dough. On flat surface, roll balls into 3-in. long strips. Place red and white strips side-by-side; roll them together until the two colors have wrapped around one another and are twisted together. Roll in Sparkling Sugar. Curve the strip at the top to the shape of a candy cane and place on prepared pans.
Bake 8-10 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on pan 2 minutes; remove to cooling rack and cool completely.