Classic Candy Cane Twist Cookies
Buttery peppermint cookies made from red and white dough ropes twisted together and shaped into candy cane hooks. No icing needed, with an optional crushed peppermint sugar finish.
Servings 24 cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract pure peppermint, not mint
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon red gel food coloring plus more for a deeper red
For the Peppermint Topping (optional)
- 2 tablespoons peppermint candy finely crushed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
Make the Dough
- Beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until smooth.
- Whisk the flour, cornstarch, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to the butter mixture in two additions and mix on low just until a soft dough forms.
Color and Chill
- Divide the dough into two equal halves. Mix the red gel coloring into one half until evenly colored, adding more for a deeper red if desired.
- Flatten each half into a 1-inch disc, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes until firm but still pliable.
Shape the Canes
- Heat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll 1 level tablespoon of white dough and 1 level tablespoon of red dough into ropes about 5 inches long and pencil thick. Keep the remaining dough covered.
- Lay the ropes side by side, pinch one end, and twist gently. Roll once under your palm to smooth the seams.
- Place on the baking sheet, bend the top into a hook, and pinch both ends. Space cookies 1 inch apart. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Chill and Bake
- Refrigerate the shaped cookies on the baking sheet for 15 minutes.
- Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack for 9 to 11 minutes, until set and barely golden on the bottom, before the white stripes brown.
- If using the topping, mix the crushed peppermint candy and sugar and sprinkle over the cookies immediately after baking.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Coloring: Use gel food coloring. Liquid coloring makes the red dough sticky and soft.
- Flour: Spoon and level the flour. Too much flour makes ropes that crack when twisted.
- Second chill: Chilling the shaped canes for 15 minutes keeps the hooks from spreading flat.
- Sizes: For mini canes, use 1 teaspoon of each color, 3-inch ropes, and bake 6 to 8 minutes. For large canes, use 1 ½ tablespoons of each color, 6-inch ropes, and bake 12 to 14 minutes.
- Storage: Keep airtight at room temperature up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months. Shaped unbaked canes can be baked from frozen with 1 to 2 extra minutes.