Description
Festive candy cane cookies bring holiday cheer with their minty red and white swirled design. Crisp peppermint-infused shortbread melts in your mouth, delivering sweet nostalgia you’ll savor with each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2.5 cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 0.5 tsp peppermint extract
- Red food coloring
- 0.25 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp crushed candy canes (optional)
Instructions
- Dough Preparation: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in egg, vanilla, and peppermint extracts until completely incorporated.
- Flour Integration: Fold in flour and salt, mixing until a smooth, pliable dough forms.
- Color Separation: Divide dough into two equal portions. Leave one portion natural and tint the other with red food coloring, ensuring even color distribution.
- Chilling Process: Wrap both dough variations in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Oven Preparation: Heat oven to 375F (190C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Shaping Technique: Roll out portions of plain and colored dough into thin 4-5 inch ropes. Carefully twist the two colors together, gently bending the top to create a candy cane shape.
- Baking Sequence: Arrange shaped cookies on prepared baking sheets, spacing them evenly.
- Baking Completion: Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are set but not browned.
- Cooling and Finishing: Transfer cookies to a cooling rack. While still warm, optionally sprinkle with a mixture of crushed candy canes and granulated sugar for a festive touch.
Notes
- Chill Dough Strategically: Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading and maintain intricate candy cane shape during baking.
- Balance Dough Consistency: Add flour gradually to prevent dry or crumbly texture, ensuring smooth, pliable dough that’s easy to manipulate and twist.
- Control Color Intensity: Add food coloring sparingly, mixing thoroughly to achieve vibrant red without compromising dough’s texture or structural integrity.
- Handle with Gentle Touch: Roll dough cylinders carefully and twist gently to prevent breaking or misshaping the delicate candy cane design.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 181
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg