Description
Delight in the festive spirit with these Candy Cane Cookies, featuring a perfect blend of peppermint and vanilla flavors swirled into classic red and white dough twisted into charming candy cane shapes. These soft, buttery cookies are baked to golden perfection and sprinkled with white sanding sugar for a sweet, sparkling finish—an ideal treat for holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1/4 cup milk (+ 1 tablespoon – divided)
- 3/4 teaspoon white vinegar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Additional Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring
- 1-2 tablespoons white sanding sugar
Instructions
- Prepare Milk and Vinegar Mixture: Add white vinegar to 1/4 cup milk, stir well, and set aside to create a buttermilk substitute that adds moisture and tenderness to the cookies.
- Preheat the Oven: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps incorporate air for a tender cookie texture.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Beat in the egg, peppermint extract, and vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar mixture until thoroughly combined for flavor infusion.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Mix the prepared milk and vinegar mixture into the wet ingredients, ensuring a smooth batter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and seasoning.
- Form Cookie Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until a cohesive dough forms, being careful not to overmix to keep cookies tender.
- Divide and Color Dough: Split the dough into two equal parts. Add red gel food coloring to one portion and knead until the color is evenly incorporated to create vibrant red dough while keeping the other portion white.
- Shape Candy Canes: Scoop out 1 to 2 tablespoon portions from each dough color, roll each into 5-inch ropes. Twist one red and one white rope together, pinch ends lightly to seal, then shape into a candy cane curve. Place shaped cookies on prepared baking sheets, about 10 per sheet to allow space for baking.
- Brush and Sprinkle: Lightly brush the candy canes with 1 tablespoon of milk to help the sanding sugar adhere, then sprinkle the white sanding sugar evenly over each cookie to add a festive sparkle and texture.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 11 minutes, or until the bottoms turn light golden brown, indicating they are cooked through but still soft.
- Cool the Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- For best results, use gel food coloring as it does not affect the dough’s consistency compared to liquid food coloring.
- Ensure the butter is softened but not melted to achieve the proper creaming texture.
- The vinegar-milk mixture acts as a buttermilk substitute to tenderize the cookies.
- Handle the dough gently during mixing to keep the cookies tender and prevent them from becoming tough.
- These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or frozen for longer storage.
- Experiment with different extracts or omit the peppermint if preferred, though this will alter the classic flavor profile.
