Try this easy Candy Cane Sugar Cookie recipe, blending classic soft sugar cookies with the minty twist of peppermint and candy canes for a simple yet festive treat. These cookies will quickly become a favorite for all holiday festivities!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- You get the sweet and minty flavor of a candy cane wrapped up in a soft and chewy sugar cookie, similar to my Candy Cane Cupcakes.
- These cookies are nice and soft but sturdy enough to hold a generous amount of frosting just like my Piña Colada Cookies.
- While there are a handful of ingredients, they are pretty basic and easy to come by.
- These cookies are sure to be a hit at any holiday celebration just like these Peppermint Cake Pops and these Reindeer Cake Pops.
Key Ingredients for These Peppermint Cookies
- Sour Cream - Sour cream helps these cookies stay soft when baking. It adds moisture and fat and also acts as a tenderizing agent to break down the gluten in the flour for a soft texture.
- Vegetable Shortening - Shortening has a higher melting point than butter, which can help cookies maintain their shape and thickness during baking.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder - Baking soda is a leavening agent that works with sour cream, and baking powder helps create an even rise and texture when baking.
- Peppermint Extract - Peppermint extract adds a minty flavor to both the cookie and the frosting for the perfect candy cane flavor.
*See the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Candy Cane Sugar Cookies
Step 1 - Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
Step 2 - In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, add the butter, shortening, and sour cream (all at room temperature) and cream together until nice and smooth. This will take about 2-3 minutes.
Step 3 - Add the sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract and mix until combined.
Step 4 - Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 batches, mixing in completely after each addition. Form a loose ball with the dough and place it in a covered bowl in the fridge for an hour.
Step 5 - Preheat the oven to 400°F and line your baking sheets with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Once the dough has chilled, scoop out 2 tablespoons of the dough and form a ball with your hands. Place the ball on the baking sheet and repeat until the sheet is full (you will probably only be able to fit 12-14 balls).
Step 6 - Sprinkle the tops of the cookie balls with powdered sugar. This will keep the glass from sticking to the dough. you can also dip the bottom of the glass into the powdered sugar as well. Flatten each ball until it's about ¼-1/2 inch thick.
Step 7 - Bake the cookies one pan at a time for 10 minutes. The cookies will spread and puff up a little but won't turn brown, so be careful not to overbake them.
Step 8 - Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before placing them on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 9 - Make the buttercream frosting. Separate the frosting evenly into two small bowls. Add red food coloring to one bowl and mix until combined. Place in the fridge until the cookies are ready to decorate.
Step 10 - Place each color frosting into a piping bag. Spread out a piece of plastic wrap on the counter and pipe even white and red lines next to each other, creating 4 lines.
Step 11 - Wrap the frosting into a log and twist the ends of the plastic wrap tightly.
Step 12 - Stick the end of the tube into a piping tip and then into another piping bag. Pull the plastic wrap through the end and cut off the end of the plastic.
Step 13- Place candy canes into a plastic bag, wrap the bag with a towel, and break up the candy canes into pieces using a rubber mallet or heavy rolling pin.
Step 14- Once the cookies have cooled, create a swirl of red and white frosting on top of each cookie. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy cane pieces.
Expert Tips For This Recipe
- Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature before mixing the dough and frosting. This will ensure you get a light and fluffy cookie and a smooth frosting.
- These cookies expand slightly so make sure you leave room around each cookie to rise and spread out.
- I used a heavy-bottomed glass to smash my dough balls to get the shape of the cookies. If you don't have one, any flat-bottomed cup will work.
- Don't forget the powdered sugar before smashing the dough so the glass doesn't stick to the dough.
- These sugar cookies should not turn brown, so be careful not to overbake them or they will become dry.
Recipe FAQs
Store any leftover cookies in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Yes, you can freeze the cookie dough. Shape it into a ball or log, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and place it in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator before baking.
Yes, you can substitute butter for shortening. Keep in mind that this may affect the texture and flavor of the cookies. The combination of both provides a balance between flavor and the final texture of the cookies.
Yes, you can use store-bought candy cane pieces.
More Christmas Dessert Recipes
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Candy Cane Sugar Cookie Recipe
Equipment
- 2 small mixing bowls
- heavy bottomed glass or measuring cup
- round piping tip (I used Wilton #12)
- plastic bag
- heavy rolling pin
Ingredients
Sugar Cookie Dough
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temp
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening
- ½ cup sour cream, room temp
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg, room temp
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons confectioners powdered sugar (for pressing the cookies)
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temp
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- 3 cups powdered confectioners sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 2 ½ teaspoons peppermint extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- red gel food coloring
- 10 small candy canes (or 3-4 large candy canes)
Instructions
Cookie Dough
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
- In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, add the butter, shortening, and sour cream (all at room temperature) and cream together until nice and smooth. This will take about 2-3 minutes. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla, and peppermint extracts and mix until combined.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 3 batches, mixing in completely after each addition.
- Form a loose ball with the dough and place it in a covered bowl in the fridge for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line your baking sheets with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Once the dough has chilled, scoop out 2 tablespoons of the dough and form a ball with your hands. Place the ball on the baking sheet and repeat until the sheet is full (you will probably only be able to fit 12-14 balls).
- Sprinkle the tops of the cookie balls with powdered sugar. This will keep the glass from sticking to the dough. You can also dip the bottom of the glass into the powdered sugar as well. Flatten each ball until it's about ¼-1/2 inch thick.
- Bake the cookies one pan at a time for 10 minutes. The cookies will spread and puff up a little but won't turn brown, so be careful not to overbake them.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before placing them on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
- Place the room-temperature butter and shortening into a mixing bowl or stand mixer and beat for a few minutes until nice and creamy. Add the powdered sugar in intervals, ½ cup at a time, and mix completely after each addition. Add the milk and extracts, and mix until combined and creamy.
- Separate the frosting evenly into two small bowls. Add red food coloring to one bowl and mix until combined. Place in the fridge until the cookies are ready to decorate.
- Place each color frosting into a piping bag. Spread out a piece of plastic wrap on the counter and pipe white and red even lines next to each other, creating 4 lines.
- Wrap the frosting into a log and twist the ends of the plastic wrap tightly. Stick the end of the tube into a piping tip and then into another piping bag. Pull the plastic wrap through the end and cut off the end of the plastic.
- Place candy canes into a plastic bag, wrap the bag with a towel, and break up the candy canes into pieces using a rubber mallet or heavy rolling pin.
- Once the cookies have cooled, create a swirl of red and white frosting on top of each cookie. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy cane pieces.
Notes
- Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature before mixing the dough and frosting. This will ensure you get a light and fluffy cookie and a smooth frosting.
- These cookies expand slightly so make sure you leave room around each cookie to rise and spread out.
- I used a heavy-bottomed glass to smash my dough balls to get the shape of the cookies. If you don't have one, any flat-bottomed cup will work.
- Don't forget the powdered sugar before smashing the dough so the glass doesn't stick to the dough.
- These sugar cookies should not turn brown, so be careful not to overbake them or they will become dry.
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
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