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Twisted Candy Cane Cookies

These festive cookies are easy to make, beautifully twisty, and have a sweet peppermint flavor that makes them perfect for the holiday season.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 32 cookies
Course: Cookie, Dessert
Cuisine: American, Holiday
Calories: 120
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (360 g)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (227 g) Use softened but not melty butter for the best texture.
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract Be careful not to add too much.
  • 1 teaspoon red food coloring Gel coloring can be used for a deeper color.
For Topping
  • 3 tablespoons crushed peppermint candies Can substitute with turbinado sugar or sanding sugar.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  2. In a stand mixer, cream the softened butter and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
  3. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract, scraping the bowl to ensure everything is well mixed.
  4. On low speed, mix in the dry ingredients until just combined. Knead in any remaining flour by hand.
  5. Divide the dough in half, adding the red food coloring to one half and mixing until uniform.
  6. Wrap each portion separately in plastic wrap, flatten them into disks about 1 inch thick, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours until firm.
Baking
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Cut each disk of dough into 1-inch cubes; roll each cube into a ball and then into a rope about 5 inches long.
  3. Twist one red rope and one white rope together and bend one end down to form a handle.
  4. Place the shaped cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheets and bake for about 10 minutes, until they look dry but not golden.
  5. Immediately sprinkle the hot cookies with crushed peppermint candies.
Cooling and Storing
  1. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  2. Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or refrigerate for up to 7 days.
  3. Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months, layered with parchment paper.

Notes

Avoid skipping chilling time to help the cookie shape stay neat. Do not overbake; they should not turn deeply golden.