Amazing tasting Candy Cane Sugar Cookies! My all-time favourite sugar cookie recipe is perfect for making decorative cut out cookies.
This recipe for Candy Cane Sugar Cookies uses candy canes that are ground very finely into a sugar consistency. The candy cane sugar replaces some of the sugar usually found in sugar cookie recipes. I used pink colored cherry flavoured candy canes. They add great flavour and give the cookies a beautiful pink colour. Once you try this recipe I’m sure you’ll agree this is the best tasting sugar cookies you’ve ever baked! Decorate with royal icing to create some beautiful edible art. Check out this recipe for Royal Icing for easy step by instructions to decorate cookies with royal icing.
In addition to the amazing flavour, these cookies cut out beautifully with all your favourite Holiday cookie cutters. I love to collect beautiful cookie cutters. Some of my favourites are the copper snowflake ones I have collected over the years. These make perfect gifts or stocking stuffers. 
Candy Cane Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups softened butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup finely ground candy canes I use pink/red colored cherry flavoured
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
Instructions
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Mix together flour and salt.
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Using food processor grind candy canes to fine sugar consistency.
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Using electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, and candy cane sugar together until fluffy (about 4-5 minutes)
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Add eggs and vanilla, beat to combine.
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Add flour a bit at a time until all flour is combined.
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Separate into 2 or 3 even pieces, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 350º line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
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Flour work surface, then roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness.
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Dust cookie cutters with flour before cutting shapes from dough.
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Transfer to cookie sheet and bake 350º for 8-10 minutes (just until edges start to brown)
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Cool completely, then decorate with Royal Icing
Recipe Notes
I like cherry flavoured red and white candy canes. They make a beautiful pink colour, but lately can only seem to find the red/white peppermint variety. These will work just fine just with a peppermint flavour instead of cherry.
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Enjoy this another great candy cane flavoured recipe, Candy Cane Fudge
Laureen, the candy cookies do sound so scrumptious and presentable!
Thank you Hadia
I love these cookies!!! They are so beautiful! I really like the idea of putting the candy cane in the dough. Pinned. 🙂
Thank you Rakhee, hope you enjoy them!
My dough isn’t as pink… am I missing something?
Hi Christy, what type of candy canes did you use. I always use the cherry flavoured, or ones with lots of red in them and have always gotten pink. I wonder if different candy canes colour differently. Also did you grind the candy canes really fine? I’ve never added any kind of colouring.
Hi, thanks for replying ! I used the mint twist crushed peppermint candy for baking . I did grid them very finely although they’re in pieces already . Maybe too fine? I also had issues with the dough getting very sticky and not holding shapes even after I cut them out and put them in the freezer before baking 🙁
Hi Christy, I only ever used candy canes and I grind them almost to a powder. I’m only guessing that maybe the candies are causing the issue. I baked this recipe quite often and never had a problem with the stickiness. I also don’t sift the flour. If you did then maybe not enough flour was used. I wish I could help you more.
Can this dough be refrigerated overnight? And can I use peppermint extract instead of candy canes?
Yes the dough can be refrigerated overnight, but no the peppermint extract won’t give you the same kind of taste.
Hi Laureen I love these cookies! They are so pretty! I would love to make them this holiday season but can not seem to find pink/red cherry candy canes. Do you think pink cherry flavor rock candy ground into powder would work the same???
Hi Pat, I have found the pink cherry flavoured in the small mini sizes, so hopefully soon a better selection will hit the stores. I’m not sure how rock candy would work. I know the candy canes grind into almost like a confectioners sugar consistency. A drop of food colouring could also give the nice pink color, but no flavour.