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    Home » Recipes » Cookies Bars and Squares

    Candy Cane Sugar Cookies

    Nov 24, 2015 by Laureen King

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    This amazing tasting recipe for Candy Cane Sugar Cookies makes perfect cutout cookies for decorating with icing. The finely ground candy canes turn the cookies a pretty pink color. via @artandthekitchThis amazing tasting recipe for Candy Cane Sugar Cookies makes perfect cutout cookies for decorating with icing. The finely ground candy canes turn the cookies a pretty pink color. via @artandthekitchThis amazing tasting recipe for Candy Cane Sugar Cookies makes perfect cutout cookies for decorating with icing. The finely ground candy canes turn the cookies a pretty pink color. via @artandthekitch

    Amazing tasting Candy Cane Sugar Cookies! My all-time favorite sugar cookie recipe is perfect for making decorative cut out cookies.

    Sugar cookies cut into snowflake and gingerbread men shapes, coated with white royal icing and decorated with red dots and lines.

    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 flavored candy canes. They add great flavor and give the cookies a beautiful pink color. 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.

    Sugar cookies cut into gingerbread men shapes, coated with white royal icing and decorated with red dots.

    In addition to the amazing flavor, these cookies cut out beautifully with all your favorite Holiday cookie cutters. I love to collect beautiful cookie cutters. Some of my favorites are the copper snowflake ones I have collected over the years. These make perfect gifts or stocking stuffers.

    Pink tinted sugar cookie dough rolled out with copper Holiday shaped cookie cutters.

    How to make cut out sugar cookies.

    Simple ingredients of flour, butter, sugar, egg, salt, and a vanilla bean. Pure vanilla extract can be used instead of vanilla bean. Using a grinder, grind candy canes into fine sugar consistency.

    Bowls filled with ingredients for making candy cane sugar cookies.

    Beat together room temperature butter with regular sugar and candy cane sugar.

    Add eggs and vanilla, mix well and then gradually add flour and salt.

    Electric mixer beating pink sugar cookie dough.

    Divide dough into 2 or 3 disks. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

    Two disks of pink candy cane flavored dough wrapped in plastic wrap.

    Roll cookie dough to ¼ inch thickness on a well-floured surface. Dust cookie cutters with flour to prevent sticking.

    Pink sugar cookie dough rolled out with snowflake and gingerbread men cookie cutters.

    Using a spatula place cookies onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the baking sheet into the refrigerator for 10 minutes to chill the dough again. This will prevent cookies from spreading so they keep the nice sharp edges.

    Pink sugar cookie dough cut into Christmas cookie shapes on baking sheet lined with white parchment paper.

    Bake in preheated oven 350ºF for 8-10 minutes. Just until the edges start to brown. Cool on the baking sheet for a while, and then move to a cooling rack.

    Pink colored cookies in Christmas cookie shapes cooling on cooling rack.

    Sugar cookies cut into snowflake and gingerbread men shapes, coated with white royal icing and decorated with red dots and lines.

    Candy Cane Sugar Cookies

    Laureen King
    Amazing tasting Candy Cane Sugar Cookies! The perfect recipe for making decorative cut out cookies.
    3.80 from 97 votes
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    Cook Time 9 minutes mins
    Total Time 9 minutes mins
    Course cookies, Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 36
    Calories 153 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 ¾ cups all purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 ½ cups butter room temperature
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • ½ cup finely ground candy canes I use pink or red cherry flavoured
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
    • 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

    Instructions
     

    • Mix together flour and salt.
    • Using food processor grind candy canes to fine sugar consistency.
    • Using electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, and candy cane sugar together until fluffy (about 4-5 minutes)
    • Add eggs, egg yolk and vanilla, beat to combine.
    • Add flour a bit at a time until all the flour is combined.
    • Separate into 2 or 3 even pieces, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
    • Preheat oven to 350º F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
    • Flour work surface, then roll dough to ¼ inch thickness.
    • Dust cookie cutters with flour before cutting shapes from dough.
    • Transfer to baking sheet. Place baking sheet into refrigerator for 10 minutes to chill the dough again. This will prevent cookies from spreading so they keep the nice sharp edges.
    • Bake 350ºF for 8-10 minutes (just until edges start to brown)
    • Cool completely. Decorate with royal icing.

    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 and white peppermint variety. These will work just fine just with a peppermint flavour instead of cherry. Link for How to Decorate cookies with Royal Icing 
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 153kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 136mgPotassium: 20mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 250IUCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword sugar cookies, candy cane cookies, cookies
    Tried this recipe?Mention @ArtAndTheKitchen or tag #ArtAndTheKitchen!

    Sugar cookies cut into snowflake and gingerbread men shapes, coated with white royal icing and decorated with red dots and lines.

    Be sure to follow me and get my latest recipes on Pinterest, Instagram Facebook and Twitter.

    Enjoy another great candy cane flavored recipe, Candy Cane Fudge

    Candy Cane Fudge

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    Amazing tasting Candy Cane Sugar Cookies. The perfect recipe for making decorative cut out cookies. via @artandthekitch

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    photo of author laureen

    About Laureen

    I created Art and the Kitchen as a way to share many great, tried and true recipes. My collection of recipes include family favorites and those special recipes handed down from my Mom, Grandma and friends. My recipes range from good old homestyle cooking to exquisite gourmet meals. Read more...

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Hadia

      November 25, 2015 at 5:34 pm

      Laureen, the candy cookies do sound so scrumptious and presentable!

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        November 25, 2015 at 8:26 pm

        Thank you Hadia

        Reply
    2. Rakhee@boxofspice

      December 17, 2015 at 9:57 am

      I love these cookies!!! They are so beautiful! I really like the idea of putting the candy cane in the dough. Pinned. 🙂

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        December 17, 2015 at 10:06 am

        Thank you Rakhee, hope you enjoy them!

        Reply
    3. Christy Vasquez

      December 21, 2016 at 1:06 pm

      My dough isn't as pink... am I missing something?

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        December 21, 2016 at 4:38 pm

        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.

        Reply
        • Christy

          December 22, 2016 at 10:28 pm

          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 🙁

          Reply
          • Laureen King

            December 22, 2016 at 11:26 pm

            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.

            Reply
    4. Meckalah Carlisle

      December 12, 2017 at 1:08 pm

      Can this dough be refrigerated overnight? And can I use peppermint extract instead of candy canes?

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        December 12, 2017 at 3:24 pm

        Yes the dough can be refrigerated overnight, but no the peppermint extract won't give you the same kind of taste.

        Reply
    5. Pat

      November 12, 2018 at 5:51 pm

      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???

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        November 12, 2018 at 7:08 pm

        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.

        Reply
    6. Kelly

      December 05, 2019 at 5:41 pm

      All I can find is the rainbow colored cherry flavor...would this throw off the color?

      Reply
      • Laureen King

        December 06, 2019 at 5:09 am

        Kelly, I don't think you would get the pretty pink color with the rainbow color, but should have the same flavor. If you use a red and white candy cane you should get the color,but most of those are peppermint flavoured, which tastes great as well. I had a hard time when I lived in the US finding them, but no problem finding red and white cherry flavor in Canada.

        Reply

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    I am Laureen, creator of Art and the Kitchen. On my blog you will find a collection or amazing recipes from homestyle-comfort food, gourmet and exceptional baking recipes! Read more!

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