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Candy Cane Cookies

If you love the combination of white chocolate and peppermint, then these candy cane cookies will be your new favorite holiday cookie! Soft and chewy, you’ll adore the flavor of chocolate mingled with a crushed candy cane that you’ll get with every delicious bite.

Is there any other treat that’s more festive than a white chocolate chip cookie that’s topped with crushed candy canes? These cookies are perfect for holiday baking and they’re easy enough that the kids can help, too. They’ll love helping you crush (or smash!) the candy canes. Just make sure you have a really sturdy zip lock bag for this activity. Once the dough is mixed, they can help scoop the cookies and dip them in the crushed candy canes.

Perfect for gift giving

I love these cookies, not only because they’re a kid-friendly recipe, but because they make awesome food gifts for the holidays. This recipe is easily doubled so you can make a few batches, package them up in a Christmas tin or a cellophane bag with a pretty ribbon and gift them to friends, co-works, neighbors, and family.

Delicious variations for these candy cane cookies

This recipe is super easy and can be prepped, mixed, rolled out, and baked in under 30 minutes. While this recipe calls for white chocolate chips and the classic red and white candy canes, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can swap them out. Try using dark chocolate chips with red and white candy canes. Or even switch the candy canes out for the not-as-common green and white version. Or better yet, mix the red and green candy canes. No matter which version you go with, these candy cane cookies are destined to become a Christmas classic in your holiday baking rotation.

Baking tips for these candy cane cookies

• Make sure you keep the crushed candy canes on just the top of the cookie dough ball when you dip it. Don’t coat the entire scoop of dough – that will result in a sticky mess when you bake them. Just a smattering on the top of the dough will do.
• That said, be sure and crush the candy canes into super small bits. Small flakes are better than large chunks for this recipe.
• If you have time and are making these ahead, go ahead and chill the cookie dough. While this recipe doesn’t call for it, the chilled cookie dough will always yield a chewier cookie.
• You can substitute round peppermint candies for candy canes. Just make sure and crush them well.

How to store these cookies

Store them in a tightly sealed container on the countertop for 5-7 days. These cookies are not recommended to freeze.

Ingredients needed for Candy Cane Cookies

6 tbsp. Unsalted butter

1⁄2 cup granulated sugar

1⁄2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1⁄2 tsp salt

1⁄2 tsp baking powder

1⁄2 tsp baking soda

1 egg

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white chocolate chips

1⁄2 cup crushed candy canes

How to make these Candy Cane Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar and beat on medium
   speed until fluffy.
3. Add salt, baking soda, and baking powder to the bowl, and continue to mix for one minute.
4. Add egg and vanilla, and mix until smooth.
5. Add flour slowly, mixing well between each addition, until dough forms.
6. Add white chocolate chips and mix until incorporated.
7. Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop out cookies. Remove the dough from the scoop and dip the top of the cookie into the crushed candy canes.
8. Place on a baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 10-11 minutes until the edges start to turn golden brown. Once finished, cool on a baking rack.

The refreshing and wintery flavor of flaky peppermint goes perfectly with the chewy chocolate chip cookie base in the candy cane cookies. It’s a minty holiday makeover for a classic white chocolate cookie that’s just made for celebrating the season.

Related Recipes

• Peppermint Shortbread Cookies
• Easy 3-ingredient Candy Cane Bark
• Candy Cane Hot Chocolate Dippers
• White Chocolate Peppermint Poke Cake
• Schnapps Soaked Cherry Bombs
• Peppermint Candy Christmas Ornaments

Nettie is a wife and mother who is passionate about cooking and baking. With 5 children, Nettie insists that all meals, snacks, and desserts come together quickly! You will find a wide variety of easy yet scrumptious recipes on her very popular website Moore or Less Cooking

Be sure to follow me on Instagram and tag #mooreorlesscooking so I can see all the wonderful recipes that YOU make from this site!