Candy Cane Cookies {Our 'Black Friday' Project} (2024)

Fun and festive Candy Cane Cookies ~ two colors of almond sugar cookie dough twisted together, sprinkled with crushed candy canes and sugar. They're a treasured family Christmas tradition, for sure!

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I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I sure did ... spent nice, relaxing time with my parents and Mark's Mom ... and didn't even THINK about going out for 'Black Friday' shopping. Nope. No way. No how.

Shopping the day after Christmas? Yup ... it's a tradition for Mom and me. 'Black Friday?' ... not so much.

Mom and I stayed home and made these candy cane cookies instead ... our little 'Black Friday' project!

We used to make these candy cane cookies every year at Christmastime when I was growing up. It was a great in-the-kitchen family project, though Mom says my brother and I used to give up after assembling about two cookies ... leaving her to do most of the work. Hmmmmm ... I don't seem to recall that.

Two colors of almond sugar cookie dough twisted together, sprinkled with crushed candy canes and sugar. They're a treasured family Christmas tradition, for sure!

Not at all sayin' that that happened ... but if it did ... it may have been ... just may have been ... that Mom's candy cane cookies were always so much prettier than ours. And isn't it nice to have an entire batch of pretty candy canes? Apparently we may have thought that.

We hadn't made these candy cane cookies together since I was in high school ... which, I hate to say, was about 25 years ago.

So, when Mom and I decided to make them this weekend, the test was on!

Had I improved? Could I now make candy canes as pretty as Mom's??

Well, yes! I'm pleased to report that my candy cane cookie-making skills have greatly improved! I guess some things just come with age.

We had a nice afternoon together getting our Christmas baking started. And I must say, we had totally forgotten how totally tasty these cookies are! Almond extract gives them a truly wonderful flavor that goes surprisingly fabulously with the peppermint sprinkle on top.

So not only are these candy cane cookies pretty to look at, they're darn tasty too. Ahhhhh, making them brought back great memories.

And here's how you can make your very own.

Almond extract gives them a truly wonderful flavor that goes surprisingly fabulously with the peppermint sprinkle on top.

Start by getting the peppermint sprinkle topping together.

Crush some candy canes or peppermint candies. I found using mini candy canes was quite handy ... you can crush them right in their little individual packets and then just cut open the top and pour the crushed pieces into a bowl.

Easy and neat. Love that.

Mix the crushed candy canes with granulated sugar, and set this aside for later.

Mix up some yummy dough ... and divide it into two equal portions. Add red food coloring to one portion ...

... and mix it up really well.

Candy Cane Cookies

Fun and festive Candy Cane Cookies ~ two colors of almond sugar cookie dough twisted together, sprinkled with crushed candy canes and sugar. They're a treasured family Christmas tradition, for sure!

prep time: 45 Mcook time: 9 Mtotal time: 54 M

ingredients:

1/2 c. shortening {such as Crisco}
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1 c. confectioners' sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. red food coloring
1/2 c. crushed peppermint candy or candy canes (about 20 mini candy canes or 8 regular-sized)
1/2 c. granulated sugar

instructions:

How to cook Candy Cane Cookies

For the Peppermint Sprinkle Topping:

Combine crushed candy canes and granulated sugar. Set aside.

For the cookies:

Mix shortening, butter, and confectioners' sugar until well combined. Add egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract; combine well. Mix in flour and salt.
Divide dough into two equal portions. Place one portion in a bowl. Mix red food coloring into the remaining portion.
Take about a 1" ball of each color of dough and roll each into a 4" strip. Lay the strips side-by-side and then twist together.
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and curve the top to make the strips look like a candy cane shape.
Repeat with remaining dough.
Bake at 375 degrees for 6 - 9 minutes, until cookies are set and just barely beginning to get a bit of golden brown on the bottom.
Place wax paper under a cooling rank. Carefully remove hot cookies from the pan and place on the cooling rack.
Immediately, while cookies are still hot, sprinkle generously with Peppermint Sprinkle Topping.
Let cool on rack.

TRACEY'S NOTES

There truly is no leavener in this recipe ... that's not a typo.
DO NOT chill the dough. It's needs to be very soft and pliable to be able to roll and shape it into candy canes.
It's important to sprinkle the Peppermint Sprinkle Topping on the cookies immediately upon taking them out of the oven so it will stick and sort of 'melt' onto the cookies. If the cookies have cooled too much, it will just fall off.
These can be made ahead and frozen. A single layer works best ... or very gently place wax paper between layers.

https://www.thekitchenismyplayground.com/2012/11/candy-cane-cookies-our-black-friday.html

Created using The Recipes Generator

You might also enjoy these other Christmas treats:

Insanely Delicious Turtle Cookies

Christmas Chocolate Layer Bars

Gingerbread Magic Cookies

Pound Cake Cookies

Christmas White Chocolate-Peppermint Popcorn

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