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The holiday season isn’t complete without baking cookies, and these candy cane sugar cookies are the ultimate festive treat. Thick, soft, and subtly flavored with peppermint, they are topped with a luscious candy cane buttercream that adds the perfect holiday crunch. This recipe will cheer your kitchen up for a cookie exchange or a cozy night in.
The Chemistry of Candy Cane Sugar Cookies
Baking sugar cookies is all about achieving the ideal texture- soft, thick, and melt-in-your-mouth. Here’s how this recipe works its magic:
- The Butter and Oil Duo– Combining unsalted butter with vegetable oil gives these cookies the richness of butter while keeping them soft for days.
- Sour Cream’s Role– The sour cream adds moisture and a slight tang, preventing the cookies from drying.
- Chilling Not Required– Thanks to the perfect balance of ingredients, this dough doesn’t need chilling, making the recipe quick and convenient.
- The Secret to Soft Cookies– Baking the cookies until they look slightly dull ensures they remain soft and tender, even after cooling.
- Candy Cane Buttercream– Whipping butter with powdered sugar and peppermint extract creates a fluffy frosting, while crushed candy canes add texture and a festive finish.
Candy Cane Sugar Cookies Ingredient List
Unsalted Butter
It is always important to use unsalted butter when baking. If you use salted butter, you have no way of knowing how much salt you are adding to your dough or batter and it will result in an overly salted treat.
Butter adds fats to your dough or batter which helps with moistness, flavor and texture. Butter melts at body temperature, which creates a ‘melt in your mouth’ sensation.
When baking with butter, the temperature is important. If the butter is too warm, your treat will melt too fast and overspread in the oven, leaving you with a greasy, flat mess. If your butter is too cold, it will have the opposite problem and not melt down enough, leaving your treat too thick.
Vegetable Oil
100% fat, contains no water and has a higher melting point. This means it will not melt down in your oven, resulting in thicker cookies or brownies. It doesn’t help leaven your treat like butter can, so it can make your treat flatter and greasier.
Granulated Sugar
Adds sweetness, provides a caramelized flavor and crisp texture. Sugar assists with rising when creamed with butter. It helps add moisture to your treat and helps it evenly spread as it melts into a liquid in the heat of the oven. Sugar also helps with naturally preserving your baked treat.
Powdered Sugar
Adds sweetness and ensure a tender crumb.
Sour Cream
Is a very fatty dairy product. The extra fat will make your treat more moist and rich. It also is acidic so it will help baking soda react, which helps your treat rise.
Peppermint Extract
Adds a subtle festive flavor. If you don’t have peppermint extract, you can substitute with vanilla, almond, or a combination of extracts. Keep in mind that it will give the cookies a different flavor profile.
Fine Sea Salt
Enhances flavor, adds balance, masks any bitter flavors. Salt is the most powerful and oldest preservative. Always make sure to use fine sea salt so it melts down at the right speed in the heat of the oven. If you use larger granule salt, it will not melt down fully when baked and will leave salt crystals throughout your treat, making it crunch like you dropped it into sand. All of my favorite salts are from Redmond and I have a discount code for you to get 15% off.
Cream of Tartar
Stabilizes the egg whites, ensuring they hold their structure when whipped.
Baking Powder
Puffs up your batter or dough instead of spreading it out. Baking powder contains a little bit of baking soda, an acid & cornstarch. Because of this, it only needs a liquid to react. It also consists of two different acids, so it’s double reacting. It reacts as soon as it’s mixed with a moisture and then again when it’s heated up.
Baking Soda
Elevates the pH level of your batter or dough. It increases the spread in your treat and encourages browning, which gives the crispy outside and soft inside texture that everyone loves. Baking soda needs both an acid and a liquid to react. Things that will activate your baking soda are: vinegar, fruit juice, molasses, brown sugar, tartar, buttermilk and sour cream. Baking soda only reacts once, which is right when it’s mixed into your batter or dough. The soda creates little air bubbles all throughout your treat. When the air bubbles get heated up in the oven, they expand.
All-purpose Flour
Builds structure as it absorbs liquids and expands. All-purpose flour falls in the middle of bread flour (high in gluten) and cake flour (low in gluten). It’s exactly what it is named, all-purpose, the most universal flour that can be used in most baked goods.
Peppermint Andes Mints
Add a delightful chocolate-mint twist.
Unsalted butter
Often the main ingredient of frosting, it adds structure to your buttercream. It also adds a smooth and velvety texture. Butter melts at body temperature, so it will make your frosting have a melt-in-your-mouth sensation.
Powdered Sugar
Is just finely ground granulated sugar. It will absorb moisture in your batter or dough. It dissolves easily, ensuring a smooth texture without grittiness. Because it is so fine, it can melt quickly in the oven and spread cookies out more. Powdered sugar also stabilizes and thickens the frosting, thanks to the small amount of cornstarch it contains.
Crushed Candy Canes
Add texture and festive color.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Candy Cane Sugar Cookies
Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line light-metal colored cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream 1 cup of unsalted butter, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and 1 cup of powdered sugar until combined. Increase to high speed and beat for 1-2 minutes.
- Fold in 2 eggs, 1/4 cup sour cream, and 1 teaspoon peppermint extract until smooth.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together 5 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt.
- Mix the dough. Turn the mixer on low and slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until a dough forms. Fold in 1 cup chopped peppermint Andes mints.
- Shape the cookies. Use a large cookie scoop to portion dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Flatten each dough ball slightly with the bottom of a measuring cup.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies look slightly dull. Let them set on the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip 1 cup of unsalted butter until softened. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, and 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Whip on high for 1-2 minutes until fluffy.
- Gently fold in 1/2 cup crushed candy canes for texture.
- Frost the cookies. Use an offset spatula to spread frosting on each cooled cookie. Sprinkle with extra crushed candy canes if desired.
Mess Free Candy Cane Crushing
Place candy canes in a ziplock bag and crush them into small pieces with a rolling pin. This method keeps the mess contained and ensures even-sized bites.
Serving Suggestions
These are perfect for the holiday season or a cookie swap. Make a platter of treats and include some Milk Chocolate Fudge and Caramel Candy for your holiday parties.
Storage Tips
Room Temperature– Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Store in a single or separate layer with parchment paper to prevent smudging the frosting.
Freezing– Freeze unfrosted cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Frost after thawing for best results. You can also freeze the dough for up to 3 months. Roll it into balls and freeze on a cookie sheet before transferring to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding a couple extra minutes.
Making Ahead
- Dough– Prepare the dough up to 2 days in advance and store it in the fridge.
- Cookies– Bake the cookies and freeze them. Thaw and frost on the day of serving.
- Frosting– Make the frosting up to 3 days in advance and store it in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature and whip again before using.
Recommended Products
Santa’s Favorite Cookie
Every December, my kitchen transforms into a holiday baking haven, and these Candy Cane Sugar Cookies are always the star of the show. From their irresistible peppermint aroma to the sweet crunch of candy cane bits, these cookies are a favorite at family gatherings and cookie swaps. They’re festive, fun, and perfect for creating new holiday traditions.
Candy cane sugar cookies are a holiday must-have, combining soft, peppermint-flavored cookies with a rich and festive buttercream. Perfect for cookie exchanges, holiday parties, or a cozy treat with family, this recipe will bring joy to any celebration. Happy Baking!
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Festive Holiday Candy Cane Sugar Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup chopped peppermint Andes mints
Candy Cane Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- 1 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/2 cup crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- In the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, add 1 cup of unsalted butter, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Mix until combined, then turn the mixer on high and whip for 1-2 minutes.
- Fold in 2 eggs, 1/4 cup sour cream, and 1 tsp peppermint extract.
- In a separate bowl combine 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp cream of tartar and 1/2 tsp fine sea salt.
- Turn the mixer on low and slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until a dough forms.
- Fold in the 1 cup of chopped peppermint Andes mints
- Prepare light metal cookie sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
- With a large cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets.
- With a flat bottom cup, press down on each cookie dough ball to slightly flatten it.
- Place the cookies in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until the cookies looks slightly dull.
- Remove and allow the cookies to set on the pan for 5-10 minutes before removing and allowing them to fully cool.
Peppermint Frosting
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, add 1 cup of room-temperature butter and 3 cups of powdered sugar. Mix until combined.
- Add 1/2 tsp of peppermint extract and 1 tbsp of heavy whipping cream. Mix until combined, then turn the mixer up to high and whip for 1-2 minutes.
- Fold in the 1/2 cup of crushed candy cane
Assemble
- Scoop frosting onto each cookie and spread out with an off-set spatula.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
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