Peppermint Candy Cane Sugar Cookies
Ok - we all know that there had to be some sort of cookie recipe coming. It's Christmas after all! This year, I wasn't really feeling like engaging in the full, drawn-out process of decorating sugar cookies (although that is fun!). Instead, I decided to make some easy peppermint candy cane sugar cookies. I made them a little fancy by dipping them in some melted white chocolate and sprinkling them with a bit of crushed candy cane. The perfect little treat for your Christmas week!
Ingredients
- 4½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1½ cups salted butter (room temperature)
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract (optional, but gives the cookies a nice flavor!)
- ½ cup crushed candy canes (plus more for decorating after you dip the cookies in white chocolate)
- 1 cup melted white chocolate (I like to use high quality bars of chocolate)
Instructions
- Whisk the flour and baking powder together in a large bowl.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth (about 2½ minutes).
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla and almond extract until fluffy (about 1 minute).
- Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture, a quarter at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add in your crushed candy canes and mix until just combined. The dough will form a ball around the paddle attachment and feel soft, but not sticky.
- Remove dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll until it is ¼ inch thick. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes or up to 7 days.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove dough from the refrigerator and begin cutting our your candy canes using a cookie cutter. Arrange cookies on a baking sheet about ¾ inches apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 7-8 minutes until puffy. Remove cookies from the oven to cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- While cookies are cooling, roughly chop the white chocolate bars into chunks. In a saucepan over low heat, melt the white chocolate. Stir frequently and be sure to watch so that it doesn't burn.
- Dip the end of each cooled candy cane cookie in melted white chocolate and then either sprinkle crushed candy canes on top or roll the dipped cookie in the crushed candy canes in a shallow bowl or on a plate.
- Let the white chocolate on the cookies set (I like to let them rest on wax paper so they don't get stuck!). Enjoy!
Notes
- Wrapped cookie dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to a month
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 1 month.