And here we are in December, hence, it’s time for some Christmas cookies. These Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies are the perfect candidate and exactly what they sound like – chocolate peppermint cookies filled with crushed candy canes. You can’t escape that it’s Christmas time with these around.
You’ll also love these unique Peppermint Chocolate Roll Cookies.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THESE CHOCOLATE CANDY CANE COOKIES
Crispy on the outside and a little chewy in the middle, the chocolate cookies are filled with crushed up candy canes. The candy canes melt a little during baking, then firm up again once cooled.
DIFFICULTY
Very easy. This is a simple chocolate cookie dough with candy cane added, then baked.
MAKE AHEAD
Yes, these can be made and baked 1-2 days ahead and will keep well up to a week. You can also freeze the cookies, ready to bake at a moments notice. Just mix up the dough and scoop onto a baking tray in one layer. Sit the tray in the freezer for an hour or so before transferring the balls of cookie dough to an airtight container or a plastic ziplock bag and freeze until required.
STORAGE
Store these in an airtight container in a cool place for up to a week.
My favourite time of year is happening right now. Christmas. I love it, always have. It brings out the kid in me and it’s a time when I like to make traditions, celebrate and if possible, make everything generally sparkly. Gingerbread recipes abound, as do peppermint ones like these perfectly Christmassy Easy Peppermint Meringues to Peppermint Fudge Bars, Peppermint Brownies and everything in between.
Candy canes are synonymous with Christmas and so are cookies so this recipe was an easy one to create. They’re also incredible easy cookies to make.
How to crush candy canes?
There is a really simple trick to crushing candy canes. Place them in a plastic ziplock bag and bash them gently with a rolling pin until they are the size you want. Done!
How to make these Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
This is a really simple chocolate cookie dough. Start by using a stand mixer to beat together the sugar and butter. I use a large proportion of brown sugar in these cookies. Brown sugar gives them a chewy texture and a rich flavour that I love in chocolate cookies. Next, mix through the sifted dry ingredients.
Now add those crushed candy canes. If you’re anything like me, quicker is better or you might end up eat them all. At this stage we also add a little peppermint extract to really intensify that peppermint flavour. Now mix until it clumps together.
I use a small cookie scoop (equivalent to about 2 tablespoons) to scoop little balls of dough, then release them onto a lined cookie tray. Once baked give them 5 minutes to cool before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. If you sit your cooling rack over a lined tray, you can use that to catch the chocolate that you drizzle over at the end too.
Caution!
Please be careful not to try to eat or handle these straight from the oven. The melted candy canes are like molten lava until they cool.
Perfect food gifts
Aren’t these Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies gorgeous. I love biting into the crispy exterior to a soft centre and then every so often a crunch of candy cane. So so good and so easy. These also make fantastic food gifts. You can make a couple of batches and freeze them until you’re ready to bake them. See my notes at the top or in the recipe card for freezing.
PIN IT:
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Happy baking 🙂
If you try this chocolate candy cane cookies recipe, please take a moment to leave a rating and comment below. I love hearing from you and it helps other readers too! You can also take a photo and tag @sugarsaltmagic on Instagram.
More minty treats
- Chocolate Easter Egg Cookies
- Peppermint Chocolate Roll Cookies
- Peppermint Hedgehog Slice
- Homemade Chocolate Mint Slice Biscuits
- Chocolate Mint Cookies
- Chocolate Mint Cupcakes
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Ingredients
- 260 g (2 cups / 9.2oz) plain (all purp) flour
- 65 g (1/2 cup / 2.3oz) cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1/2 cup (50g / 1.7oz) plain unsweetened cocoa
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (bicarb)
- 190 g (6.7oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 150 g (3/4 cup / 5.3oz) dark brown sugar
- 100 g (1/2 cup / 3.5oz) caster (superfine) sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk (notes)
- 6 large candy canes, crushed
- 2 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 50 g dark 70% chocolate, melted
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Instructions
- To crush the candy canes, place them in a plastic zip lock bag and give them a gentle bash with a rolling pin until they are nearly crumbs.
- Preheat oven to 180C / 350F /160C fan forced. Line 2 large cookie trays with baking paper.
- Sift together the flour, cornflour, cocoa and baking soda.
- In a separate bowl, beat together the butter and both sugars until lightened and fluffy.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add half the flour mix. Beat until just combined. Add the milk and remainder of the flour and mix until it just starts to come together.
- Finally, add the crushed candy canes and peppermint extract, and give the mixture another beat until mixed through and the dough is clumping.
- Use a small cookie scoop to scoop balls of dough and place them on the cookie trays, then freeze for 1/2 an hour. At this point you can transfer them to an airtight container and freeze until you are ready to bake them or proceed to the next step.
- Place the balls of dough on lined cookie trays about 2 inches apart then bake for about 12 minutes, turning the trays halfway through.
- Allow them to cool on the trays for five minutes before using a spatula to help to transfer them to a cooling rack. Once cool, they will firm up and be crispy on the outside and just slightly chewy in the very centre.
- Once cool, drizzle with melted chocolate and allow to set before serving.
Notes
- I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (4 teaspoons worldwide)
- For best results you should always weigh ingredients like flour and sugar. Kitchen scales like these are relatively cheap but if you can’t weigh the ingredients, use the spoon and level method (don’t scoop).
TOOLS USED IN THIS RECIPE
- I find cookie doughs are made easiest with a stand mixer.
- I use a cookie scoop for these, to get evenly sized cookies
- Just a simple cookie tray line with baking paper for baking
- A wire cooling rack can be used to cool your cookies but also when you’re drizzling chocolate over them.
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6 Comments on “Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies”
I know this is an older recipe, but I’m curious to know if I could use this dough to make cookie bars? If so, what cooking time and thickness would you advise? Thank you so much!
Sorry Kimberley, I haven’t tested these at all to bake that way. If you do try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out.
Chocolate and peppermint are so perfect together for Christmas. These cookies are going to fit in just fine in my Christmas treat box 🙂
These cookies are perfect for Christmas cookie box. Thanks Trang 🙂
These cookies look so delicious and would be perfect for Christmas!
And so easy to make. I just love cookies at Christmas time. Thanks Natalie 🙂