These White Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies are chewy and packed with holiday flavor—perfect for cookie swaps or a festive treat!
Every holiday season, there’s one cookie recipe I keep coming back to—White Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies.
They’re everything I want in a festive treat: soft, chewy, and packed with that perfect balance of sweetness from white chocolate and refreshing peppermint crunch.
The combination is classic and feels just right for this time of year.
What I love about these cookies is how simple they are to make. The dough comes together in one bowl, no chilling required, and they bake up in less than 10 minutes.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll appreciate a recipe that’s straightforward but doesn’t skimp on flavor.
Whether you’re making them for a cookie exchange, gifting them, or just indulging with a hot cup of cocoa (perfect with Xocolatl - Aztec Hot Chocolate), these cookies are a must-have for your holiday baking list.
The taste is pure holiday magic: buttery with a subtle hint of peppermint, creamy white chocolate, and the satisfying crunch of candy canes.
If you're looking for more Christmas cookie recipes, be sure to try Icelandic Pepper Cookies - Piparkokur, Christmas Tree Cookies, White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies, Christmas Cookies, or these Christmas Cookies From Around The World.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: You probably already have most of the ingredients in your kitchen.
- No Fancy Equipment Needed: Just a mixing bowl, spoon, and baking sheets.
- Quick to Make: These cookies go from bowl to oven in under 15 minutes.
- Perfect Texture: Soft, chewy, with a bit of crunch from the candy canes.
- Festive and Versatile: Great for gifting, sharing, or just enjoying yourself!
- They're perfect for Milk and Cookies For Santa.
Ingredients
- Butter: Provides richness and softness. Room temperature butter ensures the dough mixes evenly.
- Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and a hint of caramel flavor. Light or dark works here.
- Granulated Sugar: Balances sweetness and helps create those crisp edges.
- Peppermint Extract: A little goes a long way! Substitute with vanilla extract if you prefer a milder flavor.
- Egg: Binds the dough and adds moisture for that perfect chewy texture.
- All-Purpose Flour: A reliable base for the dough. If needed, you can substitute with gluten-free flour blends.
- Baking Soda: Ensures the cookies rise just enough.
- Salt: Enhances the sweetness and balances the flavors. Don’t skip it!
- Candy Canes: Adds festive color and crunch. Crush them coarsely for texture.
- White Chocolate Chips: Creamy and sweet, they pair perfectly with peppermint. Use chopped white chocolate if you prefer.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.
Add the butter and both sugars to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.
Beat in the egg and vanilla.
Add the flour, baking soda and salt and stir until just combined.
Gently stir in the white chocolate chips and chopped candy canes.
Drop rounded tablespoons of the cookie dough onto ungreased cookie sheets, 2 inches apart.
Bake at 375°F/190°C for 8-10 minutes or until golden at the edges. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes, then gently transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Variations
- Dark Chocolate: Swap white chocolate chips for dark chocolate to balance the sweetness.
- Mint Chocolate: Add mint-flavored chocolate chips instead of candy canes.
- Sprinkles: For a more colorful twist, replace candy canes with red and green sprinkles.
Storage
- Room Temperature: Store your white chocolate candy cane cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezing Dough: Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding an extra minute or two.
- Freezing Baked Cookies: Once cooled, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature when ready to enjoy.
Top tips
- Don’t overmix the dough once you add the dry ingredients. Overmixing can lead to tougher cookies.
- For uniform cookies, use a cookie scoop to portion the dough.
- Let the cookies cool for at least 2 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a rack; they’ll be fragile while hot.
- Crushing candy canes can get messy—use a zip-top bag and a rolling pin for easier cleanup.
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📖 Recipe
White Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter at room temperature 113g
- ⅓ cup brown sugar 70g
- ⅓ cup granulated white sugar 70g
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 egg
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (plain flour) 125g
- ½ teaspoon baking soda bicarb of soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chopped candy canes 75g
- ½ cup white chocolate chips 100g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.
- Add the butter and both sugars to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Add the flour, baking soda and salt and stir until just combined.
- Gently stir in the white chocolate chips and chopped candy canes.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of the cookie dough onto ungreased cookie sheets, 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden at the edges. Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheets for 2 minutes, then gently transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
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