These retro Betty Crocker Candy Cane Cookies are holiday classic. This is the ORIGINAL recipe, just like grandma use to make. They are a fun cookie that needs a spot on your cookie tray this year.

 

These iconic Betty Crocker Candy Cane Cookies have been included on most cookie trays for years. Their fun swirls of red and white shaped like candy canes are so easy to spot. This original recipe is the EXACT one that your grandma and everyone of her friends had to make for Christmas each year. It’s the one from the Betty Crocker Cooky Book.
If you are looking for other easy classic Christmas Cookies try my Butter Cookies or Whipped Shortbread Cookies.

There are so many variations of this recipe floating around. Up until last week even Betty Crocker themselves did not have the ORIGINAL recipe for Candy Cane Cookies on their recipe site. They have just now updated theirs to the original after some backlash from the older generations. Sometimes it is BEST to leave old-fashioned recipes as is, no reason to change a classic.

They tried a new recipe that did not work as well as the old-fashioned version. I think the reason behind this was the original 1950’s retro candy cane cookie recipe included shortening and salted butter. Many do not like Crisco these days so they were trying to appeal to the new generations. But, the half shortening and half butter in the recipe is needed. The additional fat from the shortening is what helps the cookie dough hold it’s shape.

The original Candy Cane Shaped Cookies for Christmas uses powdered sugar instead of traditional granulated. It sweetens the dough throughout. The old fashioned recipe also uses both Almond Extract and Vanilla Extract for flavoring.

Candy Cane Cookie Ingredients

These Easy Christmas Cookies are made with classic baking ingredients and pantry staples. That means you probably have everything you need to make them right now! In case you’re missing anything, here’s all the cookie ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:

• Butter – Use softened butter for best results. Gently warm cold butter and avoid melting it.
• Shortening – An all-vegetable shortening like Crisco works best here. Shortening in cookie dough is a little less flavorful than butter but helps add a bit of shape and texture. It’s just what we need for shaped sugar cookies. Some use the butter flavored Crisco and have great results.
• Powdered Sugar – Or confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar. They’re all pretty much the same when it comes to cookie recipes like these.
• Egg – room temperature is best.
• Vanilla Extract
• Almond Extract
• Flour – All-purpose flour is fine here.
• Salt
• Red Food Coloring – You can use gel food coloring, liquid food coloring, or all sorts of natural food coloring options.

For an extra topping like Betty Crocker, you can also grab some granulated sugar and some crushed candy canes to make a quick candy cane topping. My kids do no like the additional so I leave it off.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Sugar Candy Cane Cookies

Most Betty Crocker recipes were quite simple to make including Betty Crocker Candy Cane Cookies. You will make the cookie dough, shape into candy canes, then bake!

• To a large bowl, add softened butter and shortening. Grab a hand or stand mixer and use to beat together until combined and fluffy.

• Next, add powdered sugar. Beat to combine.

• Crack an egg and add in next. Again, beat to combine.

• Now add vanilla extract and almond extract. Scrape down sides of bowl before beating to combine.

• To a separate bowl, add flour and salt. Briefly whisk to combine before gradually adding to butter and sugar mixture. This should eventually come together into sugar cookie dough.

• Divide cookie dough in half, setting one half in a separate mixing bowl. Add food coloring to half of the dough and mix to combine until thoroughly colored red. Set out some parchment paper and add about 1 teaspoon of each dough before rolling out into roughly 4-inch long tubes.

• To shape into Candy Cane Cookies, press dough rolls together and twist together to form stripes, then braid. Make a bend for the hook, set on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and repeat with rest of dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes or until bottoms are lightly-browned. Optionally top with crushed candy cane and sugar mixture before serving.

Storage / Freezing

Storage: These Candy Cane Shaped Cookies will keep just like any other sugar cookie recipes. That means, for best results, you’ll want to transfer them to an airtight container or Ziploc bag to keep cookies from getting stale. They’ll last up to a week at room temperature or 1-2 weeks in the fridge.

Freezing: For long-term food storage, freezing sugar cookies is the better bet. Try to let cookies freeze on a parchment lined baking sheet until firm before transferring to a freezer bag. Frozen Candy Cane Cookie will last 3-6 months in the freezer- but they’ll taste better and have a better texture before the 3 month mark.

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