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    BeeyondCereal » Recipes » Cookie Recipes

    Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies

    Modified: Oct 17, 2023 Published: Dec 10, 2021 by Nicole Durham This post may contain affiliate links. 12 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 10 votes

    Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies are a refreshing tasting buttery shortbread cookie with crushed peppermint candies in every bite. Dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with more candy cane bits, these are the perfect holiday cookies.

    Recipe: $4.88 | Per Serving: $0.40 | Yield: 12 cookies

    6 arranged peppermint shortbread cookies on a wooden surface.

    Shortbread cookies have a special place in my heart because of how simple and easy they are to make. Just mix, chill, slice and bake. The end result is soft buttery cookies with a delicious peppermint crunch.

    There is a wait time for the candy cane shortbread cookie dough to chill, but it's worth it because it makes the dough firmer for cutting, and it helps to enhance the peppermint flavor in every bite. Yum!

    We LOVE peppermint around here (and by that, I mean me, I love it), so winter months are usually filled with peppermint iced coffee and White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn, etc.

    Jump to:
    • 🍯 Why This Recipe Works
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🔪 Instructions for Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies
    • 🍴 Recipe Tips
    • ⏲️ Make Ahead Instructions
    • 💭 Recipe FAQs
    • ❤️ More Delicious Holiday Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    🍯 Why This Recipe Works

    1. Super easy to make. No eggs, no leavening agents, just a few basic ingredients, and you're done. This is one of the reasons to love these shortbread cookies, (and our Cranberry Pecan Shortbread Cookies).
    2. White chocolate, need I say more? Adding the white chocolate drizzle or dip to the cookies is optional but helps them to look as incredible as they taste. Drizzled chocolate makes everything better, just see for yourself with our Chocolate Drizzled Popcorn.
    3. You can make them in advance. Make the dough ahead of time and keep it in the freezer until ready to bake. Perfect for party planning!

    🥘 Ingredients

    Ingredient Notes:

    Butter- Butter is a very important ingredient when it comes to shortbread because it helps to get the perfect melt-in-your-mouth consistency and keeps them tasting rich.

    Powdered sugar- This will be used to sweeten the dough and to get it to hold together well.

    Crushed Peppermint Candies- See the note below on what type of peppermint candies work best in cookies and why.

    White Chocolate Chips- For melting down and garnishing our cookies with. You can omit them if desired, but I love the way they look! If you still have some on hand, be sure to try them in our Strawberry White Chocolate Cookies!

    For specific ingredients and measurements, please see the recipe card below.

    🔪 Instructions for Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies

    Step 1: Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth in a large mixing bowl.

    Step 2: Add in the vanilla extract and mix well.

    Step 3: Add in the flour and the crushed peppermint candies and mix again.

    Step 4: Press the dough into a log on parchment paper and cover it with plastic wrap.

    Step 5: Place in fridge and chill for at least 1 hour.

    Step 6: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

    Step 7: Remove the dough from the fridge.

    Step 8: Slice the dough ¼ inch thick. You should have about 12 cookies.

    a log of chilled dough sliced into rounds on a piece of parchment paper.

    Step 9: Arrange on the baking sheet leaving space between each.

    Step 10: Bake for 10-12 minutes and then allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

    cooked peppermint shortbread cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

    Step 11: Melt your chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each until smooth.

    Step 12: Dip half of the cookies into the white chocolate and then sprinkle with additional crushed peppermint if desired.

    Step 13: Let them set before eating.

    White chocolate drizzled on shortbread cookies on wire rack, topped with crushed candy canes.

    🍴 Recipe Tips

    1. Avoid Using Candy Canes. Using actual candy canes in this recipe is not recommended. Candy canes are made of sugar and will melt during baking, resulting in crunchy sugar bits that may stick to the baking sheet and cookies. They could even create holes in the cookies if removed too quickly.
    2. Opt for Bob's Sweet Stripes Candy. Instead of candy canes, use Bob's Sweet Stripes candy. These candies will not melt or dissolve during baking, providing a pleasant texture without being too hard to bite into. They still offer a delicious peppermint flavor in every bite, making them ideal for this recipe.
    3. Additional Note. Bob's Sweet Stripes candies are also used in our White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn.

    ⏲️ Make Ahead Instructions

    Dough Preparation: Prepare the dough according to the recipe instructions. Afterward, chill it in the fridge for up to 3 days in advance. This allows for convenient preparation ahead of time, saving time and effort when you're ready to bake.

    💭 Recipe FAQs

    Why do you put shortbread in the fridge before baking?

    Chilling the dough is a good way to firm up the soft butter. A soft dough will spread during baking, but chilled shortbread will retain its shape better.

    Can I freeze peppermint shortbread?

    While shortbread cookies can be frozen, peppermint shortbread shouldn't. The peppermint candies will become gooey, chewy, and messy as they thaw.

    How do you store shortbread after baking?

    Store your cooled and set peppermint shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For best results, eat sooner rather than later so that the peppermint candies don't get too stale.

    a peppermint shortbread cookie broken in half to reveal inside texture.

    ❤️ More Delicious Holiday Recipes

    • peanut butter blossoms with wrapped colorful hershey kisses.
      Cake Mix Peanut Butter Blossoms
    • stacked Milk Dud Cookies with one broken in half.
      Milk Dud Cookies
    • Cranberry Eggnog Streusel Muffins.
      Cranberry Eggnog Muffins
    • several squares of oreo fudge on a plate with a striped towel in background.
      3 Ingredient Oreo Fudge

    If you tried this Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your feedback in the 📝 comments section below. I would truly appreciate it!

    📖 Recipe

    white chocolate covered peppermint shortbread cookies on a wooden surface.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 10 votes

    Candy Cane Shortbread Cookies

    Peppermint shortbread cookies are a refreshing tasting buttery shortbread cookie with crushed peppermint candies in every bite. Dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with more candy cane bits, these are perfect holiday cookies.
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Chill Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
    Servings: 12 cookies
    Calories: 311kcal
    Cost Recipe $4.88 / Serving $0.40
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowls
    • Electric Mixer
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Measuring Cups

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup butter, softened (two sticks) ($1.98)
    • ½ cup powdered sugar ($0.18)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ($0.03)
    • 2 cups all purpose flour ($0.26)
    • ½ cups crushed peppermint candies (Sweet Stripes) ($1.12)
    • 4 ounces white chocolate chips (about 1 cup) ($1.31)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.
    • Add in the vanilla extract and mix well.
    • Add in the flour and the crushed peppermint and mix again.
    • Press the dough into a log parchment paper and cover well with plastic wrap before placing in the fridge.
    • Chill for at least one hour.
    • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Slice the dough into ¼ inch slices. Please note that larger candy chunks will make the cuts look wonky. You can adjust this by hand to make them look neater.
    • Arrange on baking sheet leaving a decent sized gap between the cookies.
    • Bake for 10-12 minutes and place onto a wire rack to cool completely.
    • Melt your chocolate in a bowl in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring well between each until smooth.
    • Dip half of each cookie into the white chocolate and place back onto a piece of parchment paper to cool and set.
    • Sprinkle some additional crushed peppermint over the top of the chocolate if desired.

    Notes

    Recipe Tips:
    • For enhanced flavor and reduced chewiness, grind peppermint candies in a blender or food processor. Sweet Stripes are preferable to candy canes for less melting. You'll need about 16-18 of them.
    • Prepare and chill the dough in the fridge up to 3 days ahead to firm up soft butter. Chilled dough maintains its shape better during baking.
    Storage:
    • Unlike regular shortbread, freezing peppermint shortbread cookies is not recommended as the candies become gooey when thawed.
    • Store your cooled peppermint shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Consume sooner for fresher peppermint candies.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 476IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
    Author Nicole Durham
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Diet Vegetarian
    Tried this recipe?Mention @BeeyondCereal on Instagram and hashtag it #BeeyondCereal
    Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used. To view how this recipe was calculated you can visit my Pricing Disclosure Page for more information.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says

      December 12, 2021 at 10:32 am

      5 stars
      I love how easy shortbread is to make, yet it tastes magnificent every single time. Adding these to my baking list for next week!

      Reply
    2. Gina Abernathy says

      December 12, 2021 at 9:09 am

      5 stars
      I've been on the look out for a shortbread cookie recipe--thank you! Your cookies are so pretty. Hopefully, I can make some today.

      Reply
    3. Dawn Conklin says

      December 11, 2021 at 8:34 pm

      5 stars
      We made these peppermint shortbread cookies this afternoon and they are amazing! They are so easy to make and delicious. Perfect for the holidays.

      Reply
      • Nicole says

        December 12, 2021 at 9:22 am

        So glad you liked them!

        Reply
    4. Emily Flint says

      December 11, 2021 at 5:05 pm

      5 stars
      I love anything peppermint and these cookies were so delicious! Perfect for the holidays!

      Reply
      • Nicole says

        December 11, 2021 at 5:09 pm

        We're big peppermint fans around here!

        Reply
    5. Andra says

      December 11, 2021 at 12:27 pm

      5 stars
      Can't wait to try this recipe, I love shortbread cookies and these are perfect for the season 😀

      Reply
      • Nicole says

        December 11, 2021 at 12:39 pm

        They totally are! Hope you like them 🙂

        Reply
    6. Kayla DiMaggio says

      December 11, 2021 at 12:08 pm

      5 stars
      These peppermint shortbread cookies are so delicious! Sweet, buttery and delicious!

      Reply
    7. Hollie says

      December 11, 2021 at 11:35 am

      5 stars
      Fast, easy and so festive! Thank you!

      Reply
    8. Zhen of greedygirlgourmet says

      December 11, 2021 at 11:19 am

      5 stars
      So Christmasy! Can't wait to try this recipe!

      Reply
      • Nicole says

        December 11, 2021 at 11:21 am

        Thanks! Hope you enjoy!

        Reply
    5 from 10 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    The proud owner and recipe developer behind BeeyondCereal. Here, I'm passionate about showing people how to navigate the kitchen with frugality in mind, whipping up family-friendly recipes that not only save money but also bring joy to every meal.

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