Description
Delight in the festive flavors of White Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies, featuring a tender, buttery dough studded with sweet white chocolate chips and crushed peppermint candy canes. These chewy, soft cookies are perfect for the holiday season, combining classic Christmas tastes in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Add-ins
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes. This step incorporates air for a tender texture.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract until fully combined to ensure a smooth batter.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agents and salt throughout the flour.
- Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the dough which could make cookies tough.
- Fold in White Chocolate and Candy Canes: Gently fold in the white chocolate chips and crushed candy canes until evenly spread throughout the cookie dough for bursts of sweet and peppermint flavor in every bite.
- Shape the Cookies: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, placing them about 2 inches apart to allow spreading during baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers may look slightly underbaked, but will firm up as the cookies cool.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely, preventing breakage and ensuring a perfect texture.
Notes
- For best results, use room temperature butter and eggs to ensure proper creaming and mixing.
- Crushing candy canes by placing them in a plastic bag and gently crushing with a rolling pin is an easy method to get evenly sized pieces.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week; they also freeze well.
- If you prefer a stronger peppermint flavor, increase the crushed candy canes slightly, but avoid adding too much to keep the dough balanced.
