Get ready to add a festive swirl to your holiday baking with these delightful Twisted Christmas Cookies! This recipe creates beautifully vibrant, buttery cookies that look just like classic candy canes. They are surprisingly simple to make and are the perfect centerpiece for any cookie platter. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or looking for a fun activity to do with the kids, these cookies are a guaranteed holiday hit.
These twisted treats are more than just pretty; they have a soft, buttery texture that melts in your mouth, with a hint of vanilla that complements the festive cheer. Let’s dive into how to create these stunning holiday delights from scratch.
Why You’ll Love These Twisted Christmas Cookies
- Visually Stunning: The red and white swirls are incredibly eye-catching and bring a professional touch to your home baking.
- Simple Ingredients: You likely have everything you need—flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla—already in your pantry.
- Fun to Make: Twisting the dough is a fun, hands-on activity perfect for getting the whole family involved in the holiday spirit.
- Perfect for Gifting: Pack them in a festive tin or bag, and they become a wonderful homemade gift for friends, neighbors, and teachers. If you love gifting cookies, you might also like these Buttery Soft Christmas Cookies.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe relies on simple pantry staples to create a rich, buttery cookie dough that’s perfect for twisting.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for the cookies.
- Unsalted Butter: Make sure it’s softened to room temperature for a smooth, creamy dough.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cookies and contributes to their tender texture.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients together.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a classic, warm flavor.
- Baking Powder: Gives the cookies a slight lift, making them soft.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Red Gel Food Coloring: For creating that vibrant, festive candy cane color. Gel coloring is recommended over liquid as it won’t alter the dough’s consistency.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps to create your own batch of beautiful Twisted Christmas Cookies.
1. Prepare the Cookie Dough
In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
2. Chill the Dough (The Secret to Perfect Twists!)
Divide the dough in half. Return one half to the mixing bowl and add a few drops of red gel food coloring. Mix until the color is evenly distributed. Form each half of the dough into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This step is crucial! Chilled dough is much easier to handle and prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven, ensuring your twists stay defined.
3. Color and Twist the Dough
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Take a tablespoon of the white dough and a tablespoon of the red dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 4-5 inch rope. Place the ropes side by side, gently press them together, and then twist them together from the center outwards. Curve the top of the twisted rope to create a candy cane shape, or leave it as a twisted stick.
4. Bake to Perfection
Place the twisted cookies on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. For another fun holiday treat, try these Christmas Sugar Cookie Bars.
Pro Tips for Perfect Twisted Christmas Cookies
- Don’t Skip the Chill: Chilling the dough is the most important step for preventing spread and ensuring defined twists.
- Use Gel Food Coloring: Gel coloring provides a vibrant hue without adding excess liquid, which can make the dough sticky.
- Even Ropes, Even Twists: Try to make your red and white dough ropes the same length and thickness for a uniform, professional-looking twist.
- Work Quickly: Handle the chilled dough as quickly as possible to keep it from warming up in your hands. If it becomes too soft, pop it back in the fridge for a few minutes.
Flavor Variations to Try
While the classic vanilla is delicious, you can easily customize these Twisted Christmas Cookies with other flavors.
- Peppermint Twist: Add 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract to the white dough for a classic candy cane flavor.
- Chocolate Twist: Add two tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder to one half of the dough for a festive chocolate-and-vanilla combination.
- Citrus Twist: Add a teaspoon of orange or lemon zest to the white dough for a bright, zesty flavor that pairs wonderfully with the buttery cookie. For a truly decadent treat, you might love our White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies too.
Storing and Freezing Your Cookies
Store your cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. To freeze, you can either freeze the unbaked dough (wrapped well) for up to 3 months or freeze the baked cookies. If freezing baked cookies, place them in a single layer in a freezer-safe container, with parchment paper between layers to prevent them from sticking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this dough is perfect for making ahead. You can refrigerate the dough ball for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator overnight before rolling and twisting.
Absolutely! While red and white are classic for a candy cane look, you can use green and red, or even blue and white for a ‘Frozen’ theme. Gel food coloring provides the most vibrant colors without adding extra liquid.
The trick is to roll each color into a thin rope of the same length and diameter. Place them side-by-side, gently press them together, and then twist from the center outwards. Work on a lightly floured surface to prevent sticking.
Spreading is usually caused by dough that isn’t cold enough. Chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes before twisting and baking is crucial. Also, ensure your butter is softened, not melted.
More Festive Recipes to Try
Looking for more holiday inspiration? Check out our popular Rolo Pretzels or the incredibly festive No-Bake Grinch Pie.
Get the Recipe!
Twisted Christmas Cookies (Easy & Festive Recipe)
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined.
- Divide the dough in half. Add red gel food coloring to one half and mix until combined. Form each half into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Take a tablespoon of white dough and a tablespoon of red dough. Roll each into a 4-5 inch rope. Place the ropes side-by-side, press gently, and twist them together.
- Place cookies on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
Chilling the dough is a mandatory step to prevent the cookies from spreading and losing their twisted shape.
Use gel food coloring for the most vibrant red without affecting the dough's texture.
Share Your Creations!
We hope you love making these Twisted Christmas Cookies! If you try this recipe, please leave a comment below and let us know how they turned out. Don’t forget to share a photo of your beautiful creations on Pinterest!
