Candy Cane Cookies with Chocolate Mint
A buttery soft shortbread cookie studded with crushed candy canes, a crackly coating and topped with a chocolate mint. This is my family's signature holiday recipe and the one I can't live without every Christmas!
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoonssalted butter (1 ½ sticks) (at room temperature )
- ¼ cupgranulated sugar
- 1 largeegg, separated
- 1 teaspoonvanilla extract
- 2 cupsall purpose flour (food scale recommended. otherwise lightly spoon into measuring cup and level.)
- ½ cupcrushed peppermint candy canes
- 1 pinchsalt
- 30junior mint candies
- additional sugar, for rolling. about ½ cup
Directions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. *It's important to use parchment. An unlined or foil-lined baking sheet will cause the cookies to stick.
- 2
Using a stand mixer if you have one, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in egg yolk only (save white in a bowl) and vanilla.
- 3
Add flour gradually, a little at a time, and mix on low until fully incorporated. It might take a minute or two.
- 4
Mix in crushed candy canes and stir until incorporated.
- 5
Add a pinch of salt to the reserved egg white. Using a fork or small whisk, beat well until very light and frothy. When you lift up your fork/whisk, the white should not be goopy and thick, it should be thin and liquid-y. Set out another bowl with about 1/2 cup additional sugar for rolling.
- 6
Use a cookie scoop to scoop dough into 1 tablespoon portions. Use hands to roll into balls.
- 7
Working with just a few at a time, dip* them into the egg white and use clean hands to make sure excess drips off and only a thin coating remains on dough. (*See notes below for some tips on this). Then roll the dough balls in sugar and place on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Tip: if your sugar starts to get clumpy, switch it out for fresh.
- 8
Using a finger other than your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Bake for about 9-10 minutes, until puffed and almost set. While cookies are baking, get your Jr. Mints ready- I like to pour them into a small bowl to make them easier to grab quickly.
- 9
Working quickly to not lose too much heat, pull your pan out and place a single Junior mint on the indentation of each cookie and return pan to oven.
- 10
Continue baking until set, about 1-2 minutes longer. Cookies should not brown on top, or really on the bottom, either. Once you make them you'll get a feel for what they look like when perfectly done! The edges will start to crackle just a bit and they won't appear "wet".
- 11
Remove pan from oven and let cool for a few minutes before transferring cookies to a cooling rack.
- 12
I prefer to let them cool completely before serving.