Candy cane-shaped cookies, aren’t they adorable? Perfect for decorating the Christmas tree, maybe with a nice red ribbon. Besides being cute, they’re also delicious. A light dough, flavored with vanilla and a cocoa dough intertwined. They taste a bit like the Mulino Bianco’s Abbracci.
They are very easy to make, even if you need a bit of patience to create the twists, but it’s worth it.
If you’re looking for more Christmas cookies, also try these recipes:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation time: 45 Minutes
- Portions: approx. 60 candy canes
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Christmas
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
- 1 egg (at room temperature)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
- 1 egg (at room temperature)
Steps
To prepare the light dough, mix the flour with the salt.
Cream the butter with the electric beaters along with the sugar and vanilla sugar, until creamy. Add the egg and beat.
Add the sifted flour and knead quickly with your hands until the dough is smooth, but be careful not to overwork it, or the cookies will be hard.Form a block with the dough, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
To prepare the dark dough, mix the flour with the cocoa and salt.
Cream the butter with the electric beaters along with the sugar and vanilla sugar, until creamy. Add the egg and beat.
Sift the flour and cocoa mixture over the butter and eggs and knead quickly with your hands until the dough is smooth, but be careful not to overwork it, or the cookies will be hard.
Form a block with the dough, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.After the dough has rested, remove it from the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (static) if baking one tray at a time or 320°F (fan) if baking multiple trays at once.
Cut a quarter of each dough. On a lightly floured surface, form a rope about 3/4 inch thick with each. Cut into pieces about 3/4 inch long.
Roll each piece on the table to form a thin stick, about 1/5 inch thick. Join a light stick and a dark one and, starting from one end, twist them. Shape into a candy cane and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.Bake at 340°F for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden on the edges.
Remove from the oven, let cool completely, and store in an airtight container or tin box.
Tips
These candy cane cookies are also adorable hung on the Christmas tree with a nice red bow.
