Tara Teaspoon

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Newsletter
  • Shop
  • About
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Cookbooks
    • Newsletter
    • Shop
    • About
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    TaraTeaspoon » Recipes » Christmas Cookies

    White Christmas Candy Cane Cookies

    Published: Dec 9, 2014 · Updated: Dec 7, 2023 by Tara Teaspoon · This page contains affiliate and sponsored links. See my full disclosure

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

    White Christmas Candy Cane cookies, luscious desserts, parties and presents! They all go together this time of year. And what a perfect addition to your cookie collection. 


    This easy little cookie is a delicious, buttery shortbread dough that is sturdy enough to hold its shape for these candy canes. Especially perfect if you invite the kids to help roll and shape. Make the dough the night before and it will be a great afternoon activity the next day.

    White Christmas candy cane cookies in a glass

    The secret to this dough holding a perfect shape is the egg white. Instead of traditional shortbread, a little egg white is added that helps with structure and texture. You can also roll and cut this cookie dough if you don't want candy canes.

    White Christmas Candy Cane Cookies make the perfect treat for your cookie swap party!

    For decorating I've used elegant white on white, but you can use your imagination with different colors of sanding sugar. My Lemon Royal Icing is the perfect "glue" for the sugar, and adds a touch of citrus flavor. It's perfection in my book. And since I like options, I'm letting you know you can also simply use a plain Royal Icing as well.

    For Royal Icing flavor ideas and more, make sure to download my Christmas Cookie Tips booklet!

    Just get these cookies sprinkled with sugar before the icing dries. It dries quickly so I work with one cookie at a time! I use a clean paint brush to paint the stripe of icing (and sprinkle each stripe before I paint the next. (For easier cleanup, I like to sprinkle over a sheet pan with sides to catch the extra.)

    Grab your sanding sugar here! It's cheaper if you buy in bulk, and white sanding sugar is always nice to have around.

    These little treats are the perfect addition to your Christmas cookie swap! They are not only beautiful but tasty. Cookie swaps are the best. You might get a zillion different kinds of cookies to take home and you only had to make one kind! Make sure to print this recipe for all the guests.

    📖 Recipe

    white christmas candy cane cookies

    White Christmas Candy Canes

    Tara Teaspoon
    The buttery dough for these White Christmas Candy Canes holds a shape when baked, so you get the perfect cookie for eating, and dunking!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Work Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Servings 2 dozen cookies

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 large egg white
    • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 recipe Lemon Royal Icing
    • ⅓ cup white sanding sugar

    Instructions
     

    • Heat oven to 350ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment; set aside for one hour.
    • In a mixing bowl beat butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 min. Mix in vanilla and egg white. Reduce speed to low and add flour and salt; mix until combined. Wrap dough in plastic and chill overnight.
    • Pinch off a 1¼-inch ball of dough. Roll into a 5½-inch rope. Shape into a candy cane hook and place on baking sheet; repeat with remaining dough, spacing cookies about 1 inch apart. Bake 12 to 15 min, until cookies are cooked through but not browned. Let cool on parchment on a cooling rack.
    • In a small bowl thin about ½ cup Lemon Royal Icing with extra lemon juice or water to the consistency of milk. Use a small clean brush to paint entire cookie or paint stripes; sprinkle cookies with sanding sugar and tap off any excuses. Set aside to dry for 1 hr.

    Notes

    Just get these cookies sprinkled with sugar before the icing dries. It dries quickly so I work with one cookie at a time! I use a clean paint brush to paint the stripe of icing (and sprinkle each stripe before I paint the next. (For easier cleanup, I like to sprinkle over a sheet pan with sides to catch the extra.)

    Nutrition

    Calories: 1141kcalCarbohydrates: 167gProtein: 13gFat: 47gSaturated Fat: 29gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 615mgPotassium: 141mgFiber: 2gSugar: 83gVitamin A: 1420IUCalcium: 30mgIron: 5.1mg
    Get exclusive recipes sent to your inbox!Sign up for Tara's newsletter for more.

    Cookie Recipes from Tara Teaspoon

    • small batch chocolate chip cookies on pink plate
      Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • close feature of peanut butter blossoms
      Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
    • Plate of strawberry macadamia nut cookies feature.
      Strawberries and Cream Cookies with Macadamia Nuts
    • close up feature of macadamia nut cookies.
      Macadamia and White Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • stack of cookies without chocolate chips
      Chocolate Chipless Cookies
    • Close up of Dulce de leche bars with a missing corner on parchment
      Dulce de Leche Cookie Bars
    • iced gingerbread men and ladies square
      The Best Gingerbread Cookies
    • stack of carmelitas oatmeal bars
      Oatmeal Carmelitas Recipe
    Tara in kitchen making salad

    Tara Teaspoon

    I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!

    More about Tara

    Recipe and Food Styling Tara Bench. Photography Kate Mathis

    Comments

      5 from 3 votes

      Review Or Ask A Question! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating





      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Mary Bench says

      July 17, 2018 at 10:24 pm

      Such pretty candy canes! Love these!

      Reply
    2. Brittany Smart says

      July 19, 2018 at 4:05 pm

      So beautiful!

      Reply
    3. Marie says

      July 23, 2020 at 6:52 pm

      Scrumdiddlyumptious! I wanted to eat these delicious candy cane cookies as if they were a fun dip by dipping the cookie in the sanding sugar, but I held back! Such a fun activity with the kids too!

      Reply

    Hi, I'm Tara Teaspoon!

    I’ve been sharing my original ideas for years. What began as a passion, turned into a publishing career as Food Editor at Martha Stewart Living and Ladies’ Home Journal magazines.

    Now I write cookbooks, and share delicious recipes and expert cooking tips with you here! Thanks for stopping by Tara Teaspoon!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • square feature image of turkey pot pie with biscuits on top in a cast iron skillet.
      Turkey Pot Pie with Biscuits
    • featured image of the perfect slice of lemon lush icebox dessert.
      Lemon Lush
    • feature square of swiss meringue buttercream from Live Life Deliciously cookbook.
      Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe
    • Three stacked Easter blondies on a small white plate.
      Mini Egg Cookie Bars

    Cookbooks

    Tara Teaspoon Cookbooks

    Footer

    Subscribe for emails and exclusive updates!

    Sign me up!
    Tara Teaspoon horizontal logo

    ↑back to top

    Explore

    • Recipe Index
    • Cookbooks
    • New Posts
    • Newsletter Subscribe

    About

    • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Refund Policy
    • Disclaimer & Terms

    Copyright © 2025 Tara Teaspoon, Inc • Powered by Feast+

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.