The thing I love most about these gluten free candy cane cookies is that they’re sweetened with real candy canes! Oh, and they’re so fun to shape!
And they’re pepperminty through and through. And so festive at the holidays. And who doesn’t love candy canes!? … I guess any one of those attributes would be enough to sell me on making these super cute candy cane cookies — how about you?
There’s also no wrong or right in making them: they can be as big or as small, as thick or as thin as you like. Bake them longer and make them crunchier if you like — just don’t over-bake them or they’ll become very fragile.
Sprinkle more crushed candy canes on top after baking, or not. They’re your gluten free candy cane cookies, after all!
As for crushing the candy canes you’ll need for this recipe, use a food processor or a coffee grinder for best results.
Otherwise, you can always just store up all the day’s frustration and put coarsely broken candy canes in a large zip-top freezer bag and seal, then lay flat on a counter and repeatedly roll (or beat!) a rolling pin over the candy canes until they’re evenly crushed into fine pieces.
The finer the better for crushing the candy canes needed for these cookies so they don’t melt and break the dough apart. Measure out ½ cup of crushed candy for this recipe. Sprinkle any remainder over cookies after they’re baked, if desired.
Make sure the candy canes you’re using do not contain gluten though! It goes without saying that you should always read labels … even on candy canes.
I can’t wait to hear what you think of this traditional recipe, made gluten free. It’s a keeper!
I have LOADS more gluten free cookie and holiday cookie recipes here at gfJules.com — just use the search bar at the top of every page!
Be sure to use my gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour for best results (no grit!) and E A S Y cookie making! Here’s a quick video showing how to transform this soft, pliable dough into the iconic candy cane shape:
click photo to watch video. Dough pictured with Watkins natural food coloring.
More Gluten Free Holiday Cookie Recipes:
I’ve also gathered some other delicious gluten-free holiday cookie recipes from food blogger friends for a Virtual Gluten-free Cookie Exchange!
½ cup extra crushed gluten-free candy canes, optional
Instructions
Place butter, confectioners’ sugar and finely crushed candy canes into a large mixing bowl and cream until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until incorporated.
Slowly stir in the gfJules Flour and salt, mixing until completely combined.
Divide dough into equal halves. Place one half into a separate bowl. Add red food coloring to remaining half in the mixing bowl, mixing color into dough until it’s the desired color red.
Wrap each half of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until dough is cold, at least one hour, ideally.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Dust a clean countertop or pastry mat with a small amount of gfJules Flour.
Pinch off approximately two tablespoon-sized pieces of red and white dough and roll them into thin logs of equal length. (Logs should be about 5 inches long and about ¼-inch in diameter. The exact length isn’t important, only that they’re about the same size.) Don't roll in too much flour or they will not roll well; too little flour and they will stick to the surface.
Create pairs of joined red and white logs by pinching their ends together (wet the ends with a touch of water if they are too floured to stick together). Gently “braid” each red and white pair by laying one over the other, repeating until the 2 logs are twisted around each other up their entire length. Pinch ends to seal. See videos for how-to.
Gently place each twisted pair onto prepared baking sheets. Curl the top of each cookie down to form a candy-cane shape.
Place cookies in preheated oven and bake 9 to 10 minutes. Do not let cookies brown.
Remove from oven and sprinkle hot cookies with more crushed candy, if desired. Remove to fully cool on a wire rack before serving.
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You can even make this dough and bake them out as regular round cookies — no need to braid them if you’re in a hurry or craving peppermint cookies at other times of the year (it’s a thing).
When I used to bake and decorate cookies with my grandmother. Years later I was able to do it with my nieces and nephews from both sides of my family. One of my best holidau memories ever.
My favorite memory is sitting and frosting sugar cookies with my Mom and sister and we would have knife fights trying to get to certain colored frosting. Then with the leftover frosting we would spread it in between 2 Ritz crackers. My Mom would make cream cheese frosting.
How festive! These are so cute and would be perfect to serve at a Christmas party. Thank you! One of my favorite memories was trying to make our holiday favorites gf—some success and many fails but also laughs!
Candy canes just scream “CHRISTMAS” and these candy cane cookies are just the cutest! Thanks for including substitutions as well….we have multiple food allergies so that is incredibly helpful
One of my favorite things has always been cookie baking!! Until I had to go GF years ago. I had so many grainy, dry disasters, I quit trying. Today with all these choices before me, I’m so excited to try again!! Thank you to all of you for sharing your recipes with us!!
When I used to bake and decorate cookies with my grandmother. Years later I was able to do it with my nieces and nephews from both sides of my family. One of my best holidau memories ever.
My favorite memory is always making fudge with my mom and sister for the holidays.
I had a lot of fun with my kids when we would make cookies together. Messy sometimes but always fun.
My favorite memory is of making cookies with my mom and siblings. =)
My memories are of baking chocolate chip cookies with my mom. =)
My favorite memory is sitting and frosting sugar cookies with my Mom and sister and we would have knife fights trying to get to certain colored frosting. Then with the leftover frosting we would spread it in between 2 Ritz crackers. My Mom would make cream cheese frosting.
How festive! These are so cute and would be perfect to serve at a Christmas party. Thank you! One of my favorite memories was trying to make our holiday favorites gf—some success and many fails but also laughs!
These are some of my favorite cookies to make – everyone loves them. Your recipe is stellar!
Candy canes just scream “CHRISTMAS” and these candy cane cookies are just the cutest! Thanks for including substitutions as well….we have multiple food allergies so that is incredibly helpful
These are the cutest holiday cookies ever!
One of my favorite things has always been cookie baking!! Until I had to go GF years ago. I had so many grainy, dry disasters, I quit trying. Today with all these choices before me, I’m so excited to try again!! Thank you to all of you for sharing your recipes with us!!
Tis the season for sharing, Connie! I hope you enjoy all these recipes and have a wonderful holiday!
~jules