Chocolate and peppermint are a holiday match made in heaven! These chocolate candy cane sandwich cookies are both fun and delicious.

chocolate candy cane sugar cookies in a stack

I’ve combined my soft and chewy chocolate cookies with a peppermint variation of my favorite fluffy buttercream striped with red food coloring to make the ultimate chocolate candy cane dessert. They’re adorable, easy to make, and quite delicious.

Want to know how to give your frosting that red swirl? It’s so easy! You just paint stripes of gel food coloring on the inside of your piping bag and as you pipe out the frosting— voila! You’ve got a pile of frosting that looks like a candy cane.

These are perfect for a holiday party, cookie exchange, or even for Santa on Christmas Eve (I can vouch that Santa loves these cookies 😉).

chocolate cookie dough and baked chocolate cookies

Let’s get baking, shall we?

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Butter
  • Eggs
  • All-purpose flour
  • Granulated sugar
  • Powdered sugar
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Heavy cream
  • Vanilla extract
  • Peppermint extract
  • Red gel food coloring

peppermint frosting and red painted piping bag

How to Make These Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

  1. Prepare cookie dough. These are standard drop cookies, no chilling required!
  2. Bake cookies. Bake cookies until tops just start to crack, but error on the side of under baked to ensure cookies are soft.
  3. Prepare peppermint frosting. Be sure to beat the frosting long enough to make it light and fluffy.
  4. Prepare piping bag. To get the red-striped candy cane look, use a paintbrush to paint gel food coloring on the inside of the piping bag. Then scoop the frosting into the piping bag.
  5. Assemble sandwich cookies. Pipe frosting onto one upside-down chocolate cookie, then place another cookie on top.

Then, enjoy!

piping candy cane frosting onto a chocolate cookie

Tips for this recipe

More Chocolate Peppermint Desserts

If you love these chocolate candy cane sandwich cookies, then you have to try these other festive treats!

closeup of chocolate candy cane cookies in a stack

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This recipe was originally published December 2015.

chocolate candy cane sugar cookies in a stack
5 from 6 reviews

Chocolate Candy Cane Sandwich Cookies

Servings: 15 sandwich cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Chocolate and peppermint are a holiday match made in heaven! These cookies are fun and delicious.

Ingredients
 

Cookies:

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter , at room temperature (170 grams)
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300 grams)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (270 grams)
  • cup unsweetened cocoa powder (56 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Frosting:

  • 3 cups powdered sugar , sifted (340 grams)
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter , at room temperature (170 grams)
  • Pinch salt
  • 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
  • Red gel food coloring

Instructions
 

To make the cookies:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  • In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until pale and creamy.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each, followed by the vanilla.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the butter mixture all at once and mix until incorporated.
  • Shape into rounded tablespoons and place on prepared sheet pan. Bake until surface is cracked and edges are dry, about 10 minutes.
  • Repeat with remaining cookie dough. Let cookies cool completely.

To make the frosting:

  • Beat the powdered sugar, butter, salt, heavy cream, and peppermint extract on low speed until it comes together.
  • Increase speed to high and beat for 2-3 minutes until light and creamy.
  • Use a clean paintbrush to paint the red gel food coloring up the sides of a large piping bag fitted with a plain or star tip, making 4-6 lines total. Fill bag with frosting.

To assemble cookie sandwiches:

  • Pipe frosting onto the bottom of one cooled chocolate cookie and place another chocolate cookie on top.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
Calories: 432kcal, Carbohydrates: 61g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 75mg, Sodium: 164mg, Potassium: 92mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 44g, Vitamin A: 643IU, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 2mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Annalise
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.

Disclosure: This recipe was originally created for Go Bold With Butter, a brand I still love and partnership with. Thank you for supporting partnerships with brands and campaigns I believe in, which make it easier for me to bring you new and creative content. All opinions are always my own.