Gather together for Christmas Baking time! You are going to love our Chocolate Sandwich Candy Cane Cookie. It’s the perfect cookie for making ahead and assembling later when many helping hands are in the kitchen!

Chocolate Sandwich Candy Cane Cookies

Little elves will love to bake, assemble, and eat these delicious chocolate candy cane cookies! It’s a small chocolate cookie (similar to a  brownie) sandwiched with pink peppermint frosting and rolled in crushed candy canes. This cookie is sure to put even the most Grinchy person in the Christmas spirit! 

Chocolate Sandwich Candy Cane Cookies

Our Chocolate Sandwich Candy Cane Cookies are straight from Santa’s Workshop Assembly line. There’s  something for everyone to do when making this cookie. After making the dough and frosting: scooping, baking, frosting and rolling is in order! 

How to make sandwich Christmas cookies

I loved the way the pink frosting rolled in candy canes looked against the dark chocolate cookies. They are the perfect treat for a cookie exchange. This Chocolate Candy Cane Cookie adds a festive element to your Christmas cookie tray or the perfect gift in a cello bag with a pretty ribbon! Double this recipe for about 20-24 (2-inch) sandwich cookies. 

Christmas Candy Cane Cookies

What you’ll need to make Chocolate Sandwich Candy Cane Cookies:

  • all purpose flour
  • unsweetened cocoa powder preferably Dutch-process
  • salt
  • granulated sugar
  • unsalted butter
  • large egg
  • milk
  • powdered sugar
  • peppermint extract
  • red food coloring
  • candy canes
Chocolate Sandwich Cookie for Christmas

Tips for making the best Chocolate Sandwich Candy Cane Cookies:

  • Don’t over mix the dough.
  • If the dough is dry, add a bit of milk. The dough should be soft, but not sticky.
  • Make sure to follow the chill time to avoid spreading of the cookies!
  • Do not over bake! Bake just until the cookie is set and not wet looking on top.
  • Cool cookie completely before frosting.
  • Spread the frosting evenly and allow it to almost reach the edge of the cookie so the candy will adhere.
  • Roll cookie in candy before the frosting is set to make sure the candy sticks to the frosting.
Best Santa Cookies

This post originally published in December 2010, updated with new content and photos December 2021

Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

5 from 3 votes
Print Pin
Author: Si Foster
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
chill time, cool time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 10
Adapted from: Bon Appétit Magazine, 12/2005

Ingredients 

Cookies

  • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-process
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons milk

Peppermint Frosting

  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1-2 drops red food coloring
  • 1/2 cup crushed red-and-white-striped candy canes , about 4 ounces

Instructions

For cookies:

  • Whisk flour, cocoa, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in egg and 2 tablespoons milk. Add dry ingredients; mix just until blended.
  • Refrigerate dough 1 hour or more.*
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
    Scoop out dough by level tablespoonfuls, then roll into smooth balls.
    Place dough on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart about 9-12 per baking sheet. Using bottom of small glass, slightly flatten each ball to about 1 1/2 inch round (edges will crack).
    Bake until cookies no longer look wet about 9-10 minutes (do not over bake or cookies will become dry). Let cool completely.

For filling:

  • Using electric mixer, beat powdered sugar and butter in medium bowl until mixed well.
    Add peppermint extract and 1-2 drops food coloring depending on how much color you like in the filling. Beat until blended well.
    Spread 2 generous teaspoons filling evenly over flat side of 1 cookie and top with another cookie, flat side down. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.
  • Place crushed candy canes on plate. Roll edges of cookie sandwiches in crushed candies (candies will adhere to filling). Cookie sandwiches can be made ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.
  • Makes about 10-12 small sandwich cookies

Notes

  • If refrigerating overnight, let dough sit on counter for 30 minutes before scooping out to bake. This will help the dough to be easier to scoop, but not allow it to thaw out completely. Preheat oven while the cookie dough is thawing a bit. 
  • If making ahead:  For best results, bake the cookies, let cool and freeze until ready to serve. Prepare the frosting, refrigerate up to a week. Crush the candy canes and store in an airtight container until ready to assemble cookies. When ready to assemble, let frosting sit at room temperature for an hour. Mix with a spoon.  Frost 1/2 of the cookies (flat side) with frosting, then place another cookie on top, again the bottom of cookie facing frosting. Roll in candy cane mixture when frosting is still soft. 
  • I have tried using pre-crushed peppermint pieces for this cookie, and found I like the look of crushed candy canes better than the pre-crushed peppermint. 

Did you make this recipe?

Be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. I’d love to see a photo, tag @abountifulkitchen on Instagram!