Candy Cane Cookies | Swanky Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why is my candy cane chewy? ›

If it clings, it probably isn't as fresh as it can be. >> Bite it: Before you stir it into your cocoa, try sinking your teeth into the cane. If it's weirdly soft and chewy, you might want to discard.

You can decorate your cookies while the candy coatings are still wet, or if they've hardened, attach decorations by brushing on some corn syrup with a candy brush. Corn syrup will harden and act like an edible glue!

"Things like candy canes or ribbon candy are good for well over a year, up to five years possibly. The sugar creates a matrix that holds it all together," said Allured. This is as long as you store it in a cool, dry place: "Humidity is the enemy."

You can add it both ways, if you add it before baking the sugars will caramelize during baking. If you add them after baking make sure to add the sugar right after taking them out of the oven, this way they will attach to the cookie.

Binding agents are the liquid in the recipe that hold the cookie together. Examples of binding agents are eggs, milk, honey, and fruit juice. Cookies with more eggs will rise more and spread less. If you want a crispier cookie, you can replace a whole egg with just an egg white.

Cream of tartar helps give the candy canes their more white color and softer texture so this ingredient isn't always used but is definitely preferred.

Within 25 minutes or so, we had our results and we could determine if our predictions were correct/incorrect. The cup with the warm water was the first liquid to completely dissolve the candy cane, while the vinegar was the first liquid to remove all of the red from the candy cane.

Basic reason..the dough is more dense than most cookie doughs, and the pressing with the fork tines helps the dough bake evenly. Secondarily, its pattern makes it easier to tell them apart from other cookies with similar appearance.

Hack #1: Chill your cookie dough before baking to make it easier to work with and to control spread. How does it work? Cookies can spread when baked and lose their shape. To fix this, let your cookie dough rest in the refrigerator for an hour before you roll it out and cut out shapes.

How do you know if candy canes have gone bad? ›

Expired candy canes will be sticky & taste off like old minty candy..

If the sugar mixture is not cooked to the proper temperature (the hard-crack stage 300-310° F {149-154° C.} or if you are working in a kitchen with high humidity, chances are your candy is retaining too much moisture.

To speed that process along, leave the candy in a loosely covered container with a damp paper towel. If the candy is not wrapped, place a double sheet of plastic wrap between the damp towel and the candy. Change the damp towel every two to three days. It will still probably take a month or so for the candy to soften.

Though some canes, depending on the external elements of temperature and humidity at the time of their making, will be harder and crunchier in texture, most have a soft and melty texture that makes them classic.