Wondering how to incorporate the festive charm of candy canes into your holiday desserts?
Finding the perfect balance between the minty zest of candy canes and the sweet allure of desserts can be a delightful challenge. The pepperminty crunch of candy canes adds a unique twist to traditional holiday treats, making them extra special for the season.
Fear not, for we have curated a list of 15 mouth-watering candy cane dessert recipes that will leave your taste buds dancing with joy. From classic peppermint bark to innovative candy cane cheesecakes, these recipes cater to all levels of baking expertise and guarantee a sweet and minty adventure in every bite.
So, are you ready to transform your holiday desserts into irresistible, peppermint-infused delights? Let’s embark on this culinary journey together!
In A Rush? Key Takeaways:
- Transform traditional holiday treats with a minty twist from candy canes.
- 15 varied recipes, suitable for all baking levels.
- Includes classics and innovative candy cane dessert ideas.
Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
These cookies are perfect for the holiday season, with its festive colors and flavors. The recipe incorporates sugar, butter, eggs, flour and dark chocolate chunks, which create a soft and chewy texture. Additionally, the recipe uses finely crushed candy canes, which are added to the dough before baking, adding an extra layer of minty sweetness.
The cookies have that perfect balance of sweetness and a little zing of candy cane, which makes them irresistible. The appearance of the dark chocolate with red and white candy cane pieces makes them very festive and attractive.
Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s Cheesecake
It is a combination of two delicious treats: candy canes and Joe-Joe’s cookies. The crust of this cheesecake is made from crushed Joe-Joe’s cookies, which are then combined with butter to create a deliciously crunchy base. The filling is a classic cheesecake recipe, but with a twist – it is mixed with crushed candy canes to give it a festive flavor.
The top of the cheesecake is decorated with whipped cream and more crushed candy cane pieces, making it look as good as it tastes. The combination of cookie crust, creamy cheesecake filling, and candy cane pieces make for a delightful dessert that is sure to please everyone’s taste buds.
Candy Cane Ice Cream Recipe
This recipe is super simple to make, requiring just a few ingredients, and can be whipped up in no time. The creamy vanilla ice cream base is infused with crushed candy canes, giving it that signature peppermint flavor and a delightful crunch. The smooth, velvety texture of the ice cream contrasts perfectly with the crunchy candy cane bits, creating the perfect balance of flavors and textures.

The cool and refreshing taste of mint combined with the sweet creaminess of ice cream creates a delicious dessert that is hard to resist. Not only is this recipe easy to make, but it is also a fun way to get the whole family involved in the holiday baking festivities.
Peppermint Candy Cane Snowball Cookies
Peppermint Candy Cane Snowball Cookies are a festive and delicious twist on traditional snowball cookies. These buttery cookies are studded with crushed candy canes and drizzled with white chocolate to create a perfectly balanced sweet and minty flavor.
The combination of crunchy candy canes and melt-in-your-mouth cookies creates a unique texture that is both satisfying and indulgent. The sweetness of the cookie complements the peppermint flavor perfectly, leaving you with a refreshing and satisfying taste.
Candy Cane Chocolate Cake Recipe
The recipe starts with a classic chocolate cake batter, which is baked in two 9-inch round cake pans. Once cooled, the layers are sandwiched together with a creamy peppermint frosting and decorated with crushed candy canes on top. The frosting is light and fluffy, made with cream cheese, butter, and peppermint extract. The crushed candy canes add a nice crunch and a pop of color to this decadent cake.

It’s the perfect dessert for any Christmas party or family gathering, and it’s sure to impress your guests. The chocolate cake itself is moist and fluffy, with a deep chocolate flavor that pairs perfectly with the refreshing taste of peppermint. The frosting is light, creamy, and infused with the sweet aroma of peppermint extract.
Candy Cane Kiss Cookies
Candy Cane Kiss Cookies are a festive twist on classic peanut butter cookies. This recipe is made using a simple peanut butter cookie dough that is shaped into balls and baked until golden brown. As the cookies come out of the oven, a Hershey’s Candy Cane Kiss is pressed into the center of each one, creating a crunchy outer layer and a soft and chocolatey center that is full of minty goodness.
They are the perfect sweet treat to enjoy during the holiday season or to bring to a holiday party. They have a festive look that will impress your guests, and the combination of flavors is sure to make them one of the most popular desserts of the night
Candy Cane Fudge
Candy Cane Fudge is a delectable and delightful treat that definitely deserves a spot on any dessert table. This recipe is perfect for those who loves the combination of creamy, rich fudge and the refreshing flavor of peppermint.
The fudge is made with just a few simple ingredients including chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and crushed candy canes. The fudge mixture is then poured into a pan and refrigerated until set. Once ready, the fudge is topped with a layer of white chocolate and sprinkled with more crushed candy canes.
Candy Cane Cupcakes
Candy Cane Cupcakes are a festive and delicious treat that are perfect for the holiday season. These cupcakes are made with a rich and moist vanilla cake batter infused with peppermint extract, making them the perfect accompaniment to the candy cane frosting.

The frosting is made with a cream cheese base that is blended with crushed candy canes, adding a delightful crunch to every bite. The cupcakes are then topped with a sprinkling of additional crushed candy canes for an extra burst of holiday flavor and aesthetic.
Candy Cane Cheesecake Recipe
Candy Cane Cheesecake is a festive and delicious dessert that combines the classic taste of cheesecake with the refreshing mint flavor of candy canes. This recipe starts with a homemade crust made of crushed Oreo cookies and butter. The cheesecake filling is made with cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and crushed candy canes.
The mixture is then poured into the crust and baked until set. Once cooled, the cheesecake is topped with whipped cream and garnished with crushed candy canes. The combination of creamy, tangy cheesecake and crunchy candy cane pieces makes for a delightful and festive dessert that will impress any guest.
Candy Cane Christmas Dip Recipe
The Candy Cane Christmas Dip Recipe is a festive and delightful twist on the classic cream cheese dip. This recipe is perfect for holiday parties and gatherings as it brings a burst of fresh peppermint flavor into the mix.
It is made with cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, crushed candy canes, and a few drops of red food coloring to give it a nice pop of color. The dip is then served with more crushed candy canes on top and some graham crackers or pretzels for dipping.
Candy Cane Sandwich Cookie
The Candy Cane Sandwich Cookie is a delectable recipe that combines the sweetness of sugar cookie dough and the flavors of crushed candy canes. The cookie dough is rolled out and cut into small rounds, which are then baked to a light golden brown.
Once the cookies have cooled, a filling of whipped butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract is generously spread on one cookie before the other is sandwiched on top. Crushed candy canes are sprinkled on top of the filling to add both a festive appearance and delightful crunch to each bite. The result is a delightful mix of sweet, soft, and crunchy textures and flavors that will bring a smile to anyone’s face.
Candy Cane Reindeer Pops
The Cand Cane Reindeer Pops recipe is a perfect treat for the holiday season. These cute and festive lollipops are easy to make with just a few ingredients and will be a hit with children and adults alike. To make them, you will need candy canes, chocolate candy melts, pretzels, M&M’s, and mini chocolate chips.
First, you melt the chocolate candy in the microwave and then dip the candy cane in it, making sure to leave enough space at the top to add the reindeer’s face. Then you add the pretzels for the antlers, M&M’s for the nose, and mini chocolate chips for the eyes. Once assembled, they can be enjoyed immediately or wrapped up to give as a gift.
White Chocolate Candy Cane Cake
The vanilla cake base is studded with crushed candy canes, giving it a festive red and white speckled appearance, and is then generously topped with a creamy white chocolate frosting that has been infused with peppermint extract. The result is a dessert that is sure to please all of your holiday guests.
But it’s not just the appearance of this cake that is sure to impress. The combination of rich white chocolate and cool peppermint creates a truly delicious flavor profile. The cake itself is moist and fluffy, with a delicate vanilla flavor that perfectly balances the sweetness of the candy canes and frosting.
Pinwheel Cookies with Crushed Candy Canes
The recipe starts with a simple sugar cookie dough, which is colored with red food coloring and rolled out into two separate rectangles. Crushed candy canes are then sprinkled on top of one of the rectangles. The other rectangle is then placed on top and both are rolled up tightly, creating a pinwheel effect.
After chilling in the fridge, the dough is sliced into rounds, revealing the beautiful red and white swirls with bits of crunchy candy cane throughout. The cookies are then baked until perfectly golden brown and deliciously chewy with a satisfying crunch from the candy canes.
Peppermint Bark Cake
Peppermint Bark Cake is a decadent cake that will satisfy your cravings for something sweet, cool, and minty. This cake is composed of multiple layers of moist and fluffy chocolate cake and light peppermint buttercream frosting. There are also pieces of hard peppermint candies that give the cake its signature crunch and minty flavor.
The cake is then covered in a rich ganache that is topped with crushed peppermint candy canes. This cake is perfect for holiday gatherings, birthdays or when you just feel like indulging your sweet tooth. It is easy to make, visually impressive and perfect for any occasion.

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