Candy Cane Shortbread
It’s the most wonderful time of the year… to be VEGAN! Show off your baking skills this holiday season with these heavenly treats with a minty-fresh twist – Candy Cane Shortbread!
These vegan and gluten-free Candy Cane Shortbread cookies are a feast for the eyes and the tummy. In my house, Christmas just isn’t Christmas without shortbread! With only a handful of ingredients and easy-to-master baking methods, these festive treats are sure to bring tidings of comfort and joy.
Jump to RecipeFor me, shortbread is a must at Christmastime. I mean, who doesn’t love melt-in-your-mouth, crumbly, buttery goodness? Even better – or should I say butter – they’re so darn easy to make. Just a few simple ingredients that you probably already have (except maybe the candy canes) is all you need! Cozy up in front of the fire place with a couple of these Candy Cane Shortbread cookies and a peppermint hot cocoa, and I’d say you’re set for a festive night in.
Ingredients
You only need 5 ingredients plus salt to make these Candy Cane Shortbread cookies! It couldn’t be simpler than a couple dry ingredients combined with vegan butter and crushed candy canes to roll out (see what I did there?) these amazing Christmas treats. Ain’t no gluten-allergy or vegan lifestyle gonna hold you back from enjoying some delicious goodies!
- Gluten-free All-Purpose Flour + Cornstarch: This combination help ensure a crumbly and tender texture.
- Icing Sugar: Provides a fluffy, delicious sweetness to our cookies.
- Vegan Butter: It’s not shortbread without butter! Gives a rich flavour and helps bind the ingredients together.
- Crushed Candy Canes: What’s more festive than peppermint? Adds a delightful, minty-fresh twist!
How to Make Candy Cane Shortbread
These Candy Cane Shortbread cookies take only 15 minutes of prep-time plus 25 minutes of cook-time.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift in your flour, cornstarch and salt. Mix well to combine.
- Add in the vegan butter in large chunks and cut it into the dry mixture with a dough cutter or potato masher. Get the pieces of butter down to roughly the size of peas. Then, gently stir in the crushed candy cane pieces.
- Work the mixture with your hands until it starts to form a dough. Once a dough has formed, gently form it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Roll out your dough on a floured surface into a roughly 1/4″ thick sheet. Cut out your cookies, place on your lined baking sheet and bake for 22-25 minutes at 300°F.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
In case you didn’t know, shortbread freezes fabulously and can be enjoyed straight from the freezer! Don’t get me wrong – a freshly baked warm cookie is incredible, but trust me when I say you should try them from frozen! Long-term they will keep fine in the freezer for a month, but I highly doubt they’ll last that long 😉
Short-term, keep them in a sealed container in the fridge if you plan to consume them within 3-5 days.
Lastly, if you’re looking for more delicious vegan and gluten-free treats, you might be interested in my Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Mini Scones or Chocolate Avocado Cream Pie!
If you make this recipe and share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @SteamyVeganKitchen + #SteamyVeganKitchen! I can’t wait to see your yummy recreations!
Candy Cane Shortbread | Vegan & Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch or tapioca starch
- 1.5 cups icing sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 pound vegan butter
- 1/2 cup crushed candy canes
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, sift in all ingredients except the butter and candy cane. Mix well to combine.
- Add in the vegan butter in large chunks and cut the butter into the dry mixture with a dough cutter or potato masher. Get the pieces down to roughly the size of peas.
- Once the vegan butter is combined, gently stir in the crushed candy canes. Work the mixture with your hands until it starts to form a dough. This might take a few minutes of kneading but it will eventually start to form a dough, thanks to the warmth of your hands.
- Once a dough has formed, gently form it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat your over to 300F and lined a baking tray with parchment paper. Flour your work surface and a rolling pin and roll out the dough into a thick layer, roughly 1/4”-3/8”. You want nice, thick cookies!
- Cut out your cookies using a medium-sized cookie cutter, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. They may not seem cooked when you remove them from the oven, but don’t let their softness and lack of browning deceive you! You don’t want shortbread to brown as that means they’ve overcooked.
- Serve with your favourite holiday drink, or gobble them up on their own. Enjoy!
