Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Crush candy canes; add 6-8 unwrapped candy canes to a clean plastic bag. Crush with a meat tenderizer or rolling pin. Whenever using crushed candy canes I like to remove the powder. Adding the powder would likely give the cookies a more pink tone to them. If you'd like to remove the powder: pour contents of the bag into a wire strainer over a clean bowl. Shake the strainer to remove powder. Remaining chunks should be measured out and set aside. Continue this process until you have 2/3 cup of crushed candy canes.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream butter and sugar. Scrape sides of bowl as needed and prior to each new addition. Add baking powder, salt, eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour in two or three parts. It will come together, keep mixing until all of the flour is well encorporated into the dough. Toss candy cane pieces into the bowl, give a quick mix. Scrape sides of bowl and pull any dough away from the beater. Mix again for 30 seconds or so until the candy canes are mixed in well.
If you are using two varieties of chocolate, split your dough in half and transfer to clean bowls. Push down on the dough, making a rough disc. You just don't want a big lump of dough. Pour chocolate pieces over the dough and fold in by hand. Get in there and mix it up good.
Use a medium cookie scoop to drop balls of dough 2 inches apart onto a prepared baking sheet. Push down on each ball with the palm of your hand to flatten out. Freeze for two minutes, or just until the dough and pan has a nice chill to it. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cookies sit on the pan for at least one minute before transfering to a cooling rack lined with parchment paper. Let sit for a few minutes before taking that first bite.
Store in an airtight container for up to several days. Dough can be frozen and thawed prior to use. Always label the bag well with type of dough, bake temp and time as well as any other special instructions.
Notes
*Notes: 8oz total of chocolate. If using white chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate, 4oz is needed of each.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most accurate data, use your preferred nutrition calculator with the actual ingredients you used to make this recipe.
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