‘Tis the season for winter-themed goodies! These buttery candy canes are rolled in a classic combo of cinnamon and sugar, and the thumbprints are a triple threat: filled with your choice of three fruity jam flavors—they’re sure to bring cheer to everyone this year. This recipe makes enough to share, so sign up for the holiday cookie swap, but make sure you save plenty for you and yours.
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
½ cup
Cream Cheese
(Contains Milk)
25 ounce
Sugar Cookie Mix
(Contains Milk, Wheat)
2 unit
Eggs
(Contains Eggs)
4 tablespoon
Flour
(Contains Wheat)
2 teaspoon
Cinnamon
1 unit
Fig Jam
1 unit
Apricot Jam
1 unit
Cherry Jam
4 tablespoon
Sugar
4 tablespoon
Butter
(Contains Milk)
Place 4 TBSP butter in a small bowl; bring to room temperature. Bring cream cheese to room temperature. Adjust racks to top and middle positions and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place cookie mix, butter, cream cheese, 1 egg* (save remaining egg for another use), and 4 TBSP flour in a large bowl; using your hands or a rubber spatula, mix until thoroughly combined. Split dough into two even portions. Reserve half the dough in bowl and chill in refrigerator (you’ll use it in Step 3).
Place 2 TBSP sugar in a small bowl. For each cookie, measure out 1 TBSP dough; roll to form a ball (you’ll make 30-35 balls). Roll each ball in sugar to lightly coat. Divide between two baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Using your thumb or the back of a teaspoon, make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Cut corners off jam packets of your choice and pipe to fill each indentation. Transfer baking sheets to refrigerator; chill for 10 minutes. Bake until edges are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. (Reserve baking sheets; let cool completely for the next step.)
In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and 2 TBSP sugar. Remove reserved dough from fridge. For each cookie, measure out 1 TBSP dough; roll to form a ball (you’ll make 30-35 dough balls). Roll back and forth on a clean work surface to form 5-inch-long ropes. Lightly sprinkle the work surface with cinnamon sugar. Lightly roll dough ropes in cinnamon sugar to lightly coat. Divide between cooled baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Form ropes into canes and use the back of a knife to score diagonal lines on each (like candy cane stripes!). Transfer baking sheets to refrigerator; chill for 10 minutes. Bake until cookie edges are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Let cookies cool completely and serve, or store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.