Recipes & Food Styling

What to do with all those candy canes?

Make pretty Peppermint Bark, Peppermint Meringue Cookies, Candy Cane Popcorn and more!

This time of year, I start to feel like a candy cane collector. Candy canes come in hand-delivered cards, on top of gift boxes and seem to be everywhere. There’s nothing wrong with that. Put those candy canes to work making delightful handmade gifts, cookie tray accents for parties and more. Your family and friends will love receiving these festive treats that were lovingly made by you.

Put the treats in little shiny plastic bags tied with red and green ribbons.

I had so much fun tonight making candy cane treats with Jill Carlier and The Titanic Book Club.

Jill works tirelessly producing engaging and educational programming for the group. Last year, Jill spotted my non-fiction narrative book about the foods aboard the Titanic. I’ve been blessed by her friendship.

Here are three ways our group of holiday home cooks turned candy canes into special gifts tonight:

Peppermint Bark

Break 15 to 20 candy canes into one-inch pieces and crush in food processor. In batches, pulse for one or two seconds.

Melt 2 8- or 1-ounce bags of white chocolate melting wafers in a bowl in the microwave for one minute. If some of the wafers have not melted, stir until all chocolate is melted.

Fold in crushed candy canes until well-blended.

Pour chocolate mixture onto wax paper or parchment paper on countertop. Spread out thinly so that as many pieces of peppermint bark can be created, but keep it thick enough so that chocolate does not break.

Let the chocolate dry for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Melt dark chocolate wafers. Dip tips of Peppermint Bark pieces in dark chocolate. Dip in coconut, sprinkles, crushed candy canes, chopped candied nuts or other favorite embellishments.

Let chocolate dry. When chocolate is dry, place pieces in small clear plastic bag and tie ribbon on top.

Candy Cane Meringue Cookies

With a hand mixer or stand mixer on highest speed, beat 4 egg whites in 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar and 1/4 cup sugar.

Beat for about 5 minutes, until meringue has stiff peaks.

Fold crushed candy canes into meringue until blended well.

Place large round tip in pastry bag. Load pastry bag with candy cane meringue. Pipe 1-inch-round cookies on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until baked solid. Tops of cookies will become dark brown.

Remove from oven when cookies are baked solid. Let cool on counter. When cool, dip tops of cookies into melted dark chocolate, coconut, sprinkles, crushed candy canes, chopped candied nuts and other embellishments. When chocolate is dry, place cookies in little clear plastic bags and tie with a festive ribbon.

Candy Cane Popcorn

Drizzle melted dark chocolate wafers over buttered and salted popcorn. Sprinkle crushed candy canes over popcorn. Stir and let dry. When chocolate is dry, place in small, clear, plastic bags for gifts.