25 Festive Leftover Candy Cane Recipes
Updated: Oct. 24, 2023
Stuck with a box full of perfectly good candy canes and don't know what to do with them? No worries! These candy cane desserts are the best ways to use up extra candy canes, and get a great dessert out of it.
We love Christmas leftovers almost as much as we love Christmas dinner itself. And while it feels intuitive to turn leftover ham into a sandwich or leftover mashed potatoes into a shepherd’s pie, figuring out what to do with leftover candy isn’t as clear.
Luckily, we pulled together the best candy cane recipes to use up all the peppermint candies in your stash. Think decadent hot chocolate, layered trifles, holiday cookies and so much more.
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Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies
These candy cane cookies are a variation of the cookies my mother made when I was growing up. Now my 13-year-old daughter and I bake them together. They’re always a huge hit! The taste is like rich hot chocolate baked into a scrumptious cookie. —Larry Piklor, Johnsburg, Illinois
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Candy Cane Chocolate Loaves
When I had a bunch of leftover candy canes after the holidays, I was inspired to use them up by adding them to a chocolate bread. Coffee and cocoa intensify the flavor. —Shelly Platten, Amherst, Wisconsin
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Candy Cane Pie
When my college roommate first made this pie, I couldn’t get enough! Using a store-bought crust helps save time when you’re in the midst of the holidays. —Charlotte Stewart, Mesa, Arizona
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Peppermint Snowballs
These snowball cookies have a surprise peppermint filling in the center. They’ll become your favorite candy cane dessert! —Judith Scholovich, Waukesha, Wisconsin
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Mint Oreo Fudge
I altered a plain chocolate fudge recipe to create this festive mint Oreo fudge. Mint Oreo cookies can be used instead of plain for even more minty flavor. —Dawn E. Lowenstein, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
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Peppermint Kisses
These candy cane desserts are fun, refreshing and low in fat! —Lynn Bernstetter, Lake Elmo, Minnesota.
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Candy Cane Punch
Peppermint ice cream makes this creamy drink taste—and look—more like a dessert than a punch! I've mixed it many times for ladies' lunches and buffets. For a fun garnish, hang mini candy canes around the punch bowl or on cups. —Neva Schnauber, Ft. Collins, Colorado
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Candy Cane Shortbread Bars
I created these bars for my daughter, who loves peppermint. The buttery shortbread texture just melts in your mouth. They're a hit wherever I take them. —Susan Ciuffreda, Huntersville, North Carolina
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Candy Cane Chocolate Mini Loaves
Having a bunch of leftover candy canes after the holidays inspired me to use them up by adding them to a chocolate bread. Coffee and cocoa intensify the flavor. —Shelly Platten, Amherst, Wisconsin
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Chocolate-Dipped Candy Canes
I couldn’t resist combining my two loves—peppermint and chocolate—in this recipe. This candy cane recipe is so easy, but if one breaks in the process, just pop it in your mouth. —Sandra Baumgarten, Vancouver, Washington
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Peppermint Bark Trifle
We’re always looking for those showstopping desserts, especially during the holidays. This one is very impressive, but couldn’t be easier to make. No one will ever know it’s made with a store-bought angel food cake. —James Schend, Taste of Home Deputy Editor
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Candy Cane Hot Cocoa Mix
We make batches of this minty, malted milk-flavored hot chocolate to give as gifts. Be prepared—friends will return the jars for refills! —Sara Tatham, Plymouth, New Hampshire
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White Chocolate Peppermint Crunch
This candy cane recipe is my favorite confection to make at Christmas. Not only is it easy, it’s delicious as well. I like to fill small bags with the crunchy candy to place in gift baskets.—Nancy Shelton, Boaz, Kentucky
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Candy Cane Blossom Cookies
We like to stir different flavored candy canes into the dough for fun variety. —Joan Cossette, Colbert, Washington
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Layered Candy Cane Dessert
This fabulous dessert has the magical flavor of candy canes plus the bonus of an Oreo cookie crust. And it looks like a winter wonderland. —Dawn Kreuser, Green Bay, Wisconsin
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Spearmint Thins
No time to bake cookies from scratch? Create a tasty candy cane recipe in little more than half an hour by doctoring butter-flavored crackers with vanilla chips and mint candies.—Kathleen Felton, Fairfax, Iowa
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Chocolate Candy Cane Martinis
A peppermint martini is perfect for a fun Christmastime gathering of friends. Crushed candy canes on the rim add festive flair. —Crystal Schlueter, Babbitt, Minnesota
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Peppermint Meringues
Peppermint lovers won't be able to get enough of these light and airy delights. They make terrific Christmas gifts or lovely treats to pass around when guests drop in. —Dixie Terry, Goreville, Illinois
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Ornament Popcorn Balls
These gooey candy cane treats are great for dressing up the tree with a little more than the classic popcorn string. And they’re yummier and fun for the family, too. — Deirdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri
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Triple Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
This dazzling cookie showcases one of my family's favorite flavors: peppermint. It's always one of the first to disappear from the cookie tray. —Priscilla Yee, Concord, California
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Peppermint Cheesecake
People are thrilled when they see me coming with this rich, smooth cheesecake—it's always a crowd pleaser. Not only does it look sensational, but it is so scrumptious. —Carrie Price, Ottawa, Illinois
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Chocolate-Candy Cane Meringue Wreath
These stunning candy cane meringues melt in your mouth. Set the minty masterpiece in the center of the table to accent your spread, then enjoy it for dessert later. —Nicole Tran, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
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Chocolate-Filled Cookies with Peppermint Frosting
Baking is one of my favorite traditions around the holidays. These special cookies draw you in with candy-topped frosting and seal the deal with a chocolate center. —Deborah Puette, Lilburn, Georgia
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White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge
I make many batches of this minty peppermint fudge to give as Christmas gifts. It’s not too sweet, so it appeals to lots of palates. —Sue Schindler, Barnesville, Minnesota
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Candy Cane Reindeer
We had a blast creating this adorable candy cane recipe! Rudolph and his friends never looked sweeter than they do with pretzel antlers, chocolate eyes, and candy noses made with Red Hots. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Originally Published: November 28, 2017
