Amazing Red Hot Cookies: Sugar Cookies Packed With Red Hots Candy (2024)

These red hot cookies combine a tender and sweet sugar crinkle cookie with little bites of spicy red hot candies. There is so much flavor in just one cookie that they are bound to be a hit with your entire family. Simply stir the crushed cinnamon candies into the sugar cookie dough, roll them in granulated and powdered sugar, and then pop them in the oven.

Sugar Cookies With Red Hots Candies

As much as I love classic cookie recipes, I'm a huge fan of truly unique cookies (in flavor and appearance). These red-hot cookies hit the spot in my craving for bold yet satisfying treats.

They start as a simple sugar cookie, then add some crushed cinnamon candy and coat them in both granulated and powdered sugar.

The result is a sweet, tender cookie that explodes with tiny bits of zesty cinnamon-packed flavor!

🥘 Ingredients

These cookies have a sugar cookie base with spicy cinnamon candies mixed in! Therefore, you'll need some staple baking ingredients and one standard-sized candy box.

Red Hot Cookies

• Butter - ½ cup of unsalted room temperature butter.
• Sugar - ¾ cup of white granulated sugar.
• Egg - 1 large egg, room temperature.
• Vanilla Extract - 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract.
• Cream of Tartar - 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar.
• Baking Powder - 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
• Baking Soda - ½ teaspoon of baking soda.
• Salt - ¼ teaspoon of salt. If you are using salted butter, reduce this to only a pinch.
• Flour - 1 ⅔ cups of all-purpose flour measured using the spoon and level method.
• Red Hots - ¼cup of Red Hots™ candy, crushed. You can crush these by placing them into a ziplock bag and whacking them with a rolling pin. If you want to emphasize the flavor of the candy, you can up the amount to ½ cup.

Sugar For Rolling

• Sugar - ¼ cup of white granulated sugar.
• Confectioners' Sugar - ¼ cup of powdered sugar.

*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*

🔪 How To Make Red Hot Cookies

Another bonus to these amazing cookies is how incredibly easy they are to make! You'll want an electric mixer, a baking sheet, and measuring spoons.

When done, you will have 2 dozen cookies, perfect for gifting or serving!

Mix the Red Hot Cookie Dough

1. Preheat. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cream. Using an electric mixer, cream together ½ cup of butter and ¾ cup of granulated sugar until smooth and creamy.
3. Mix. Add 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon of salt, and mix until well combined.*Stop to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
4. Add the flour. Gradually add 1⅔ cups of all-purpose flour in small increments, mixing only until the flour is thoroughly incorporated into the dough. Then, stir in ¼ cup of crushed red hots candy with a silicone spatula.

Portion, Roll, & Bake The Cookies

1. Roll. Place the remaining ¼ cup of granulated sugar and ¼ cup of powdered sugar into two different bowls. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop a ball of cookie dough and then roll it in your hand until round.
2. Coat in sugar. Roll the dough ball in the granulated sugar, followed by the powdered sugar, until completely coated. Then, place the ball on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between the cookies.
3. Bake. Bake in the preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 8-10 minutes or until the centers have set and no longer look melted or wet.
4. Cool. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

These yummy cookies are great for any occasion (but look perfect for Valentine's Day!) No matter when you make them, they will surely be a hit with everyone who tries them! Enjoy!

💭 Tips & Notes

• Crushing Red Hots: To crush Red Hots candy, place them in a zip-top storage bag and use a rolling pin or heavy skillet to smash them. Covering the bag with a kitchen towel before crushing can help contain any mess.
• Preventing Powdered Sugar Melting: For a lasting powder sugar coating on your cookies, first roll the dough in granulated sugar, then in powdered sugar. This technique prevents the powdered sugar from melting during baking.
• Intensifying Candy Flavor: If you desire a stronger candy flavor in your cookies, double the amount of crushed Red Hots used in the recipe.
• Storing: Place any leftover cookies in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for up to 6 days.

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❓ FAQ

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📖 Recipe Card

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