5-Minute Candy Cane Dip or Spread is a delicious, creamy peppermint dip for cookies and fruit or spread for toast and bagels.
Right about now you’re probably starting to think about taking down your holiday decorations (ugh, lol…that’s the worst part about decoarations), and wondering what the heck to do with all those leftover candy canes.
Growing up my mom would swear to us every year that she wasn’t going to buy boxes and boxes of candy canes…but then every year she did and there were always at least a couple gallon-sized plastic bags of extra canes. Instead of throwing them out, she told us we’d save them to use as decorations for the tree next year, but my sister and I being kids (and inherently gross the way kids are) would always eat a cane or two the following Christmas (and because that happened every single year, there was no way to tell if the candy canes were only a year old, or if they were actually from previous years, lol). Alas, it might be better to find a way to use up the leftover canes (or dare, I say it, just toss them!).
This dip or spread is an unexpected way to help you use up leftover candy canes. You can dip gingerbread cookies, shortbread cookies, pretzels, or fruit into it, or use it as a schmear for bagels or toast. (If you’re serving bagels for brunch on New Year’s morning, it would be a fun condiment to include in your spread!) Or because the consistency is almost mousse-like, you could serve it up as mousse for dessert.
Other than just tossing them, what do you do with leftover candy canes?
- 4 regular-sized peppermint candy canes (about 170 g total)
- 4 oz (115 g) cream cheese
- ½ cup (115 g) plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt
- 4 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the candy canes to a food processor and pulverize.
- Add all remaining ingredients and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Chill 2 hours (or store refrigerated for up to 3 days) before serving.
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
Kevin | Keviniscooking says
December 30, 2016 at 11:44 amWhat a fantastic idea and it looks beyond creamy good. This is a keeper. So fun sharing another year of food and travel with you Faith, thanks for being a friend and cheers to you and your husband having a fun, safe New Years! See you in 2017 friend. :)
Marissa says
December 30, 2016 at 2:49 pmThis is absolutely genius – and a much better way to use leftover candy canes then saving them to eat next year, LOL!