Finding The Best Candy Canes in Bulk . . . And Recipe!

Let’s talk buying a large quantity of candy canes!

If you find yourself in need of a large amount of candy canes, here are some basic shopping tips:

• Consider the packaging. When we surveyed our readers about buying candy canes, shipping damage was a big concern—there’s nothing that ruins a craft project than getting a box of broken candy canes. We weeded out candy canes that were poorly packaged, which can lead to more breakage.

• Mini or full-size? Mini candy canes are more popular for baking and crafting, while full-size canes might be more appropriate for decorating. Read the descriptions carefully before ordering—sometimes a “full-size” candy cane may be smaller than you expect.

• Peppermint or not? Yes, there are more flavor options out there than just peppermint—one of the picks for this article includes flavored canes, in case you aren’t a fan of peppermint.

We asked our readers for their favorite candy canes—and then had to do some taste-testing ourselves. Before we get to the winners, here is a recipe for a Double Peppermint Brownies. You’re welcome!

Recipe: Double Peppermint Brownies

Double Peppermint Brownies

Brownie Base Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • ⅓ cup Peppermint Crushed Candy Canes

Frosting Layer Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 4½ – 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla
  • 5 tablespoons milk

Brownie Base Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9×9 inch baking pan by spraying with nonstick spray, and then lining with parchment paper leaving excess hanging over two sides of the pan.
  2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar and chocolate chips. Stir until mixture is smooth.
  3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing between additions. Then add vanilla extract.
  4. In a separate bowl, mix cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the saucepan, and mix together. Fold in BRACH’S® Peppermint Crushed Candy Canes. The batter will appear a little lumpy from the Crushed Candy Canes.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 32-38 minutes. The top should look shiny and a little bit crackled.
  6. Allow the brownies to cool completely, and then lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper.
  7. Frost the brownies and then sprinkle a generous layer of Peppermint Crushed Candy Canes on top of the frosting layer. Cut into squares and serve.

Frosting Layer Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl combine butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk and beat for 5 to 7 minutes until light and fluffy.
  2. Add more powdered sugar as needed for thicker frosting. Add milk (a little at a time) to thin frosting.

Photo and recipe credit: Brach’s.

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

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We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

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