Candy Cane Heart Mug Toppers

Have you got candy canes left over from Christmas? We had piles and piles of both big and small candy canes left over from two parties we hosted with hot cocoa bars {I always set out candy canes to use as stir sticks}. I didn’t want to throw them out but there’s also no chance I’m saving them till next Christmas so I decided to repurpose them as candy cane heart mug toppers! These are so cute and they’re the perfect addition to a cup of hot cocoa or a homemade peppermint mocha. Jazz up Valentine’s Day or add a little extra love to any old day with these sweet treats!

To make candy cane heart mug toppers, you’ll need candy canes in various sizes. It also helps to get out the mug or cups you’ll be using so you can make sure you space the candy properly.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Unwrap the candy canes then lay them on the baking sheet in heart shapes, making sure they touch in the middle but have a gap near the bottom. That gap is what will fit over the mug so make sure it’s big enough to accommodate the cup plus slightly bigger to account for spreading.

In the photo below, both sizes of candy canes are on the same baking sheet but it’s actually better to have different sizes on separate baking sheets because they’ll melt at different times.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees then place the baking tray in the oven.

You’ll want to watch carefully because these mug toppers take just a few minutes to melt together. After about 1-2 minutes of baking, I pulled the sheet out and carefully pressed the joint together on the candy canes then let them bake for about 1-2 minutes more.

If you bake them too long, the candy canes will flatten, bubble, and lose their shape. You can still use them like that but they just don’t look as cute and the more they flatten, the less stable they are.

Once the candy canes have melted together, remove them from the oven and let them cool completely before moving them around.

Slip the candy cane hearts over the edge of a mug of hot cocoa or a steamy mug full of your favorite homemade coffee or espresso drink.

The small candy canes are perfect for short, cappuccino style mugs …

… and the large candy canes perch perfectly on a regular sized or tall mug.

Wouldn’t it be fun to surprise the kids with a cup of cocoa and candy cane heart mug toppers for breakfast or an after-school snack on Valentine’s Day? They’d also be a great addition to a Valentine’s Day hot cocoa bar!