Festive Candy Cane Cookies

Festive Candy Cane Cookies

And the Christmas cookie baking continues…

The second recipe I decided to try from the Favorite Brand Name 100 Best Holiday Cookies cookbook that I picked up at Barnes & Noble this past weekend, was the Festive Candy Canes.

These cookies are crisp, light, and have a wonderful peppermint taste. If you plan on making these cookies, be warned that the dough is very, very sticky. I would recommend chilling the dough in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes before attempting to handle and shape them.

~Enjoy~

Festive Candy Canes (from the Favorite Brand Name 100 Best Holiday Cookies cookbook)

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

Red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and powdered sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg, peppermint extract and vanilla; beat until well blended. Add flour and salt; beat until well blended. (Dough will be sticky)

Divide dough in half. Tint half of dough with food coloring to desired shade. Leave remaining dough plain.

For each candy cane, with floured hands, shape heaping teaspoonful of each color dough into 5-inch rope. Twist together into candy cane shape. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 7 to 8 minutes, or until set and edges are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.