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Candy Cane Sugar Twist Cookies
Basic Dough
1 cup of butter, softened
1 cup of confectioner's sugar
1 egg
1 tsp of vanilla
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
2 1/2 cups of sifted flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
2 tbsp of red food coloring { for Candy Cane Sugar cookies only }
Directions:
Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the
egg, vanilla and peppermint extract. Set aside. Mix the flour salt, baking
soda, and cream of tartar together. Stir into the butter mixture.
Divide the dough in half and add the red food coloring to half the dough.
Refrigerate dough for one hour.
Take one teaspoon of each color of dough and roll out into 4 inch long
strips. Lay the strips side by side and twist together to make a red and
white striped rope. Place the dough on an ungreased cookie sheet. Turn the
end into a curve to make the canes handle.
Repeat this procedure to make 12 canes. Place 1 inch apart. Bake at 375 º
for 10 minutes.
Cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool
completely.
VARIATIONS
White Chocolate and Candy Cane Cookies
Candy Cane Topping
1/2 cup crushed red and white peppermint candy
2 tbsp red colored sugar { add a couple of drops of red food coloring to
the sugar and mix }
Directions:
Crush the peppermint candy in a heavy plastic bag with a hammer or
rolling pin. Mix in the red colored sugar.
White Chocolate Coating
1 cup of Nestle white morsels
Directions:
Melt the morsels in a microwave safe container, uncovered, on medium high
{ 70% } for 1 minute. Stir and microwave at additional 10 to 20 second
intervals, stirring in until smooth.
Cookie Directions
Make one batch of the basic dough from above. Roll dough into one inch
balls and place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Flatten by pressing with
the bottom of a drinking glass coated with sugar. Dip the glass in the
sugar for each cookie. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool on the
cookie sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Dip each cookie half way in the warmed white chocolate then sprinkle with
the red sugar and peppermint
mixture.
|
 The Lighter Side;
Try using Spenda or
one of the
other artificial sweeteners for the sugars. |
