This recipe for holiday cookies is fun and easy to prepare. Use as many different colors as you would like even though red and green are usual for Christmas.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Cream softened butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. After adding egg and vanilla extract, continue beating until the mixture is well combined.
If dough seems too sticky, add a little more flour to make a smooth and pliable dough. Cover and refrigerate it for at least a couple of hours before shaping.
When you are ready to shape cookies, divide dough into 3 equal portions. Add just enough red food coloring to one part and blend it into dough as thoroughly as you can. Do not add too much coloring at the beginning. It’s easier to increase the intensity of color than to take it away.
Do the same with another portion of dough using green food coloring. Always keep portions of dough under cover to minimize moisture loss.
Break off a small piece of red dough and roll it into 5-inch length and as thick as a pencil. Do the same with either uncolored or green dough.
Pinch two different colored strands of dough together at one end. Then twist one strand around the other to make a reasonably tight rope. Pinch the other ends together. Bend the twisted strands into a cane shape.
Place canes on prepared cookie sheet and bake for about 8 minutes or until the bottom is lightly browned. Transfer holiday cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
This recipe makes about 8 colorful and flavorful candy cane cookies.
Place canes on prepared cookie sheet and bake for about 8 minutes or until the bottom is lightly browned. Transfer holiday cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
