Candy Cane Cookies

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/3 cup finely pulverized coconut (see note)
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• red food coloring

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 350°f cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• 2 in a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until smooth. add the egg and beat until light. add the flour until a smooth dough forms. divide the dough into 2 parts. add the vanilla or coconut extract and the pulverized coconut to 1 part and mix well. add the peppermint extract and a few drops of red food color to the other half.
• 3 working with a small amount of each batch at a time, roll the dough into 1/4 inch wide strips, trimming to even the sides. cut the strips into 3 inch lengths and twist a red strand with a strand for each cookie. place on the parchment covered baking sheet and shape into candy canes; place about 2 inches apart.
• 4 bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until just barely brown. slide the parchment paper off the cookie sheet onto a wire rack to cool.
• 5 makes 5 dozen cookies.
• 6 note: to pulverize the coconut, put it into a blender or food processor and run the motor until the coconut is very fine.
• 7 beatrice ojakangas’ great holiday baking book.