Candy Cane Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ¹⁄₂ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Red food coloring (Liquid dye and food paste both work well.) 

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375*F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper. 

2. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and extracts, beating until combined.  Mix in the flour and salt until incorporated. 

3. Divide the dough into two parts and add red food coloring to one half until the desired color has been reached.  Roll the dough into 3-4 inch long ropes.  Twist together one rope of white dough with a rope of red dough and bend at the top to form candy canes.  (This is best done if you have a small child to help.  Otherwise, roll into 1 inch balls and skip the candy cane part.) 

4. Place cookies on baking sheets and bake for 9-11 minutes or until the edges are starting to brown.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes on baking sheets before removing to wire racks. 

Comments
These cookies have been in my life for as long as I can remember.  I have many fond memories of making them with my mom at Christmas.  Apparently I was more patient as a child because I did not have the tolerance to make the cookies into actual canes.  Instead, I ended up with lovely roundish cookies that were just as delicious.  I’ve heard stories of people making these with peppermint extract instead of almond, but I would be a sad bear with that substitution.

Person - Mom