Everybody Eats: Candy Cane Twists

I wasn't planning on baking cookies this holiday season. It was difficult enough finding a few hours when all four of us were home to put up the tree, let alone find a free afternoon to bake, so I decided not to do it.

Then Cecelia Hanley, The Gazette's former food editor, posted a picture of spritz cookies on Facebook and tagged me. Several years ago we had an all-day Christmas cookie baking extravaganza at my house. Her picture struck a chord of nostalgia.

A few days later, I received a package in the mail from a friend I've known since elementary school. Inside was a tin of cookies, including frosted sugar cookies which I love (but can't bake).

Oh, and I receive several 'Best Cookies Ever!” recipes in my email daily. How do I ignore that? It's like the universe is saying 'Bake cookies! Bake cookies!” (or at least Betty Crocker and King Arthur Flour).

Decision made, I pulled my collection of cookie cookbooks from the shelves, booted up my laptop to check out cookie recipes I'd bookmarked over the year, and set out to make my baking list. I still don't have the time to dedicate an entire day to baking, but I figure if I tackle one cookie recipe every day or so, I'll have a nice stockpile in the freezer within a couple of weeks. Better yet, it's an incentive to clean out the freezer.

I love this recipe for Candy Cane Twists because they're festive cookies without too much fuss (otherwise known as sprinkles, which end up everywhere).

CANDY CANE TWISTS

' 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

' 3/4 cup sugar

' 1 large egg

' 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

' 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

' 1/2 cup butter, slightly softened

' 1/4 teaspoon salt

' 2 1/2 cups flour

' 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

' 1/2 teaspoon green food coloring

Using an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, cream the butter. Continue beating and gradually add sugar.

Beat in egg until evenly mixed, then add vanilla extract, peppermint extract and salt. Blend well.

Use a wooden spoon to stir in flour, one-third at a time, until evenly mixed.

Divide dough into thirds. Add red food coloring to one third and the green food coloring to another, then knead the coloring into dough. Flatten each third into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle, cover it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. On lightly floured surface, roll a pair of tablespoon-size pieces of contrasting colored dough into 8-inch-long ropes. Twist them together, pinch the ends, and then bend cookies into a candy cane shape. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet until set but not brown, about 10 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through. Cool sheets on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies to rack to continue cooling.

Source: www.spoonful.com