The easiest way to make these iconic Christmas cookies at home.
Ingredients
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract, or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red liquid food coloring, plus more as needed
Instructions
Beat 2 sticks room temperature unsalted butter and 1 cup powdered sugar together in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed until fluffy and frosting-like. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon peppermint extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, beat in 3 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon kosher salt just until no more visible flour remains.
Use a stiff spatula to mix the dough a few times by hand to work in any last bits of flour. Remove half of the dough from the bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon red liquid food coloring to the remaining dough in the bowl. Work the color into the dough with the spatula, kneading by hand, or with the mixer on low speed. Work more food coloring in as needed until the dough is a bright, vibrant red.
Pat both pieces of dough into 1-inch thick discs and wrap each one in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. This will make the cookies easier to roll out and shape.
When ready to bake the cookies, arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Unwrap both pieces of dough. For large cookies, pinch off 2-tablespoon portions of both doughs. Roll each into a thick rope about 6 inches long. Pinch a red and white rope together at the top, then gently twist them together. Repeat wtih the remaining dough. If the dough starts to break as you roll it or become hard to work with, put it back in the fridge to chill for 15 minutes. (For small cookies, pinch off 1-tablespoon portions of the dough, and roll each out into a rope about 4 inches long before twisting together.)
Transfer the twisted ropes to the baking sheets and gently "hook" the top to create a candy cane shape, leaving a little space between each one. Refrigerate the cookies on the baking sheets for 15 minutes before baking — this helps the cookies hold their shape during baking.
Bake until the bottom edges and the tips of the cookies are just barely starting to turn golden-brown, 10 to 12 minutes for large cookies and 8 minutes for small cookies. Let cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheets. Transfer the cookies to wire racks and let cool completely.
