Classic Candy Cane Butter Cookies

Name: Classic Candy Cane Butter Cookies
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: about 3 dozen.
Ingredients: 1 cup butter, softened; 2/3 cup sugar; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 large egg yolk; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour; Red paste food coloring

To make cookies that look like candy canes, we color half the dough in classic red and twist away. They're fun to hang on the side of a coffee mug, or you can devour them on their own. —Shannon Roum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Red paste food coloring

Directions

In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla; gradually beat in flour. Divide dough in half; mix food coloring into one half. Roll each dough portion into a 6-in. square. Wrap each in plastic; refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°. Cut each dough into 36 squares. Working with a quarter of the dough at a time, keep remaining dough refrigerated. Roll one piece plain dough into a 6-in. rope; roll one piece red dough into a 6-in. rope. Place ropes side by side. Lift left rope over the right; repeat to form a twist. Repeat with remaining dough. Curving top of each twist to form hook of cane, place 1 in. apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
Bake 7-9 minutes or until set. Cool on pans 3 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Nutrition Facts

1 cookie: 90 calories, 5g fat (3g saturated fat), 19mg cholesterol, 57mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.

Originally published as Candy Cane Butter Cookies in Taste of Home December 2015

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Rene

Dec 23, 2017

I have to agree with the previous comment: They are very time consuming. A helpful tip: Form the refrigerated dough into 12" x 3" rectangle then cut in to 36 squares this step was omitted from the instructions. I make a mistake and substituted the butter with coconut oil to make a healthier cookie but it made it very difficult to roll out the 6" pieces. too oily I ended up just squishing it in to the rope shape then flopped the colored ropes to entwine them. They are tastey but maybe because I added peppermint extract and crushed peppermint candies to the dough.
mzgrinder

Dec 11, 2015

Cute,Good, but way to time consuming. Wrapped about a dozen then just pressed and cut the rest.