Cooking lesson: Candy Cane Cookies

I shared this recipe as a guest post at Bella Before and After a few days ago.  Let me know if you try them!

Today I'm sharing one of my family's favorite Christmas recipes.  This is a recipe I grew up making every year and now I make these cookies with my children.

Candy Cane Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup powdered sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp almond extract

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp red food color

crushed peppermint candy

1/4-1/2 cup granulated sugar

 Cream together the butter and shortening.  Add powdered sugar.  Mix in egg and flavorings.  Beat well.

Blend in flour and salt.

Divide dough in half.

Blend food color into one half.

To make cookies, take one tsp of each color dough.

Roll each into a 4-inch rope by rolling carefully back and forth on lightly floured surface..

Place ropes side by side and press together lightly.  Twist.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet and curve top to form the candy cane shape.

Recruit some helpers to make the assembly go quicker since each cookie has to be formed separately.

Bake about 8 minutes at 375 until very light brown and set.
Crush peppermint candy.  Mix with granulated sugar.

Remove hot cookies from sheet and gently roll or sprinkle with sugar mixture.  Place on waxed paper to cool.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies if you can keep the dough-eating monsters away. :)
These can be time consuming to make, but the kids have fun making them and they always get "oohs and aahs" when served.

Linking up: