Candy Cane Cookies
As if the Christmas season isn't busy enough already, my wife has decided we're giving plates of Christmas cookies to everyone who has been even a little bit nice to us this year. I actually thought this was a great idea... until we started baking. We've been working at it for days and have only enough cookies to give to half of Honolulu. Do I sound like a scrooge? Baking up holiday cheer is hard work!
We're filling our cookie plates with a mix of vintage family recipes, as well as new discoveries from the recent Virtual Cookie Swap (check out the wrap-up: part one and part two). I'll be posting a couple of the family recipes here so that I have a more permanent record this time and don't have to keep calling home for them. Mom, I'm sorry I'm giving your recipes away to the world, but after this you won't have to keep reciting the same ones to me year after year.
Candy Cane Cookies
Simple, almost kitsch, but people like 'em. I prefer the almond flavoring to the peppermint.
- 1 c. sugar
- 3/4 c. butter, softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 t. almond or peppermint extract
- 2 1/2 c. flour
- 1 t. baking powder
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1/2 t. red food coloring
- extra sugar for dusting the tops
Mix sugar, butter, eggs and almond (or peppermint) extract. Sift together dry ingredients and add to batter. Divide the dough in half and tint half with the red coloring. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take one teaspoon of each color and form into four to six inch ropes by rolling them back and forth alongside each other on a floured board. Lightly press the two ropes together and twist. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and curve the top down to form the hook of the cane.
Bake 7-10 minutes, then dust with sugar while still warm. Let cool completely before removing from the cookie sheet.
These other family recipes will also be sharing the limelight on our cookie plates:
→ Caramel Corn
→ Cherry Winkies
→ Kiss Cookies
→ Frosted Gingerbread Cookies
→ Mandarin Orangettes (not really a family recipe)
→ Penuche
→ Rosettes
→ Spiced Nuts
I can sympathise! After starting to religiously follow Food Porn Watch, I decided that baking for Christmas presents would be much more meaningful and so much fun! It's just me, so it's taking a while ... and still nowhere near ready! It doesn't help that I've been snacking on the gingersnaps. YUM!
Kimbie, my big concern right now is keeping everything fresh until we can actually pass the cookies around. My other concern is that I'm dead tired.
Here I am at 7 a.m. trying to figure out what cookie to make for the cookie exchange I am hosting tomorrow....I had forgotten about this cookie! I think I found the winner! Hope your baking turned out well!
Amelia, if you remember, please let me know how they turn out, or maybe even post a photo on your blog. Merry Christmas! Please say hi to Ked for me.
The cookies turned out delicious! I forgot to take a picture of them, and they disappeared so quickly that I missed my chance! I made mine with peppermint flavoring instead of almond because Ked (who says HELLO!) really likes mint. Thanks again for sharing your recipes!
I'm glad they worked for you.