Candy Cane Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
• 0.5 cup butter
• 0.5 cup shortening
• 1 egg
• 1.5 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2.5 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon red food coloring
• 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. Beat confectioners’ sugar, butter, and shortening in a large bowl until creamy. Beat in egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract until smooth.
3. Whisk flour and salt together in a separate bowl; gradually stir into the butter mixture until combined. Divide dough in half. Stir red food coloring into one half until evenly tinted.
4. For each cookie, roll 1 teaspoon red dough and 1 teaspoon plain dough on a lightly floured surface into 4-inch strips. Place dough strips side by side, press lightly together, and twist to form a rope. Curve top of rope down to look like the handle of a candy cane. Place shaped cookie on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, forming one complete cookie at a time so the dough does not dry out.
5. Bake cookies in the preheated oven until lightly golden, about 9 to 10 minutes.
6. Remove cookies from the oven and sprinkle with a mixture of crushed peppermint candies and granulated sugar, if desired. Cool completely.