I was going through my huge stash of loose recipes trying to condense and throw away the ones I know I'll never make. (Cheesecake with quince compote? Come on, really now.)
Anyway, I ran across an old, old family favorite from my mom's dismantled Betty Crocker cookbook from like the '60s. The book is long gone now so I only have a small collection of the pages. Anyway, the recipe is for Candy Cane Cookies. As a fun tradition we would make these cookies every Christmas. It's been years since I've had them so I was really excited to find the recipe again! I can't wait until Christmas so this week my son and I are making cookies! I just had to share it, so here it is:
Candy Cane Cookies
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 egg
3 1/2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red food color
2 tablespoons finely crushed peppermint candies
2 tablespoons sugar
1. Stir together 1 cup sugar, the butter, milk, vanilla, peppermint extract and egg in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Divide dough in half. Stir food color into 1 half. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
2. Heat oven to 375ºF.
3. Stir together peppermint candy and 2 tablespoon sugar; set aside.
4. For each candy cane, shape 1 rounded teaspoon dough from each half into 4-inch rope by rolling back and forth on floured surface. Place 1 red and white rope side by side; press together lightly and twist. Place on ungreased cookie sheet; curve top of cookie down to form handle of cane.
5. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until set and very light brown. Immediately sprinkle candy mixture over cookies. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
(Here's the link if you want the recipe from the Betty Crocker website.)
My mom mentioned to me a variation: dye half the dough red, the other half green. Twist the two different colored ropes together like you do for the candy canes, only form them into a circle for a wreath! I think I'm going to try both versions.
