Minty Christmas treats burst with flavor, color
Making these fun to look at, as well as eat, cookies will put you in the Christmas spirit. Make the dough and chill a day or two days before, then cut and bake. Have hot cocoa ready.
VERY MERRY MINTY CHRISTMAS COOKIES
2 sticks butter at room temperature 1 scant c. sugar 1 large egg 1 t. vanilla extract A t. peppermint extract
2 c. unbleached all purpose flour D t. salt A t. baking powder 2 small shakes red food coloring (or more for intense color)
2 small shakes green food coloring (or more for intense color)
Combine the butter and sugar in a stand mixer and beat together until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and peppermint extracts, and beat to combine well.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking powder together. On medium speed, blend the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until well combined.
Remove half the dough and set aside. To the dough remaining in the mixer, blend in the red food coloring and mix until the dough is a uniform color. Remove from bowl and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least a couple of hours.
Wipe out bowl. Add the remaining half of the dough and the green food coloring and mix until well combined. Remove from mixer, wrap and refrigerate at least a couple of hours.
Roll the red dough out into a 14-by-12-inch rectangle on a floured board or between two sheets of parchment paper. Refrigerate covered.
Roll the green dough into a 14-by-12-inch rectangle on a floured surface between two sheets of parchment paper. Refrigerate covered.
Place the red dough on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper or wax paper and the green dough over it. Trim edges so doughs are even.
Starting from the side nearest you, use the paper to help roll the dough up like a jelly-roll to form a long log. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate several hours or overnight. When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap log and cut into
D-inch-thick rounds and space them A inch apart on lightly buttered baking sheets or on parchmentlined baking sheets.
Bake until firm but not brown. Cool on racks. Makes about 4 A dozen cookies.