Candy Cane Cookies

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups flour

¼ tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter, room temp.

1 cup confectioners sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp almond extract

½ tsp red food coloring

Directions:

Beat butter and sugar until creamy.  Add egg yolks and extracts and beat until combined.  Scrape sides of bowl as needed.  Add the flour mixture in three additions, and beat until you have a smooth dough.  Remove half the dough from bowl.  To the remaining half add red food coloring and beat on low speed until well blended.  Cover and refrigerate all dough at least an hour.

Take a walnut sized piece of red dough and walnut sized piece of white dough.  Separately roll each color on a lightly floured surface into a 4-5 inch long rope.  Place ropes side by side, gently press together, and twist to form a spiral.  Place cookies on greased baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.  Shape each cookie into a cane shape by bending one end into a hook shape.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until set and edges are just beginning to brown.  Let cookies cool completely on baking sheet.  Makes about 30 cookies.