Peppermint Twist Candy Cookies Food

HARD CANDY PEPPERMINT TWISTS

Steps:

• Coat two 9-in. square pans with cooking spray; set aside. (Do not use butter or foil to prepare pans.), In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine water and vinegar. Add sugar. Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a boil, about 8 minutes. (If sugar crystals are present, cover saucepan for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes to allow steam to wash crystals down.) Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage), about 26 minutes., Combine peppermint extract and food coloring. Remove syrup from the heat; stir in peppermint mixture until well blended (mixture will bubble up slightly). Immediately and carefully pour into prepared pans (do not scrape saucepan or tilt pans to spread mixture evenly). Cool for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes., Using a sharp knife, score candy into 1/2-in.-to 3/4-in.-wide pieces, about 3-in. long. Place both pans in a warm oven(150° or your oven's lowest temperature) for about 5 minutes or until candy is warm enough to cut but cool enough to handle., Using a heavy-duty kitchen scissors, cut along scored lines, one piece at a time. Immediately wrap each piece around the handle of a wooden spoon; remove candy and place on waxed paper to harden. Continue cutting and wrapping until mixture in pan begins to harden. Return pan to oven for at least 5 minutes. , Meanwhile, remove second pan from oven. Cut and wrap as before until mixture begins to harden. Return to oven and repeat with the first pan. Repeat until all mixture is cut and formed into twists.

PEPPERMINT HOLIDAY COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat the butter and white sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Beat egg into butter mixture until completely incorporated. Mix flour and salt into the butter mixture until just incorporated. Fold crushed candy canes into the batter, mixing just enough to evenly combine. Roll dough into balls 1 tablespoon at a time; arrange on baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Whisk confectioners' sugar and warm water together in a small bowl until you have a smooth icing. Dip top of each cookie in the icing, Top with additional crushed candy cane, if desired. Set aside to let the icing dry, at least 5 minutes.

PEPPERMINT TWIST KISSES

Steps:

• Freeze kisses in a covered container for at least 1 hour. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and extracts. Gradually beat flour into creamed mixture., Divide dough in half; tint one portion red. Divide each half into four portions and shape into 9-in. long rolls. Place one red log next to one white log; twist gently to create one swirled roll. Roll gently until it becomes one log. Repeat with remaining dough. Wrap logs in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour or until firm., Preheat oven to 350°. Unwrap dough. Cut each log crosswise into nine slices; shape each slice into a ball. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with a glass., Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Immediately press a kiss into center of each cookie. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Freeze option: Freeze cookies, layered between waxed paper, in freezer containers. To use, thaw before serving.

PEPPERMINT CANDY CANE KISS COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in flour, baking soda, and salt. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden, 9 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and press a white chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie. Immediately place the baking sheets in the freezer so the candy does not melt. Remove after 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough.

CANDY CANE COOKIES

Steps:

• 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.
• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Stir together peppermint candy and 2 tablespoon sugar; set aside.
• 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.
• 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.

PEPPERMINT-CANDY SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• With a mixer on medium speed, beat butter with granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla until just blended, scraping down sides of bowl. Reduce speed to low and beat in flour mixture until combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, place peppermints in a resealable plastic bag and finely crush with a meat mallet. Transfer to a shallow bowl and mix with sanding sugar.
• Form rounded teaspoons of dough into balls for small cookies, or rounded tablespoons for larger ones. Roll in crushed-candy mixture to coat. Arrange 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
• Bake, rotating sheets once, until edges are starting to brown, about 11 minutes for small cookies, 14 minutes for larger ones. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks. (Break off any bits of melted candy from edges of cookies, if necessary.) Cookies can be stored in an airtight container, between sheets of parchment or waxed paper, up to 1 week.