Candy Cane Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar

1 egg

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Dash of salt

¼ tsp vanilla

¼ tsp peppermint flavoring

Red food coloring or food paste

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg.

Sift flour and salt together, then add to the creamed mixture and blend.

Divide the dough in half. Knead the vanilla into one half and the peppermint flavoring and red food coloring into the other half. Chill both doughs for about 1 hour.

Break off a piece of peppermint dough and roll it into a rope about 8 inches long. Do the same with a piece of vanilla dough. Twist the peppermint and vanilla dough ropes together and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Curve the top to make a cane handle. Continue to make remaining cookie canes.

Bake canes for 9 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned; do not allow to become too brown.