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It's peppermint season
Family Features
Headline your holiday with the quintessential flavor of the season -- peppermint. These extra special sweets offer a bountiful buffet of peppermint possibilities. Choose one or more for cookie exchanges, après caroling nibbles, gifts for teachers and Santa.
Visit www.wilton.com for additional holiday ideas, and to order baking and decorating supplies.
Peppermint Ribbon Cookies
Makes about 6 dozen cookies
| 3 | cups all-purpose flour |
| 1 | teaspoon salt |
| 1/2 | teaspoon baking powder |
| 1 | cup (2 sticks) butter, softened |
| 1 1/3 | cups granulated sugar |
| 2 | eggs |
| 2 | teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract |
| 2 | to 4 drops Peppermint Candy Flavoring Christmas Red Icing Color, as desired |
| 1 | package (14 ounces) Candy Cane Colorburst Candy Melts, melted |
In medium bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder.
In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and creamy. Add eggs, vanilla and peppermint candy flavoring; mix well. Add flour mixture, one cup at a time; mixing well after each addition.
Remove 1/3 of dough; reserve. To remaining 2/3 dough in mixer bowl, beat in red icing color. Roll and shape dough between parchment paper into two 6 x 8-inch disks. Roll and shape untinted dough between parchment paper to a 6 x 8-inch disk. Chill all dough rectangles at least 1 hour.
Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Peel parchment from dough pieces. Stack dough rectangles with untinted dough rectangle between the two red pieces, lining them up as evenly as possible; gently press pieces together. Gently roll with rolling pin to seal layers; trim uneven edges with sharp knife. Cut dough lengthwise into three 2 inch-wide slices; cut each column crosswise into 1/4 inch-thick pieces. Arrange 2 inches apart on parchment-lined cookie pans. Chill 1/2 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until bottoms are light golden brown. Remove cookies to cooling grids; cool completely.
Dip cooled cookies into melted Candy Melts; set on parchment-lined cookie pans. Chill until candy is set. Store in airtight container.
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