Peppermint Swirls

Twisting ropes of colored dough is the secret to peppermint-swirled buttery cookies.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 teaspoon red food color
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl, beat butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour. Divide dough in half. Stir peppermint extract and food color into one half of dough. Divide each color of dough in half.

2. Shape each piece of dough on generously floured surface into rope, 12 inches long. Place 2 ropes, 1 red and 1 white, side by side. Twist ropes. Repeat with remaining 2 pieces of dough.

3. Cut twisted ropes into 1/2-inch pieces; shape each into ball. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten to about 1/4-inch thickness with greased bottom of glass dipped in granulated sugar.

4. Bake cookies 7 to 9 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack; cool.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No changes.

Nutrition Information: 1 Serving: Calories 60 (Calories from Fat 35); Total Fat 4g (Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat ncg); Cholesterol 10mg; Sodium 25mg; Total Carbohydrate 5g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars ncg); Protein 1g

Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 2%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 0%; Iron 0%

Exchanges: 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 0

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Success:
Paste icing colors give the brightest colors. Decrease the amount of liquid food color to about half when using icing color. For this recipe, use 1/8 teaspoon paste icing color, adding it to the dough with a toothpick.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Betty Crocker 2007/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved