PEPPERMINT SPRITZ COOKIES

Peppermint Spritz Cookies image

Crushed candy canes add a cheerful twist to these red and white swirled cookies.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories dessert

Time 1h30m

Yield 45 to 50 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 9

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Ingredients

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (see Cook's Note)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
10 mini candy canes, finely crushed (about 1/4 cup)
Red gel food coloring, such as bright red, for coloring the dough

Steps:

Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
Beat the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the almond and vanilla extracts and egg and mix until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the flour and salt and mix until just combined.
Remove a third of the dough to a flour-dusted surface and reserve. Add the candy canes to the dough left in the bowl and mix on low until just combined. Remove to a flour-dusted surface and fold with your hands until it comes together.
Add the reserved dough back to the mixer bowl and add enough red gel food coloring until it is a vibrant red like a fire truck, about 10 drops. Mix on low until the dough is completely red. Remove to a flour-dusted surface and fold with your hands until it comes together.
Tear off 2 Ping-Pong ball-size pieces of the white dough and add to the barrel of a cookie press; add 1 marble-size piece of the red dough. Repeat this pattern until the barrel is filled (you will not use all of the dough). Place a wreath disc onto the cookie press barrel according to the manufacturer's instructions. Press the cookies onto an ungreased baking sheet and set aside. Repeat 2 more times in the same pattern with the remaining dough.
Bake 2 of the batches until the cookies are firm but not yet browning on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool the cookies for 1 minute on the baking sheets, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Bake the third batch and let cool. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.