Candy Cane Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
• 4 ounces full fat cream cheese softened
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups unbleached flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 40-50 drops red food coloring
• Sprinkles or sugar

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl heat up the butter to soften. It takes a minute or less to get the butter softened.
2. Add in the cream cheese and heat again for another 15 seconds to soften it without melting the cream cheese.
3. Then cream the butter and cream cheese together until nice and creamy in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer.
4. Add in the sugar and whip up for 3 minutes creating a light and fluffy texture. I whip on medium to medium high speed.
5. Add in the egg and vanilla.
6. Next in a small bowl add the dry ingredients.
7. Then work the dry ingredients into the wet cookie batter. Mix to combine.
8. Divide the bowl in two bowls. Then add red food coloring to half the dough. I did 4-5 drops to make a nice red color.
9. Use a cookie scoop (1 tablespoon size) and scoop balls of the dough on a prepared cookie sheet.
10. Cover and refrigerate all the cookie dough for 30 minutes to an hour. You need to chill the dough.
11. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
12. Remove the cookie dough balls from therefrigerator a few at a time and roll into straight lines (about thelength of a fork, 7”).
13. Place a white line and a red line on table. Pinch end and then twist the dough. Then at the top create the hook to create the candy cane.
14. Place the cookies on the baking sheet. Pinch the top, and add sprinkles if you want. Then bake for 8 minutes or until the cookies are fully baked.
15. Allow the cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes on pan then transfer to cooling rack. Let cool then enjoy.