These are a perfect, melt-in-your mouth butter cookie with just a hint of peppermint.  (Although my son said the dough tastes just like a real candy.) Butter Cookie dough is fun - you can pretty much mold it like play dough, and as long as it's nice and cold when you put it into the oven, it'll look about the same when it comes out! I twisted half of this dough into candy canes, and then rolled out the other half to make mini pinwheels, or peppermint candies.

Candy Cane Butter Cookies

• 3/4 cup salted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• scant 1/4 tsp salt
• red food coloring (I find the gel coloring works best here)

Cream together butter and powdered sugar until light at fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and extracts and beat again another minute or two, until fluffy consistency is regained.

Sift in the flour and salt.  Mix until well combined.  Dough will be sticky.  Remove half of the dough to a separate bowl and set aside.  Mix red food coloring into the remaining dough, a few drops at a time, until red color is satisfactory and dough is evenly tinted.  Place red dough in a second bowl, and chill both for about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats.

For Candy Canes
Shape a heaping teaspoonful of each color dough into a 5-inch rope with lightly floured hands.  Twist together into candy cane shape.  Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.  Chill another 20 minutes, then place immediately into oven.

Bake 8-10 minutes, or until set and edges are just beginning to brown.  Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

For Mini-Pinwheels/Peppermint Candies
Using a rolling pin, roll each color dough into a rectangle about 1/8 inch thick.  Keep rectangles as close to the same size as you can.  Brush one side of one rectangle with water.  Lay the other rectangle on top and gently press to join.

Working from the long side, roll tightly.  Once rolled, give the whole log a gentle roll to make sure the edges are sealed.  Place in the freezer for 20 minutes, or until solid enough to slice through without ruining the pinwheel effect.

Slice dough between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick, spacing about an inch apart on prepared baking sheet.  Chill 20 minutes then place immediately in oven.

Bake 8-10 minutes, or until set and edges are just beginning to brown.  Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.