# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
→ Coloring
09 - Red gel food coloring
→ Garnish (optional)
10 - 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes
# Directions:
01 - Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
02 - Beat unsalted butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add the large egg, pure vanilla extract, and peppermint extract to the creamed mixture; beat until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients; mix on low speed until a soft dough forms.
05 - Separate dough evenly into two portions; knead red gel food coloring into one half until uniformly colored, leaving the other plain.
06 - Shape each dough portion into a rectangle, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
07 - Roll each dough portion separately between parchment paper into rectangles approximately 1/4 inch thick.
08 - Stack the red dough onto the plain dough, remove the top parchment paper, and gently press the layers together.
09 - Starting from a long edge, tightly roll the layered dough into a log; wrap tightly and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes until firm.
10 - Set the oven temperature to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
11 - Cut the chilled log into slices approximately 1/4 inch thick; arrange on prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies 2 inches apart.
12 - Optionally, sprinkle crushed peppermint candies over the cookie slices before baking.
13 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are set and the surface loses its shine.
14 - Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
