Candy Cane Cookies

Yesterday, I shared with you how we used to make styrofoam Christmas ornaments, amongst other things, when I was a child.  Like many other families, we also used to make and decorate cookies.  It is a tradition I still try to maintain with my nieces and nephews.

One year, we made candy cane cookies.  I loved those cookies!  I had fun making them and eating them.  But I haven’t attempted to replicate them as an adult.

A couple of weeks ago, one of my former students mentioned on Facebook that she and her son were making Peppermint Meltaways.  Suddenly, the memory of those candy cane cookies came flooding back to me.  I wondered if this was the same recipe from my childhood.  Alas, it was not.

I searched through my vintage cookbooks and did not find anything similar to what I remembered so I decided to go online.  Doing a search for “candy cane cookies” revealed several versions at Cooks.com.  But the recipes that they had there listed almond extract instead of peppermint extract as the flavoring ingredient.

And so, after asking my mother if she remembered where she obtained the recipe to no avail (she thinks it was one of her Better Homes and Gardens cookbooks but she would have to look and Baby Alice gets highest priority right now), I decided to take the plunge and adapt the Cooks.com recipe.

When you bite into the cookie, it seems a little bland tasting.  But then the tell-tale tingle starts letting you know that you’ve had some peppermint.  The taste is subtle instead of toothpaste overpowering (toothpaste has ruined the sublime enjoyment of peppermint, I think).  This isn’t a “dip in milk” cookie.  This is a chew and “enjoy the flavor” cookie.

Don’t be afraid to knead this dough to get all of the butter and shortening incorporated.  If you don’t, the dough won’t roll very well and it will crumble when you start to twist it into the cane shape.

Finally, don’t try to be perfect in making the “canes.”  Trust me, you’ll go batty if you try.  Instead, enjoy the process and then savor the cookie.  No one is going to turn down this cookie just because the stripes aren’t evenly spaced along the cane.  And if they are the sort of person who would turn it down for that reason, do you really want that person in your life??  I’m just sayin’

You do know about the “how to measure shortening” trick, don’t you?  Remember when you were studying displacement in elementary school science and you wondered when the knowledge would come in handy?  Well, the time has arrived.  Take a measuring cup and fill it with water the “remaining amount” to equal one cup.  Start adding shortening until the water reaches the one cup amount.  The shortening displaces the water so you get an accurate measure.  So, for example, this recipe calls for 1/2 cup of shortening.  Add 1/2 cup of water to the measuring cup and then start adding the shortening.  When the water hits the one cup mark, you know that you have 1/2 cup of shortening (the water & the shortening equal 1 cup).  I’m kind of tired, so if someone can do a better job of explaining this, I’d be grateful to them.

Candy Cane Cookies

1. Heat oven to 375• F.
2. Mix together shortening and butter until creamy.  Add the sugar and continue mixing until the sugar is thoroughly incorporated.
3. Lightly beat the egg and add to the butter, shortening, and sugar mixture.  Add the peppermint and vanilla extracts.  Mix until the dough has the consistency of mayonnaise.
4. Add 1 cup of the flour and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.  Stir until incorporated.  Add the remaining flour and salt.  Mix until well blended.
5. Divide in half and blend red food coloring into one of the halves.  You will really need to knead the food coloring into the dough in order to achieve an even consistency with the color.
6. Pinch off about a thumb-sized amount from each half.  Roll each into a “rope” and lay them next to each other.
7. CAREFULLY begin to twist the ropes together.
8. Place the “cane” on an ungreased (or a parchment paper lined) cookie sheet.  Curve top down to form the handle of the cane.  Flatten the cookie.
9. Bake at 375• F. for about 9 minutes.
10. Remove from cookie sheet.
11. Optional: sprinkle cookies with a mixture of 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy and 1/2 cup granulated sugar while they are still warm.

If you make the ropes about 4″ long, you should get about 4 dozen cookies.  I made mine bigger but didn’t finish cooking the entire batch so I don’t know how many you will get if you make them larger like I do.