Peppermint Swirl Pops

Land O’Lakes wraps up the Twelve Days of Cookies!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sugar
1 cup Land O Lakes® Butter, softened
1  Land O Lakes® All-Natural Egg
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon red gel food color
1/2-3/4 teaspoon white gel food color, if desired
Lollipop or craft sticks
Ribbon

Directions

Heat oven to 400°F.

Beat sugar, butter, egg and peppermint extract in large bowl at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add flour and baking soda, beating at low speed until well mixed.

Divide dough in half. Tint one-half with red food color. If desired, tint remaining half of dough with white food color.

Shape red dough into 36 (3/4-inch) balls; shape white dough into 36 (3/4-inch) balls. Refrigerate 10 minutes.

Make each cookie by working with chilled dough on lightly floured surface. Roll 1 red ball into 3-inch rope. Repeat with 1 white ball. Roll both colors together to form 12-inch rope, twisting as you roll. Pinch dough at both ends. Loosely coil rope into round spiral shape. Repeat with remaining dough.

Place cookies onto ungreased cookie sheets. Insert lollipop stick into side of each cookie, pushing stick to center.

Bake 5-8 minutes or until set, but not browned. Let stand on cookie sheet 5 minutes; remove to cooling rack. Cool completely.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Recipe Tips

If dough is too dry and crumbly, mix in 1 tablespoon milk. 

If dough is too soft, lightly flour hands and surface and continue to shape cookies. 

Adding white food color to plain half of dough will give it a brighter white color and provide a nice contrast to the red dough. White gel food color can be found at craft stores that sell cake decorating items, as well as online. 

- Liquid food color can be substituted for gel food color. It will result in a lighter tint.