Pigtail cookies

Ingredients:

• 165 g (12 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup superfine sugar + more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
• 2 cups premium flour
• Red decorative sugar

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and salt with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and peppermint extract. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour until smooth. Transfer the dough to a piece of plastic wrap and form into a rectangle. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Sprinkle a small amount of red sugar and superfine sugar on separate plates. Scoop 1 teaspoon of dough into each and gently roll it into small ropes with your hands. Roll half of the dough ropes, one at a time, in red sugar to create 10 cm long red stripes. Repeat with the remaining dough ropes and white sugar. Twist one rope of each color together, then arrange them on the prepared baking sheets, about 5 cm apart, and fold the tops over to form canes. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes to set.
3. Meanwhile, position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until the cookies are set and lightly browned around the edges, 11–13 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets.