These cute biscuits are easy to make, perfect for younger ones.
For the dough (which makes roughly 40 cookies):
- 175g softened butter
- 200g white sugar
- 2 eggs
- Half tsp vanilla extract
- 250g plain flour
- Nonstick parchment (baking) paper
- Baking sheet
- Rolling pin
- Candy cane cookie cutter
- Spatula
- 125g white sugar
- Clean glass jar with lid
- Red food colouring
- 250g icing sugar
- Knife
- Stripe template, photocopied onto thick paper
1. Preheat the oven to 400F (200C/Gas 6). Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper. Place all the dough ingredients into an electric food mixer fitted with a dough hook and mix until a dough forms. If you don’t have an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together and then beat in the eggs and vanilla. Finally add the flour and mix until a dough forms. Place in the fridge to chill for 5–10 minutes.
2. Roll out your cookie dough to about ¼in (6mm) between two sheets of nonstick parchment paper. Cut out your candy cane shapes and transfer them to the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 7–8 minutes or until golden and then transfer to a wire rack to cool with a spatula.
3. Put the sugar in your glass jar and add 10 drops of red food colouring.
4. Add the lid and shake the sugar until all the color is mixed. Pour into a bowl.
5. Put the icing sugar into a bowl and add water, a little at a time, until you have a smooth, spreadable icing. Ice the first cookie with a knife.
6. Hold the stripe template over the iced cookie. You’ll need to work fairly quickly so that the icing doesn’t dry. Sprinkle the red sanding sugar through the template onto the iced cookie. Gently tap the cookie to remove excess sugar and then allow to harden. Repeat with the other cookies. Any leftover red sugar can be stored and reused for another time.
Craft it up Christmas Around the World by Libby Abadee and Cath Armstrong is published by cico books, photos by Cath Armstrong