MINTY CHOCOLATE-DIPPED CANDY CANES

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

ICING:

4-oz semi-sweet or white chocolate chips

1/4 tsp pure peppermint extract

red, white, pink, green, etc nonpareils

To make cookies:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and then the vanilla.

Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated. Make 4 equal disks and roll each between 2 sheets of wax paper to 1/8-inch thick. Chill until firm - 30 minutes in the refrigerator or 15 minutes in the freezer.

Heat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using floured candy cane cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Place on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Reroll, chill, and cut the scraps.

Bake, rotating pans around halfway through, Bake until cookies are lightly brown around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool on cookie sheets 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

To decorate:

Place cooling racks over parchment paper. Melt chocolate in microwave, stirring in 20 second intervals until melted; stir in peppermint extract. Dip top half of each cookie in the chocolate, replace on rack and sprinkle with the nonpareils.

recipe and photo HGTV 2018