Candy Cane Cookies

• unsalted butter↗170g g
• granulated sugar↗115g g
• plain flour↗300g g
• milk↗1 tbsp tbsp
• vanilla bean paste↗1 tsp tsp
• food colourings↗green and red gel

  green and red gel

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 190 °C/170 °C with convection/gas 5 and line two large baking trays with non‑stick parchment paper. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a wooden spoon or mixer until the mixture is soft, pale and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go.

2. 2

   Add the flour, milk, vanilla bean paste and a pinch of salt, and mix with the wooden spoon until a dough forms. Divide the dough into two portions, set one aside. Split that portion again in half. Colour one half with red gel and the other with green. The colour should be dark and intense, as it will lighten slightly during baking.

3. 3

   Shape pieces of the plain dough into sausage‑sized rolls about 15 × 1 cm, then repeat the process with the red and green doughs. On the work surface place a plain roll parallel to the red or green one. Join their ends and gently twist along the length. Do this carefully – do not press too hard or the colours will blend. Lift each twisted piece gently, place it on one of the prepared trays and fold the top, forming a curved candy‑cane shape. Continue until all dough is used (about 12 candy canes), leaving roughly 5 cm between them.

4. 4

   Bake for 12–14 minutes, until the cookies are set and have a light golden colour. Let them cool slightly on the trays, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to three days.