Peppermint Twists Recipes

Steps:

• Freeze kisses in a covered container for at least 1 hour. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and extracts. Gradually beat flour into creamed mixture., Divide dough in half; tint one portion red. Divide each half into four portions and shape into 9-in. long rolls. Place one red log next to one white log; twist gently to create one swirled roll. Roll gently until it becomes one log. Repeat with remaining dough. Wrap logs in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour or until firm., Preheat oven to 350°. Unwrap dough. Cut each log crosswise into nine slices; shape each slice into a ball. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with a glass., Bake 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Immediately press a kiss into center of each cookie. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Freeze option: Freeze cookies, layered between waxed paper, in freezer containers. To use, thaw before serving.

Steps:

• For the cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate large bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar, mixing until pale yellow and fluffy, 3 minutes. Add in the peppermint extract and eggs and mix well. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well.
• Transfer the dough to a floured work surface, divide into two disks, wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Working with one disk at a time, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out candy cane shapes with the cookie cutter and place the cookies about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Re-roll the scraps to get as many cookies as possible, returning the dough to the refrigerator to chill if necessary.
• Bake just until the edges start to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. (Bake one sheet at a time for even cooking and browning). Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool.
• For the royal icing: In the bowl of a stand mixer using a whisk attachment, combine the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder and mix for 30 seconds. Add 1/3 cup water and the peppermint extract and continue mixing on low until the icing forms peaks, 8 to 10 minutes. Adjust the consistency of the icing with additional water if necessary.
• Set aside some of the icing in a small bowl and add enough food coloring until the desired shade of red is reached.
• Ice the cookies with the white icing and let dry completely. Decorate with the red icing and crushed candies to make a candy cane pattern.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut the cookie dough into 8 pieces. In bowl of electric mixer, on medium speed thoroughly combine the dough pieces, peppermint extract, 1/3 cup crushed peppermint candies, and 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar.
• Roll the dough into 1-inch diameter balls. Arrange, 2 inches apart, on parchment lined cookie sheets and bake until set, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on cooling racks.
• Add 1/2 cup of the remaining powdered sugar to a small bowl. While the cookies are still warm, roll them in the sugar. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies and serve.
• As the cookies cool, they will flatten slightly.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut the roll of cookie dough in half. Put the halves in separate large mixing bowls. In 1 bowl, thoroughly mix 1/4 cup of the flour and the peppermint extract into cookie dough. In the second bowl, add the remaining 1/4 cup flour and enough food coloring to make a red dough. Mix well with gloved hands until the color is well blended.
• Divide the white and red dough into 24 pieces each, (for a total of 48 pieces). Roll each piece into a rope 8 inches long and about 1/4-inch in diameter.
• To shape candy canes, arrange 1 rope of each color side by side on parchment lined cookie sheets. Gently twist together and shape into a candy cane. Repeat with the remaining pieces, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges are very lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest, about 5 minutes, before transferring the cookies to racks. Gently remove them from the cookie sheets with a long metal spatula and cool on cooling racks.

Steps:

• FOR CRUST:
• Wrap outside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with aluminum foil. Finely grind cookies with sugar in processor. Add butter, process to blend. Press mixture onto bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Refrigerate crust while preparing filling.
• FOR FILLING:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar and beat until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in half and half, then vanilla and peppermint extracts. Stir in crushed peppermint candies. Pour filling into crust.
• Bake cheesecake until filling is set in center and edges are puffed, about 50 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool 10 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
• FOR TOPPING:
• Stir sour cream, sugar and extracts in small bowl to blend. Pour mixture over hot cheesecake , covering completely. Return cheesecake to oven and bake until top begins to set, about 8 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Using small knife, cut around sides of pan to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Garnish cake with peppermint candies.