Lollipop Sugar Cookies

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two (or more) baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Beat in egg and extracts; mix well. Combine flour and salt; add to butter mixture. Beat until well blended. Divide dough into three equal pieces. Tint each piece a different color with the gel food color (I kneaded it into the dough with my hands, but you could use the mixer on low speed). The dough should not be sticky, but if it is,then refrigerate it for 15 minutes.

Step 3

Pinch away a 2-inch piece of each color dough and roll each piece between your palms to make small, fat logs. Stack the logs on top of each other, then roll them into one long 10 to 12-inch rope. The dough will twist and stripe as you roll it. Coil the rope into a 3-inch round and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Insert a lollipop stick straight through the middle of the cookie, making sure to pass through all the coils without poking the lollipop stick through the top of the cookie.

Step 4

Repeat with remaining dough. Space cookies at least 2-inches apart on the cookie sheet.

Step 5

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until fragrant and puffed. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes; transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let them cool completely.

Step 6

Package in cellophane wrappers tied with pretty ribbon.