Mint Cookie Pops

Disguised as a familiar holiday candy, these cookie pops put a fun spin on traditional holiday baking. They're sure to be a hit with family and friends -- as well as that jolly ol' Christmas Eve visitor.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon mint extract
2 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Red food coloring
Lollipop sticks

Instructions

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, then mix in the extract. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and cream of tartar. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture a third at a time, stirring until thoroughly combined.
Use about a quarter of the dough to form a log that's 1/2 inch wide and 13 inches long. Divide the remaining dough into 2 equal balls and add a few drops of food coloring to one, working it into the dough until it's evenly blended. Use a rolling pin to flatten both balls into identical 6- by 13-inch rectangles. (Place a piece of waxed paper atop the dough to prevent sticking, if needed.) Stack the rectangles together and chill them, as well as the 13-inch log, until firm, about 30 minutes.
Cut the stacked rectangles lengthwise into 3/4-inch-wide strips, then turn the strips on their sides and line them up so the colors alternate.
Place the dough log lengthwise atop the strips, then roll up the log in the strips, shaping the dough as needed. Chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the dough into 1/2-inch-wide slices. Insert about 1 inch of a lollipop stick into the side of each slice, then bake the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet for 15 minutes or until the edges brown lightly. Makes 26 cookies.