Peppermint Swirls - butter

Method

• In a large bowl, combine margarine, sugar, egg, milk, and vanilla; mix until light and fluffy.
• Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.
• In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.
• Add flour mixture to butter mixture; mix well.
• Place half of dough into a plastic bag or wrap in plastic.
• To remaining half of dough, add peppermint extract and red food color; mix well.
• Place in plastic bag or wrap and refrigerate both portions about 1 hour.
• Divide each portion of dough in half.
• Roll 1 part white dough into a 10x8-inch rectangle between 2 pieces of plastic wrap.
• Set aside.
• Repeat with 1 part pink dough.
• Remove top sheet of plastic wrap from both the pink and the white dough.
• Place pink dough over white dough; remove plastic wrap from pink dough.
• Trim edges, if desired.
• Starting at the 10-inch edge, roll up dough jelly-roll fashion, removing plastic wrap from bottom as dough is rolled.
• Repeat with remaining dough to form second roll.
• Place 2 tablespoons of the pink sugar on separate sheet of plastic wrap.
• Roll 1 roll of dough in pink sugar, pressing gently into dough.
• Repeat with second roll.
• Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 8 hours or up to 1 week.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Slice cookies 1/8 inch thick and place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until light golden brown.
• Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.
• Cool completely.
• Makes about 10 dozen cookies.