Cream together 1 cup of softened unsalted butter and 1 cup of powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy.

Add in 1 egg, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract, mixing until just combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 ¼ cups of all-purpose flour and ½ teaspoon of salt, gradually adding into the creamed butter mixture until a soft dough forms.

Divide the dough in half, keeping one half plain. In the other half, add red gel food coloring and mix until desired hue is achieved.

Wrap each portion separately in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Roll 1 teaspoon of each color into ropes, twist them together and shape into candy cane forms.

Place on prepared baking sheets, baking for 8-10 minutes, until set but not browned.

Let cool on the tray for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Optionally, dust with sanding sugar before baking for a sparkling finish.