Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • ⅛ cup sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • ⅓ cup vanilla extract (or use different extracts - see notes)
  • ⅕ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup sanding sugar for rolling
  • Red gel food coloring
  • Green gel food coloring

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until fluffy.
  3. Mix in the egg yolks until well combined.
  4. If using a single flavor of vanilla extract, add it at this stage.
  5. Gradually mix in the all-purpose flour until just combined; do not overmix.
  6. Divide the dough into three equal portions.
  7. If using different flavor extracts for each color, add them now to their respective portions.
  8. Color one portion of dough with red gel food coloring and one with green gel food coloring; leave one portion uncolored (white).
  9. Roll each colored dough into logs approximately 18 inches long.
  10. Press the logs together gently to form a cohesive block of tri-colored dough.
  11. Cut the log into slices that are about \u00bd inch thick.
  12. Roll each slice into balls between your palms.
  13. Coat each ball generously in sanding sugar for a sparkling finish.
  14. Place coated balls on a lined baking sheet, leaving about two inches between each cookie to allow room for spreading during baking.
  15. Bake in preheated oven for about ten minutes, or until slightly golden around the edges.