# Ingredients:
→ Dough
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
→ Coloring and Decoration
08 - Red gel food coloring
09 - Green gel food coloring
10 - 1/3 cup colored sanding sugar (red and green), optional
# Directions:
01 - Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until well blended.
02 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Add the egg and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture and beat until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing only until just combined to avoid overworking the dough.
05 - Separate dough into three equal portions; keep one plain, tint one with red gel food coloring, and the last with green gel food coloring, mixing until color is uniform.
06 - Roll each dough portion between two sheets of parchment paper into a rectangle approximately 9 by 6 inches, ensuring even thickness; chill each for 20 minutes.
07 - Stack dough rectangles with the plain layer on the bottom, red in the middle, and green on top; trim edges to align precisely.
08 - Roll the stacked dough tightly from the long edge into a log, peeling away parchment paper as you go; optionally, roll the log in colored sanding sugar for decoration.
09 - Wrap the log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm.
10 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
11 - Cut chilled log into 1/4-inch thick rounds and space them 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
12 - Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until cookies are set but not browned; cool on sheets for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
