# What You'll Need:
→ 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
# Steps to Follow:
01 - Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
02 - Beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Incorporate the egg and vanilla extract into the creamed mixture and beat until evenly combined.
04 - Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated without overworking.
05 - Separate the dough into three equal portions: leave one plain, tint one with red gel food coloring, and tint the other with green gel food coloring, mixing until uniformly colored.
06 - Roll each dough portion between two sheets of parchment paper into roughly 9x6 inches rectangles to uniform thickness, then chill for 20 minutes.
07 - Stack the chilled colored dough rectangles with the plain dough at the bottom, followed by the red and green layers, trimming the edges to align perfectly.
08 - Roll the stacked dough tightly from the long side into a log, peeling away the parchment as you roll; optionally, roll the log in colored sanding sugar to add festive texture.
09 - Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm.
10 - Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
11 - Cut the chilled dough log into 1/4-inch thick rounds and arrange them on prepared sheets spaced 2 inches apart.
12 - Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, just until set but not browned; allow to cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
