• Preheat the oven to 350° F and prepare a baking tray with parchment paper.

Dough

• In a large mixing bowl, mix butter and sugar together. Add vanilla extract and mix again.
• In another bowl, sift flour, add baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients into the large bowl. Work with your hand until a crumbly dough is formed. Now add milk and keep working with your hand until a softer dough is formed. Let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Assembling the Cookies

• Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Place 1 dough in a bowl then add food coloring. Mix until you get the desired color.
• Divide the white dough into 4 small balls and the colored dough also in 4 small balls.
• Assembling. Carefully roll each dough with your hand to create a rope of about 21 inches.
• Cut rope into 5 equal pieces then place the white and the green dough next to each other.
• Gently twist together and curve the top of the dough into a candy cane shape.
• Transfer to the baking tray. Repeat the same with each dough. Leave a bit of space between the cookies.

Bake the Cookies

• Bake for 18-20 minutes in the middle of the oven.
• Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking tray.
• Optional: Sift confectioner's sugar onto the candy cane cookies.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.