Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream together softened unsalted butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.

Beat in one large egg, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract until well combined.

Gradually mix in all-purpose flour and salt until a soft dough forms.

Divide the dough in half, adding red food coloring to one half and mix until evenly distributed.

Shape each cookie using one teaspoon of plain dough and one teaspoon of red dough rolled into 4-inch ropes, twisted together into candy cane shapes.

Arrange shaped cookies on baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each cookie.

Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes until edges are lightly golden and centers remain soft.

Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.