Instructions: Cooking Instructions: Beat butter in large mixer bowl at low speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy (1 to 2 minutes). Add powdered sugar, whipping cream and peppermint extract. Continue beating until mixture forms a soft dough (2 to 5 minutes). Remove half of dough; set aside. Add red food color to remaining dough in bowl. Continue beating until dough is pink (1 to 2 minutes). Remove pink dough from bowl; clean beaters.

Return white dough to bowl. Add green food color; beat until dough is light green (1 to 2 minutes). Knead each tinted dough on surface lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar until smooth. (Keep doughs covered with plastic food wrap to prevent drying out.) Roll 1 tablespoonful of each tinted dough into 4-inch rope. Gently twist green and pink ropes together. Carefully continue rolling and twisting rope to a 10-inch rope.

Add more powdered sugar when rolling, if necessary. Cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Let stand uncovered at room temperature until surface is dry (6 to 8 hours). Layer mints between sheets of waxed paper in airtight container. Refrigerate up to 1 month. For longer storage, store in freezer up to 2 months.

VARIATIONS:
Snowmen: Omit food color. Roll dough into 3/4 to 1 1/4-inch balls. Stack 3 different sized balls together. Decorate as desired.

Cut-Outs: Roll out candy mixture on surface lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 1-inch cookie or canape cutters.

Candy Molds: Press candy mixture into soft rubber candy molds; refrigerate 3 to 5 minutes. Release.

Candy Canes: Shape twisted ropes into candy canes.

Marbled Mints: Press together 1/2 teaspoonful each of two different colors of dough. Shape into rectangular, square or round candy shapes.

Tip: To measure powdered sugar, lightly spoon sugar into dry measuring cup; level with knife or spatula. Tip: For gift giving, wrap individual mints in taffy paper or waxed paper squares; twist ends.

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