Lunch: Sugar Twists

Perfect holiday sweets for an old-fashioned swap with friends.

Ingredients

3 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions

On waxed paper, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Separate 2 eggs, placing yolks in small bowl and whites in another. Cover and refrigerate whites; reserve for brushing on cookies later.
In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat sugar and butter until creamy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in whole eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla. Reduce speed to low; gradually beat in flour mixture until blended.
Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or until dough is firm enough to roll. (Or place dough in freezer for 30 minutes.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease large cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
On lightly floured surface, with floured hands, press 1 piece of dough into 6-inch by 3-inch by 3/4-inch rectangle. (Keep remaining dough refrigerated.) Cut rectangle into 30 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a 6-inch-long rope. Transfer 1 rope at a time to cookie sheet; gently shape into a loop, with ends overlapping. Repeat with remaining ropes, placing cookies 1 inch apart. Brush cookies with egg whites; sprinkle with sugar crystals if you like.
Bake cookies 11 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.
Repeat with remaining dough, egg whites, and sugar crystals. Store cookies in tightly covered container at room temperature up to 1 week, or in freezer up to 3 months.