In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer, or a handheld mixer and a large mixing bowl, on medium-high speed, cream the unsalted butter for 1½ to 2 minutes.

Reduce the mixing speed to low and add the granulated sugar, cream of tartar and heavy cream. Increase the mixing speed to medium and continue to mix for 2 to 3 minutes or until the butter mixture is fluffy.

Reduce the mixing speed on low and add the egg. Mix until well incorporated.

Add the peppermint extract and clear vanilla flavoring.

Keeping the mixer speed on low, slowly add the flour and baking powder, ½ cup at a time. Continue mixing just until the flour is well incorporated and no visible streaks of flour are showing.

Divide the cookie dough into 2 equal dough balls. Wrap one dough ball in plastic wrap and return the other dough ball to the mixing bowl to be colored red.

Add ½ teaspoon of red gel color to the dough ball in the mixing bowl. On low speed, mix until you reach a uniform color and no white streaks are visible.

Wrap the red dough ball in plastic wrap. Refrigerate both dough balls for 1 hour.

Remove the dough balls from the refrigerator and use a ½ tablespoon to scoop the dough and roll into a tight round ball, to make sure the dough rope holds its shape.

Return to the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cover your counter or a cutting board with a sheet of parchment paper. (This is to keep from staining the counter or cutting board red)

Remove a few dough balls of each color at a time (I removed 6 balls of each color at a time.) Using your hand, gently roll a white and red dough ball into 5 inch long ropes. It is very important that your hands stay cool while you are rolling the ropes.

Lightly press the bottoms of the 2 ropes together. Carefully and with light pressure, twist the ropes together. Be sure to keep the ropes rounded and do not flatten them out.

Place the twisted rope onto the prepared baking sheet and curve the rope tops into the candy cane crook. Repeat the rolling and twisting process with the remaining dough. Place the cookies 2 inches apart. (I baked one cookie sheet of candy cane cookies while rolling and twisting the next batch of cookies.)

Bake for 7-9 minutes.

Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 10 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.