As the little ones don their spring finery and await Peter Cottontail's arrival, these special cookies are sure to become the golden egg of your gathering. Just three essentials-a simple sugar cookie dough, wooden craft sticks, and edible decorations-are all you need to create these fun-to-eat favors. You can make them a few days in advance and store in a cool, dry place.
It's best to serve these cookies in the milder seasons; a hot Southern summer may cause them to melt and fall apart. Let this versatile recipe inspire fun treats for any cooler-weather occasion.
COOKIES ON A STICK
MAKES 7 TO 8 DOZEN
PREP: 1 HR., FREEZE: 30 MIN., BAKE: 16 MIN.
Yields will vary depending on the sizes and shapes of your cookie cutters.
1 cup butter, softened
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
Wooden craft sticks or lollipop sticks
Easy Microwave Frosting
Decorations: colored sugar, pastel nonpareils, pastel confetti, pastel eggs, pastel jimmies
BEAT butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer about 5 minutes or until creamy. Add egg yolks and vanilla, beating until blended. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended after each addition. Cover and freeze 30 minutes.
ROLL dough to a 3/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut desired shapes using favorite seasonal cutters; place on lightly greased baking sheets, allowing space for craft sticks. Insert 1 craft stick into bottom of each cookie.
BAKE at 350° for 10 to 16 minutes or until edges are golden. (Baking times may vary with different cookie shapes and sizes.) Cool 5 minutes on baking sheets. Slip a metal spatula under cookies to loosen; cool completely on baking sheets.
SPREAD a generous amount of Easy Microwave Frosting where each stick and cookie are joined to ensure stability. Let dry about 30 minutes. Spread a thin layer of Easy Microwave Frosting on front side of each cookie, and sprinkle with desired decorations before frosting dries; then dry completely. Store in a cool, dry place.
CHOCOLATE COOKIES ON A STICK: Reduce all-purpose flour to 1 ¾ cups, and add ½ cup unsweetened cocoa. Proceed with recipe as directed.
NOTE: Do not substitute refrigerated cookie dough for this recipe. It contains leavening and tends to spread as it bakes, distorting cookie shapes.
Easy Microwave Frosting:
MAKES 4 CUPS
PREP: 10 MIN.
Decorate cookies however you wish. Use this recipe for a quick colored coating, and embellish with candies and sprinkles.
MICROWAVE 1 (24-ounce) package vanilla candy coating in a glass bowl on HIGH for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Divide melted candy coating among individual bowls. (The number of bowls will depend on how many colors you wish to make.) Stir liquid food coloring in desired colors into each bowl. Reheat colored coating as needed.
© 2005 Southern Progress Corporation Provided by ProQuest LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Source: Southern Living
