Printable | Taste of Home

Back-to-School Cookie Puzzle

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Red, blue and green food coloring
Black paste food coloring
Yellow colored sugar
2 covered boards (15 inches x 12 inches each)
Cookie cutters--apple, schoolhouse, hand and letters "A", "B" and "C" (or shapes of your choice)
Small new paintbrushes

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 3 eggs,
one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the
flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Cover and
refrigerate dough for several hours, overnight or until dough is easy to handle.
On a parchment paper-lined surface, roll out half of the dough into a 13-in. x
11-in. rectangle. With cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes. Remove shapes and

Printed from tasteofhome.com Oct 12, 2008

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Back-to-School Cookie Puzzle cont.

place on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Set the two
large rectangle pieces aside. Separate the remaining eggs, placing 1 yolk
each in three small bowls. Tint one red, one blue and one green. With an
appropriate-size paintbrush and black food coloring, outline the school roof,
windows and door and the apple leaf and stem. Paint the cookie cutouts with
tinted yolks to resemble the cookies shown in the photo or as desired. Bake
cutouts at 350° for 8-9 minutes or until edges are golden. Immediately recut
the shapes. If cookies cool too quickly, return to oven until softened. Remove to
wire racks to cool. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. Brush over
the two large rectangular puzzles. (Discard any remaining egg white.) Sprinkle
with yellow colored sugar. Transfer puzzles with parchment paper to baking
sheets. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Immediately
recut shapes inside puzzles. Cool completely before removing from parchment
paper. Place each puzzle on a covered board. Fit cookie cutouts inside puzzles.
Crafter thoughts: The decorated cutouts can make appealing treats even
without the puzzle. or Adapt this idea for a birthday event by picking
cookie cutters that coordinate with the party's theme.

Yield: 2 cookie puzzles.