|
Birdhouse Cookies
You can hang these adorable ornaments from your tree, or
give them as holiday gifts,
assuming
you can resist eating them! Birdhouse Cookies
1 pkg (510 g) Pillsbury* Refrigerated Gingerbread or
Sugar Cookies
1 tub (450 g) Betty Crocker* Creamy Deluxe* Frosting
(any white or vanilla variety)
Thin pretzel sticks
3 toffee roll candies, unwrapped
Assorted colours of decorating gels
Miniature candy-coated chocolate pieces
Heat oven to 350°F (180°C). Remove half of cookie dough
from wrapper; refrigerate remaining dough until needed.
On lightly floured surface with rolling pin, roll half
of dough to 1/4-inch (6 mm) thickness. With 3 to 3
1/2-inch (7 to 8 cm) cookie cutters such as diamonds,
heart or star, cut out dough shapes for birdhouses (or
cut desired shapes from dough with knife). Use 1-inch
(2.5 cm) canapé cutter or sharp knife to make "door" in
bottom half of each. If desired, use drinking straw to
make hole in top of cookie for hanging. Place 3-inches
(7 cm) apart on ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with
remaining dough.
For decorations on birdhouses, roll scraps of dough and
cut miniature shapes such as trees, stars and other
small shapes; do not attach to birdhouses. Place
miniature shapes on baking sheet.
Bake 7 to 11 minutes or until set (bake small shapes
about 7 minutes). Carefully remove from baking sheet;
place on cooling rack. If necessary, re-poke holes for
hanging. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
To decorate cookies, use frosting to attach small shapes
to birdhouses. Attach pretzels for roofs. Cut each
toffee candy into 4 lengthwise pieces; attach 1 piece
with frosting below door to resemble perch. Use vanilla
frosting to make snow on roofs. Use decorating gel and
candy-coated chocolate pieces to add decorations to
birdhouses. Makes: 12 cookies
Kitchen Tip: Children can design their own
birdhouses and use them as ornaments. You'll want to use
a straw to make small holes in the top of the unbaked
cookies. When cookies are baked and the decorations have
set, pull a ribbon through each hole and tie to hang as
an ornament.
Storage Tip: To enjoy these festive ornaments as
treats for several days, keep them covered. Ornaments
are made from natural ingredients so those used for
decorating should be kept for one holiday season only.
They're so simple to make, you'll enjoy making more of
them next year.
Pillsbury* Sugar and Gingerbread Cookies are only
available during the Christmas baking season.
Look for them at your supermarket mid-November to
January.
|