Painted Sugar Cookies

This is by far the easiest way I know of to decorate cookies with small children. Make a "paint" of corn syrup and food coloring, and paint the cookies before baking for beautiful holiday treats and gifts. I got this recipe from the Food Network website years ago.

Painted Sugar Cookies

For the Cookies:

1/2 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Shortening
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour


For the Paint:

4 tsp Corn Syrup
1 tsp Water
4 Colors of Food Coloring

Cream the butter, shortening, and sugar with an electric mixer. Add in the egg and vanilla extract, and beat until lighter in color. In a separate bowl, combine the soda, salt and flour. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until well combined. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Divide the dough in half, return half to the refrigerator with you work with the other half. Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thickness (mine are usually thicker, I think) on a lightly floured surface. Cut cookies with cookie cutters and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Put one tsp of corn syrup and 1/4 tsp water in each of 4 ramekins or other small bowls. Add food coloring to each bowl and stir well. Paint the unbaked cookies with paintbrushes.

Bake for 9-10 minutes in a preheated 375 degree oven. Move to wire racks to cool.