Get into the festive spirit by decorating cookies with your children! It's a fun and creative activity that little ones love. Here are some simple, child-friendly cookie decorating ideas to try out with your family.
Pasta surprise
Before baking cookies of your choice, break out the pasta to decorate. Press a bowtie into the dough for a fancy treat (remove it before baking!) or stamp the end of penne into the cookie to create a petal design.
Gingerbread “houses”
Gingerbread houses are wintertime favorite, but they can be a bit complex to make from scratch. Instead, simplify the process by making gingerbread house-shaped cookies. Provide different colors of icing, candies and mini marshmallows for decorating the "houses." Use the icing as glue to attach candy cane chimneys, gumdrop bushes and candy roof tiles.
Marshmallow icing
Add some mini marshmallows to your baked cookies and pop them back into the oven until the marshmallow melt. Or add a large marshmallow on top, melt it slightly in the oven and then have your children decorate it to look like a melting snowman!
New Year's countdown
Welcome the New Year with countdown cookies! Use number-shaped cookie cutters to create cookies shaped like the upcoming year. Let your children decorate each cookie with colorful icing and add edible glitter for a celebratory touch. Count down together as you enjoy these sweet treats.
Stained glass window cookies
Stained glass window cookies are a unique and beautiful way to decorate sweets. Use hard candies to create the stained-glass effect. Crush the candies into small pieces and arrange them in cookie cutouts. When baked, the candies melt and create a colorful, translucent effect.
Colorful stars
Before baking sugar cookies (store bought or homemade is fine!) dip a whisk into food coloring or powdered drink mix. Then press the whisk into the cookie dough to create a coloring star.
Happy baking!
