Paintbrush Cookies

Dinner is done, the toys are semi put away and Stinkle's is still bouncing off the walls - an hour before bedtime.  What to do, what to do?  It is cold, dark and snowing outside so that is out... I know - THWOMP cookies!  

As a little girl my mom used to make paintbrush cookies for my sister and I.  Every Easter we would cut out our egg shaped cookies and go to town decorating them before they are baked.  It is the quintessential memory of a wonderful time with my mom and sister in the kitchen.  (Keeping in mind memories can be changed to fit your current mood - if I was angry I am sure I would be remembering Heather and I bickering about one or the other stealing the color the other NEEDED.) 

As we all know I LOVE to bake.  Getting Brian and Stinkles involved is just icing on the cake for me.  So with an hour till bedtime it was just enough time to make and paint some cookies!  Seeing Stinkles is a Super Mario Fan (and I didn't feel like cutting Tie Fighters) we made Thwomps!

Paintbrush Cookies

These can be made with any sugar / shortbread / roll out cookie recipe.  I will give you my sugar cookie recipe but feel free to use your own!

• 1/2 c Margarine or Butter, softened
• 1 c Sugar
• 2 c Flour
• 2 t Baking Powder
• 1/2 t Vanilla
• 1 Egg
• Dash of Salt

Let the painting commence!

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F and grease your cookie sheets.
2. Combine all ingredients except the flour and beat until fluffy.
3. Slowly add in the flour and mix until a dough is formed.
4. At this point you can chill the dough for a few hours or roll it out and bake it right away.  (I HATE chilling dough so I almost always roll it out and bake it - molasses cookies being the one exception to this rule.)
5. If you aren't chilling the dough be sure to generously flour your rolling surface.
6. Roll and cut out your cookies and place them on your prepared cookie sheets.  Be sure to leave enough room for the cookies to expand.

Paintbrush Cookies Paint

• 1 Egg Yolk
• Splash of Water (about 1 - 2 tablespoons)
• Food Coloring of your choice

1. Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
2. Using a paintbrush*, paint your design on your cookies.
3. Bake until the edges are golden brown
4. ENJOY

Isn't that the simplest thing ever?  An hour of fun for Stinkles - between making the dough, rolling it out, cutting out the cookies, painting them and finally baking the cookies.  We killed the time before bed without making a huge toy mess and he got to make his own dessert!  I hope he looks back on his paintbrush cookies with as much fondness as I do on mine!!

We even made a Chain-Chomp and some Boo's

*I think it goes without saying that you need to use a CLEAN, USED ONLY FOR FOOD paintbrush.  I actually use cheap watercolor paint brushes that I buy from the dollar store or christmas tree shop for all my cookie and chocolate painting!  I put this in just incase I get an email later on saying "my cookies tasted a little funny, should I have not used that acrylic paint loaded paintbrush?"