These small cookie cutters designed for playdough are ideal for making Christmas cookies for small children (and their friends... and bigger children... and their parents... and their parents' friends...).
We have a two year old niece, who is at just the right age for these tiny Christmas cookies. The cookies are edible (just) and look beautiful on a mixed plate of cookies.
Because they are so small, these cookies are best made by at least two people. It takes quite a long time to get through all the dough. But it is fun. Children love making these cookies too. (But it is probably a good idea to go with larger cookie cutters when smaller children are helping.)
Because the colouring is done in the dough itself, preparation of the dough is a bit finicky and does require a bit of patience. (But in the end, it's worth the effort!) Before adding all the flour, the dough is divided evenly into 5 bowls.
Add food colouring. Bear in mind that flour will be added afterwards so the colours should be quite garish.
Stir in the flour.
Lay out sheets of wax paper and start cutting out and decorating the cookies. Be creative with the cutters - the dough really is like play dough. Use the cutters as guides for the final results. Remember to keep the final depth to around 1/8 inch thick.
As you can see, we use the cookie cutters quite freely - merely to give us suggestions for the beginnings of each cookie. For instance, the "dog" cutter was used to make the elephant, rocking horse and pig. And my sister's pieces de resistances are these free-form, handcut Christmas Dinners.
These cookies are quite sturdy. Admittedly, they don't have the most spectacular flavour but they are not at all unpleasant. Whe giving them away, there is no need for wrapping paper. Pack them design-side-out in see-through containers. The only other thing needed is a coloured ribbon on the lid. (Large jam jars are ideal.)
