festive cookies

My friend, Charity brought some cookies over to me a couple of weeks ago. I couldn't believe how beautiful they were! She did royal icing and then brushed a beautiful design onto them. Take a look...

I oohed and aahed over her artistic talent, to which she told me she had none. Right, uh-uh. But she told me she followed a technique from a video and I was very intrigued! I have yet to try it myself because I really do think she has ample artistic talent to support her efforts, but I was excited that I might be able to do it!

Here are the videos she followed. She kind of did a combination of the two techniques and boy did they turn out beautiful!


 This second video comes from Ali Bee's Bake Shop. Be sure to visit her blog!


These are great cookies to make for a party or for upcoming Spring or even Easter! You can choose any array of beautiful pastel frosting colors and hand them out to neighbors and friends. They will be super impressed with your artistic skills.

Another festive cookie you can make is these cookies with colored M&Ms. My friend Barbara gave me this recipe at Christmas when she brought them with the Christmas colored M&Ms for a holiday cookie exchange.

I recently made them with the Valentine colored M&Ms for a Valentines playgroup I hosted at my house. I just saw that the stores are now carrying the Easter (or Spring) colored M&Ms, so you can make these with those ones as well. Any color works and they are delicious!

Holiday Double Chocolate Cookies
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
12 oz. package M&Ms (both milk and dark chocolate are delicious!)

Beat butter, sugars, and vanilla together until well blended. Add eggs, beating well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in about 1 cup of M&Ms., reserving the rest. Drop by spoonful onto lightly greased cookie sheet. Press reserved M&Ms onto the tops of dough balls. Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees until just set (Do not overbake!). Cool and enjoy!