Makes about 35 cookies Submitted by Gittel Shperka

Directions

Prepare the Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Mix together flour and margarine.

3. Add sugar and eggs and the rest of the ingredients.

4. Roll out the dough 1/4-inch thick on parchment paper and use a round cookie cutter to make circle-shaped cookies, then use a smaller circle to cut out the “donut” hole. (I used four-inch and one-inch cutters). Peel away extra dough.

5. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes. They should be light and starting to lightly brown at the edges.

6. When the cookies are cool, use a straight sharp knife and cut off one end of the cookie halfway from the hole to the bottom to create a straight side of the cookie.

Notes:

You can fridge or freeze dough if you would prefer to make these in steps.

Decorate

1. Beat all royal icing ingredients together until icing forms peaks (seven to 10 minutes at low speed with a heavy-duty mixer, 10-12 minutes at high speed with a hand-held mixer).

2. Add more water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time to make it the right consistency that it should flood the cookie but not drip off too much. Keep testing it to make sure it’s the right consistency before you do all of them!

3. Color the icing with the food coloring of your choice, or make a variety! Mix in the food coloring gently to avoid air bubbles forming.

4. Transfer the icing into a piping bag with a number two tip. Any icing that’s left out of the bag, cover with a damp paper towel to so it doesn’t harden.

5. Pipe the icing onto the cookie to fill the surface, but go in and out of the edges to make the “dripping” look. Avoid dripping down the straight side of the cookie so it doesn’t prevent it from standing.

6. While the icing is still wet, sprinkle on the toppings of your choice. (I used more mature colors for the adults and fun colors for the kids.) The icing takes a few hours to dry.

7. When the cookies are completely dry, you can stick your napkin through and set a gorgeous Chanukah table!

Notes:

You can refrigerate the extra icing for a few weeks in an airtight container with a damp paper towel under the cover.