Best Easter Cookies Recipes

SESAME GREEK EASTER COOKIES (KOULOURAKIA)

Steps:

• Cream butter. Add sugar gradually.
• Add eggs one at a time alternately with orange juice.
• Add flour that has been sifted with soda and baking powder, a little bit at a time. Should be a soft dough.
• Shape as desired and brush with egg and milk mixture. Traditional Greek cookies are 2 small strands of dough twisted together and brushed with egg-milk mixture and sprinkled with sesame seed.
• Use greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees to 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

LEBANESE EASTER COOKIES

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in sugar and water; continue stirring to dissolve sugar. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
• Measure flours into a large bowl. Add melted butter, yeast, spices, and sesame seeds; stir slowly for about 10 minutes to thoroughly blend ingredients. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave dough in bowl to rest for 1 hour.
• Prepare 3 baking sheets with cooking spray or parchment paper. In a small bowl, pour the rose water and orange flower water. Pour the warm water in to a second small bowl. Working on a floured board, pull off about 1 cup of dough. Dip your fingers first in the warm water and knead the dough a few minutes; then dip the dough in the flower water and knead it again until the dough is soft and pliable.
• Use the palm of your hand to roll the ball of dough into a rope 12 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Cut the rope in half and make a wreath-shaped cookie with each one, pinching the ends together. Place on a baking sheet. When you have filled a baking sheet, cover the cookies with a clean towel and refrigerate overnight to rest the dough.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove baking sheets from the refrigerator to warm up while the oven preheats. Bake cookies in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

EASTER STORY COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Place pecans in a resealable plastic baggie. Crush the pecans into small bits. Read John 19:1-3
• Put 1 teaspoon vinegar into a medium bowl. Read John 19:28-30
• Add egg whites to the vinegar. Read John 10:10-11
• Sprinkle salt into the egg whites. Read Luke 23:27
• So far, the mixture isn't very appetizing. Add 1cup sugar. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16. Beat with mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
• Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Read Matthew 27:57-60.
• Place cookies in the oven close the door and turn the oven off. Read Matthew 27:65-66.
• Go to bed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
• In the morning open the oven and take out the cookies. Read Matthew 28:1-9.

EASTER SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar. Beat in egg yolk and extracts. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or until easy to handle., Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a 2-1/2-in. cookie cutter dipped in flour. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until edges begin to brown, 8-10 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Decorate as desired.

MARTHA'S EASTER SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and cognac until well combined. Add flour mixture; beat on low until just combined. On a lightly floured surface, divide dough evenly and shape into 2 disks; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 45 minutes and up to 5 days.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate until very firm, about 30 minutes, or freeze 10 minutes. Stamp out shapes. Transfer cutouts to prepared sheets, about 1 inch apart. Reroll scraps; stamp out more shapes and transfer to sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes, or freeze 10 minutes. Bake until set and golden around edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheets to wire racks; let cool completely.
• Royal Icing: In a bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, egg whites, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice until smooth. If necessary, add more lemon juice or confectioners' sugar to reach desired consistency. Divide and tint with gel-paste colors as desired. Pour some into squeeze bottles for detailing.

ITALIAN EASTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter and white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon almond extract, 1/4 cup milk and oil. Combine the flour and baking powder, stir into the wet mixture. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll the balls out into ropes about 5 inches long. Tie into loose knots and place cookies 1 inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 5 minutes on the bottom shelf and 5 minutes on the top shelf of the preheated oven, until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown. When cookies are cool, dip them into the icing.
• To make the icing, cream together the confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon almond extracts. Beat in 3 tablespoons milk, one tablespoon at a time, then stir in the food coloring if desired.

EASTER EGG SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or until easy to handle., Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. egg-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Make a hole for a ribbon by pressing a plastic straw 1/2-in. from the top of each cookie if desired. , Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool., For icing, sift confectioners' sugar and meringue powder into a large bowl. Add water and extract; beat on low speed until blended. Beat on high 5 minutes. , Fill a pastry or plastic bag with 1 cup of icing; cut a small hole in the corner of the bag. Outline each cookie with icing. Tint remaining icing with food coloring if desired. Add water, a few drops at a time, until mixture is thin enough to flow smoothly. Fill in the center space of each cookie, allowing the icing to spread to the outline. Let dry overnight., Decorate with remaining icing. Store in airtight containers. Thread ribbon through holes, tie ends in a bow and hang on an Easter tree if desired.

EASTER EGG COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, oats and salt; stir into creamed mixture. Divide dough into three equal portions. , Form 12 egg-shaped cookies from each portion. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until set. Cool completely. , Combine glaze ingredients until smooth; spoon over cookies. Decorate as desired.

ITALIAN EASTER COOKIES (BISCOTTI)

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
• Cream together shortening and white sugar in a bowl until creamy. Add 1 egg at a time, mixing well after each. Add 2 teaspoons anise extract and vanilla extract. Slowly add milk and mix until all ingredients are blended. Slowly add flour mixture, and mix until thick but creamy. Place dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Coat a work surface and hands with flour. Take a quarter-sized piece of dough and roll into a long narrow sausage shape. Form into desired shapes, such as "s" shapes, twists, candy canes, letters, etc. Cookies will puff up when baked, so be sure each cookie is only about the width of a pinky finger. Place cookies on a baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart.
• Bake in the preheated oven until light golden in color and golden brown on the bottom, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Place confectioners' sugar in a bowl and add 2 teaspoons anise extract. Mix in milk 1 tablespoon at a time until icing is smooth and creamy and not too drippy. Coat cooled cookies with icing and top with sprinkles.

EASTER EGG SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• For the sugar dough: Whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Beat together the vanilla and egg in a small bowl.
• Beat the butter, granulated sugar and confectioners' sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed. Once incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat until slightly creamy, about 3 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl using a rubber spatula as needed.
• Reduce the speed to low again, slowly pour in the egg mixture and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, beating until combined after each and increasing the speed as the dough gets thicker to keep the beaters spinning. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters as needed. Once all the flour is just incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the dough is very smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Turn the dough out of the bowl and bring it together. Divide into 2 even pieces. Shape each piece into a flat square and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
• Dust another sheet of parchment with flour and put 1 dough piece on top. Dust with more flour and top with another sheet of parchment. Roll the dough out between the parchment sheets into a square about 1/4 inch thick (and about 11 by 9 inches) and place in the freezer for 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining piece of dough.
• Working with 1 dough sheet at a time, cut out cookies with a 2 1/2- by 2 2/4-inch Easter egg cookie cutter and arrange on the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Refrigerate while you cut the remaining cookies. Reroll any scraps of dough and repeat the freezing, cutting and refrigerating process until all the dough is used. Repeat with the remaining dough sheet.
• Bake, rotating the baking sheets front to back and bottom to top about halfway through, until cookies are golden brown around the edges, about 12 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets set on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.
• For the icing: Meanwhile, sift the confectioners' sugar into a large bowl. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until the icing is thick enough to show the line of the whisk that disappears within about 8 seconds.
• Place 3 tablespoons white icing in each of 3 separate bowls. Tint each a different color and cover with plastic wrap (see Cook's Note). Place 1/4 cup white icing in another bowl, covering the remaining white icing with plastic wrap so it does not dry out. Drizzle one of the colored icings (about 1 tablespoon) onto the 1/4 cup white icing and swirl with a toothpick.
• Next, dip the surface of a cookie in the swirled icing and remove slowly, allowing any excess to drip off. Shake the cookie over the bowl of icing to remove any excess. Gently smooth the icing with a toothpick to fill in any gaps, if necessary. Place the finished cookies on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Use the tip of the toothpick to pop any bubbles that appear. Drizzle more colored icing as needed. Repeat this process with the next 2 colors and the remaining white icing until all the cookies are decorated. Let set for 30 minutes. Store single layers of cookies, with parchment in between, in a tightly sealed container for up to 1 week.

GREEK EASTER COOKIES (PASCHALINA KOULOURAKIA)

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar and the butter on medium-high speed until light and creamy. Add the orange zest, orange extract, and vanilla extract and mix again for a few seconds until just blended. Add the lightly beaten eggs and process to incorporate fully.
• In the meanwhile, in a small bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture and beat on low speed until the dough is just combined.
• Generously flour a clean work surface, the top of the dough and your hands. Empty the dough and knead it for just a few minutes, adding more flour if necessary, so it does not stick. The dough should feel soft and easy to work with. Try not to incorporate too much flour, or the cookies will not be tender.
• Form the dough into a disk, cover it with plastic wrap, and put it in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
• Preheat your oven to 350˚ F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it rest for five minutes. Pinch off a small piece of the dough and roll it into a small, walnut-sized ball. Roll it out with your fingers into a thin rope about 7-inches long. Form the rope into a circle and secure the ends. Alternatively, you can also twist the dough and then form little circles with it. Place on the baking sheet. Continue with the rest of the dough until you have formed all your cookies.
• Brush your circles with some of the beaten egg and sprinkle with some pearl sugar (if desired). Bake for 12-14 minutes, making sure not to over bake the cookies. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. When they are completely cool, store them in a tin container for up to two weeks (if they last that long)!

EASTER COOKIES & BIBLE STORY, WITH A COOKIE RECIPE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 300F. Gather the children and your Holy Bible. Place pecans in the plastic bag and let children beat them into small pieces. (My son made the wood squirrel,an oven rack puller! I use it to pound nuts!) Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by Roman soldiers. Read: John 19:13
• 2. Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. into a mixing bowl. Explain that when he was thirsty on the cross .. He was given vinegar to drink. Read : John: 19:28-30
• 3. Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent LIFE. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read: John 10: 10-11
• 4. Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represent's the salty tears shed by Jesus's followers. and the bitterness of our own sin. Read: Luke: 23-27
• 5. So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup of sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loved us. He wants us to know and to belong to him. read: John 3:16
• 6. Beat with mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes. Until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in Gods eyes of those who's sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read: Isaiah 1:18 and John 1-3
• 7. Fold in broken nuts. Drop by mounded teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus body was laid. Read: Matt: 27:27-60
• 8. Put the cookie sheet in the preheated oven,and close the door and turn the oven OFF! Give each child a piece of tape to seal all around the the oven door. Explain that Jesus tomb was sealed closed. Read: Matt: 27:65-66
• 9. GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus followers were in were in despair when His tomb was sealed. Read: John: 16:20 and 22
• 10. On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked cookie surface and take a bite. The cookies are almost hollow! On the first Easter Jesus followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty!
• 11. Check out this BEAUTIFUL ..."Easter Lamb Cake" https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cake/easter-lamb-cake.html?p=1 baked by JAP member :Patti Jagodzinski along with all the other great JAP ..Easter recipes. Have a BLESSED EASTER...Nancy P.
• 12. Notice the "Rabbit Napkin Holder" in the picture ? I painted her 10 yrs ago !She pops up out of her bunny hole..once a year!. So she is staying quite healthy! No broken legs so far..LOL

EASTER EGG PUZZLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Reduce speed to low; add flour mixture, and beat until combined. Add vanilla. Wrap dough in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut out egg shapes with a 2 1/2-inch oval cutter. Transfer cookies to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Bake until edges are golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Upon removing from oven, cut into pieces with a sharp knife (if they're cool, it will be difficult to create clean edges). Let cool. Using a pastry bag fitted with a 1/8-inch tip and filled with royal icing, decorate as desired. Sprinkle with sanding sugar while icing is wet. If adding dots or stripes, let base layer dry first.

EASTER BUNNY COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Cut cookie dough into 16 slices; cut 8 of the slices in half down the center.
• Roll each cookie slice to flatten, and shape the half slices for bunny ears.
• To make 1 bunny face cookie: place 1 whole slice cookie dough on a cookie sheet for the head; place 2 halves on top, slightly overlapping on whole slice, for the ears.
• Repeat steps to make 7 more bunny cookies, placing 2 inches apart on cookie sleet.
• Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.
• Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to a cooling rack.
• Cool completely, about 10- 15 minutes.
• Frost cookies with cake frosting.
• Decorate each bunny cookie with icing and add a jelly bean candies for the bunny's nose.

DECORATED EASTER EGG SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, flour, melted butter and egg until soft dough forms.
• On floured surface, roll dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 3- to 3 1/4-inch egg-shaped cookie cutter; place cutouts 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• In 3 separate small bowls, divide frosting and tint two of them separately with pink and yellow food colors, leaving the third bowl white. With small icing knife or offset metal spatula, spread 1 tablespoon of frosting on top of cookie.
• Using photo as a guide, decorate frosted cookie with cookie icing, sprinkles and sugars. Repeat for frosting and decorating remaining cookies. Let stand about 1 hour or until icing is set. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature with waxed paper between layers.

OLE FASHIONED ICED EASTER BUNNY COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. In a standing mixer cream butter, sugar, salt, and baking powder until light and fluffy.
• 2. Add vanilla and egg. Beat well until blended.
• 3. Combine the cornstarch and flour. Add half the flour and cream mix in. Then the rest of the cream and the cornstarch/flour.
• 4. Mix until well incorporated.
• 5. Divide into 2 round disk wrap and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• 6. Heat oven to 350. Roll dough out on a floured surface. I roll the cookies rather thick. I like them about 1/8 inch thick.
• 7. Cut out cookies with cookie cutter and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• 8. Bake cookies for 10-14 minutes.
• 9. Let cookies cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
• 10. To make the icing, in a large flat bowl mix ingredients until all the lumps are gone and well mixed. I let this sit a while to let the bubbles work their way to the top otherwise you tend to get lots of bubbles in your icing later (like 10 minutes).
• 11. Add food coloring to tint icing as desired. Make sure your bowl is large enough to dip your cookie in.
• 12. Dip cookie. Let it drain allowing excess to drip into icing bowl. I then place on a rack on a cookie sheet to cut down on the mess. I let these dry for at least one day otherwise they will stick to one another.
• 13. I make my own little bows out of a cute ribbon. I make ahead of time so they are ready to stick on. Or, you can purchase them at any craft store. I place any bows or candies on the cookies while they are just iced so they stick and stay on. These cookies bag well and look great for party favors.

EASTER STORY COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Place pecans in a zip lock bag, close the bag, and let the children beat the bag with a wooden spoon to break the pecans into small pieces.
• Explain to the children that after Jesus was arrested, the Roman soldiers beat him.
• Let the children smell the vinegar.
• Put the vinegar into a mixing bowl.
• Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink.
• Add egg whites to the vinegar.
• Eggs represent life.
• Explain that Jesus gave his life to give us life.
• Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hands.
• Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl.
• Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our sin.
• So far the ingredients aren't very appetizing.
• Add 1 cup sugar.
• Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us.
• He wants us to know and belong to him.
• Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until the stiff peaks form.
• Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sin have been cleansed by Jesus.
• Fold in Broken Nuts.
• Drop by teaspoons onto a cookie sheet covered with wax paper.
• Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.
• Put the cookie sheet in the oven and turn OFF.
• Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door.
• Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed.
• Go to bed.
• Explain to the children that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight.
• Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.
• On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie.
• Notice the cracked surface and take a bite.
• The cookies are HOLLOW!
• On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.
• He has risen!
• Happy Easter Everyone!

EASTER BUNNY COOKIES

Steps:

• In a small resealable plastic bag, combine the coconut, water and food coloring. Seal bag and shake until blended; set aside., For bunny ears, cut each marshmallow in half horizontally. Cut each Laffy Taffy into small oval pieces. Press one candy piece onto the cut side of each marshmallow half; set aside., In a microwave-safe bowl, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. Dip one cookie into candy coating. Let excess drip off and place on waxed paper. Immediately sprinkle coconut onto the bottom of cookie. Gently press jelly beans into coconut. Using kitchen scissors, cut bottom ends of marshmallow ears; press onto cookie. Add M&M's for eyes. , Repeat for remaining bunnies. Pipe pink icing for noses and whiskers. Let stand for 15 minutes or until set.

EASTER BONNETS (SHORTBREAD COOKIES)

Steps:

• MAKE THE COOKIES:.
• Combine the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Beat together with an electric mixer set at medium-high speed for about 1 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue beating until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract. Sift together the flour and salt. Blend into the butter mixture, 1 cup at a time. Continue mixing until the dough is smooth and no streaks of flour remain. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions; pat each into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Working with 1 disk at a time (leave the others chilling), place it between 2 pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap and roll out 1/4 inch thick. Remove the top piece of waxed paper, and using a 3-inch scalloped or straight-edged biscuit or cooking cutter, cut out at leas 6 cookies. Place the cookies 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Reserve the dough scraps. Repeat with the remaining dough disks. Re-roll all the scraps and cut out at least 24 smaller cookies with a 1-inch straight-edged cookie cutter.
• The smaller cookies will be the crown of the bonnets and large cookies will be the brims.
• Place the smaller cookies on a second parchment-lined baking sheet at least 1-inch apart. Refrigerate both baking sheets until the cookies are very firm, about 2 hours. If chilling longer than 2 hours cover loosely with plastic wrap.
• Preheat the oven to 300°.
• Bake the cookies until firm and lightly golden for just about 20 minutes. They'll taste bitter if allowed to bake too darkly. Let cool completely on a wire rack before icing.
• MAKE ICING:.
• In a large bowl, beat the egg whites (or reconstituted meringue powder) with an electric mixer set on low speed until frothy. Sift the confectioners' sugar into the bowl. Slowly increase the mixer speed to high and continue and continue beating until brilliant white, firm, and fluffy, this takes about 10 minutes. You should have 2 1/2-3cups. Scoop out 1 cup of the icing and set aside to use for piping.
• Thin the remaining icing with water, adding 2-3 teaspoons at a time until is is of pouring consistency. Divide among as many small bows as different colors you wish to create, then tint the portions. Place the cookies on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and pour the thinned icing over them. If necessary, shake the cookies to ease the icing over the edges. This should cover the cookies with a thin, even layer. Allow to dry completely.
• Tint the 1 cup icing if desired. Spoon into a large piping bag fitted with a number 2 plain decorating tip for squiggles, dots, scrolls, and stripes or a number 4 plain tip for piping a ribbon. To create the bonnet, pipe a small amount of icing on the back of the smaller cookie and attach it onto the center of the larger cookie.
• Decorate your bonnet according to your personality or those of your guests. And don't forger to sing along with July Garland -- "in your Easter bonnet with all the frills upon it".

EASTER EGG COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream powdered sugar and butter for cookies in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in lemon zest.
• Combine sifted flour with baking powder and salt. Sift again, then add to the butter mixture alternately with the milk, stirring after each addition until just combined. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet.
• Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator. Lightly dust your hands with flour and roll 2 tablespoons dough between your palms into a 3-inch long cylinder with tapering ends. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are a pale straw color, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately transfer cookies to wire racks. Allow to cool thoroughly, about 30 minutes.
• While the cookies are cooling, prepare icings. Combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, and warm water for lemon icing in one bowl, and combine powdered sugar, warm water, chocolate, and vanilla for chocolate icing in a second bowl. Stir both icings until smooth and thin enough to pour.
• Put waxed paper under the racks of cookies. Pour about 1 tablespoon lemon icing over a cookie, beginning in the center and continuing around the sides until cookie is evenly coated. Repeat to frost 1/2 of the cookies with lemon icing and the other 1/2 with chocolate icing. Scoop up an icing that drips on the waxed paper and stir into the remaining icing. Use extra icing as needed to coat cookies. Let icing dry until no longer sticky, about 30 minutes.
• Use tubes or pressurized cans of decorating icing to make your own fanciful design of flowers, geometric shapes, or Easter motifs.