Kitchen Krafts

By Paula Weed

Men often get ties for gifts, but this tie is unusual because it is edible! You, along with your mom’s or another older person’s help, can create delightful cookie-tie gifts. Make one for your dad.

Cookie Ties

To make about six of these colorful cookie ties, you will need: 1 cup butter, softened; 2/3 cup sugar; 1 egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 2 1/2 cups flour; a pencil; tracing paper; a rolling pin; Butter Cream Frosting (see recipe below); and candies of your choice. Optional for each cookie-tie gift: a tie box, stickers, and tissue paper.

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla to the mixture and beat until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour until well blended.

2. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 2 hours. Trace the tie pattern on this page, and cut it out.

3. On a clean, lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4″ (6 mm) thickness. Using the traced pattern, cut out the tie shapes with a table knife. Place the cookies 1″ (2.5 cm) apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake at 350° F (175° C) for 8–10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, then frost and decorate with candies (see illustration).

5. If desired, decorate a tie box with stickers for each gift. Then wrap each cookie tie in tissue paper and place it in a tie box.

Photo by Tamra H. Ratieta

Butter Cream Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter/margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

yellow food coloring

1. Combine the sugar and butter/margarine together, then beat with a hand mixer for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.

2. Stir the vanilla into the mixture, then stir in the yellow food coloring to the desired color.