Bake Cut Cookies Shaped Like Handprint Turkeys
Trace Outline of Child's Hand's to Make Thanksgiving Cookie Cutter
Oct 31, 2008
Turning handprints into turkeys is a classic Thanksgiving craft activity. Why not turn a child's handprint into turkey-shaped cut cookies? Involve your child in the preparations for Thanksgiving this year by inviting him or her to "lend a hand" in making treats for the dessert table.
How to Make a Handprint Turkey Cookie Cutter
- Place a child's clean hand flat on a piece of cardstock or cardboard.
- Trace the outline of the child's hand down to the wrist. For variety, trace the hand with fingers both together and spread.
- Cut the outline out. This will be the cookie cutter.
How to Bake Handprint Turkey Cut Cookies
The dough used must bake into a crisp cookie to keep the outline of the child's hand from spreading. Pick your favorite crisp cut cookie dough recipe or try the following shortbread recipe. Depending on your child's age, allow him or her to participate in the process of baking the cookies by measuring ingredients, mixing and kneading dough, cutting out cookie shapes, and so on.
Shortbread Recipe
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 1/2 cups flour
Directions:
- Leave butter out in bowl for half-an-hour to come to room temperature.
- Add the sugar and flour and mix the dough together with your hands, first squeezing the ingredients together and then kneading gently until everything is evenly mixed.
- Form the dough into a ball, cover the dough, and refrigerate it for about an hour. (NOTE: Chilled dough will roll out more easily and hold its shape much better than warm dough.)
- If you are going to use egg yolk paint to glaze the cookies, follow the directions below and mix that up now.
- On a lightly floured surface, with lightly floured hands and a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough out to 1/2 inch thick. (NOTE: Dough will be stiff when it comes out of the refrigerator, so knead it until it is pliable, but not wet.)
- Use handprint turkey cookie cutters to cut handprint turkey-shaped cookies. Place the paper on the dough and use a sharp knife to (carefully) cut around the paper.
- Place cut cookies on parchment paper-covered cookie sheets. If decorating with egg yolk paint, add that before baking (see below). If decorating with icing, bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes at 300º or until set.
- Let cookies cool for about 5 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer them to a wire rack.
- Once cookies have completely cooled, if you have not already painted them with egg yolk paint, decorate them with icing (see below).
How to Decorate Handprint Turkey Cut Cookies
- Children can use egg yolk paint to transform their handprints into turkeys the same way they would paint a paper handprint turkey. (NOTE: Egg yolk paint uses raw eggs. Children should never eat it raw, cookies should be painted with egg yolk paint before being baked, and brushes and children's hands should be thoroughly washed after painting is done.) Mix together one yolk and 1/4 tsp. water with drops of food coloring to create the paint.
- Children can use royal icing, buttercream frosting, fondant icing, and/or sprinkles, colored sugars, jimmies, nonpareils, or dragees to decorate baked cookies to look like turkeys.
- Do not insist that children use only fall colors or make only traditional-looking turkeys. Provide children with frosting, icing, and edible decorations in an array of colors and watch children create turkeys that relate to their favorite things.
- Make a special cookie for your child for Thanksgiving dinner with his or her name or initial on it.
Record the date on the back of your handprint turkey cookie cutter and save it as a memento of this Thanksgiving and your child at this age.
Children may also enjoy making cupcakes that look like turkeys or a Pilgrim hat cupcake dessert.
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