Make back to school cookies together— you may want to help with spelling or ideas by writing what your children choose to say on real notebook paper and allowing them to copy what you modeled.

After the cookies are completely dry, package them up and encourage your children to pass them out to their new teachers, the principal, or anyone else who would enjoy these yummy reminders of how grateful you are for the adults who will be leading your children at school.

Prep Time: 15 mins.    Cook Time: 10 min.    Yields: 36 cookies

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Back to School Cookies

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup margarine
• 3 eggs
• 6 tablespoons milk
• 5 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 teaspoons baking powder

Icing

• royal icing–prepare according to the package directions
• white food coloring
• food coloring fine line markers
• ruler

WHAT YOU’LL DO

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Cream sugar, margarine, eggs, and milk until well combined.
3. Add flour, salt, and baking powder until just combined.
4. Liberally flour a work surface and rolling pin.
5. Roll out about a quarter of the dough at a time to 3/8″ thickness.
6. Cut with cookie cutters.
7. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
8. Bake for about 10 minutes until cookies are just done.
9. Cool completely before frosting.
10. Mix 1 1/2 cups of the icing and add the white food coloring.
11. Frost by outlining the edge of the cookies first and then flooding the middle.
12. Allow the icing to dry overnight.
13. Once the icing is completely dry, use the ruler and Foodoodler markers to draw blue and pink lines.
14. Let set, and then allow your children to write words on the cookies using the special markers.
15. Package cookies in small boxes or cellophane bags, attach a homemade gift tag, and let your children deliver them on the first day of school.