Here's How: Painted Cookie Puzzle

These painted cookies are easy and fun to make.

Line them up, paint on them, separate them. Then try to put them back together (like a puzzle) or rearrange them in a new pattern!

1. Use any roll-out sugar cookie recipe to bake the 9 squares.

2. Pipe a border of white royal icing around each cookie!

3. Fill in the squares with white royal icing (I use a paintbrush) and let them dry for 8 hours or overnight.

4. Create your palette with food coloring. Using a paintbrush, mix your colors with small amounts of water depending on the vibrancy desired. If your brush seems too wet, is not too wet, dab it on a paper towel before painting on the cookie.

5. Place the cookies in a grid to make your cookie canvas! It's a good idea to place them on a silpat, towel or any surface that they won't slide around on.

6. Start painting! We played around with long stripes in different directions. You can't go wrong!

7. We added gold as a final touch. Just combine edible gold dust with vodka, dip your brush in, and tap the brush so the gold "paint" splatters onto the surface. You can also add sprinkles or any other embellishments.

8. Break apart the grid and you have color coordinated cookies!

9. Try putting them back together (like a puzzle) or move them around to make a new design.

For recipes and tips on how to decorate cookies using royal icing, check out my book.