From ME to AZ: Piñata Sugar Cookies

Hello All,

For Cinco de Mayo (which was more like Ocho de Mayo for me, you can read about why in my post titled, Cinco de Mayo with Dana Carvey) I made piñata cookies! They are super easy but also really high maintenance - you'll see. Mine did not turn out perfect (the stripes should be going the other direction and they should look like they have hooves, but it's the taste that counts, right?) See the steps below!

Step #1: Find a piñata shaped cookie cutter (this is the hardest part.)

Step #2: Make sugar cookie dough. I used store bought packages and added vanilla and almond extract to make it taste homemade with very little effort. Then separate the dough into approximately seven different chunks. Color each ball of dough a different color. Pack the dough in layers in a plastic container lined with waxed paper or foil and leave in the fridge for at least four hours or overnight. Remember to dye one dark purple or black for the feet and it should be the bottom or top layer in the stack of dough.

Step #3: Wait.

Step #4: Take the log of dough out of the fridge and remove the waxed paper or foil. Then cut thin slices to get the stripped pattern. Place on a baking sheet and bake according to your recipe's directions. I emphasized thin because I think that is where I went wrong with mine. I cut the cookies so thick that in the end, I only had five piñata cookies.....

Step #5: Once the cookies are done baking, cut the piñata shaped cookies (see above.) Make sure one in every three has the middle cut out as well (see below.)

Step #6: Let the cookies almost finish cooling then break them apart.

Step #7: Now it is time to assemble them! Mix together confectioners sugar and milk to make a sweet glue for the cookies to be stacked together with. I don't measure ingredients so start with a lot of sugar and a little amount of milk and when it looks like glue you did it!

Step #8: Place a whole cookie down first and glue a cookie with the middle cut out on top. Fill with your favorite little candies (I went with M & M's).