I like these cookies, even I managed to make a success out of these despite my baking nemesis being ever present still (well at this point in my cooking adventure anyway) these are particularly good for a couple of reasons, the first being they are a fab treat to make with the kids, and they also double up as Christmas tree decorations, but you could omit the sweetie bit and opt for royal icing and use the flood technique to ice them instead. This is a really versatile recipe and one which I have used several times for that reason. You are not limited either, you can use any cutter and design them however you would like.

Christmas Tree Decorations

225g softened butter

140g caster sugar

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

2tsp vanilla extract

280g plain flour

Pinch salt

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Multi-coloured boiled sweets, crushed in their separate colours

Hundreds and thousands, ribbon to decorate

1. In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, then add the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Sift the flour and the salt into the butter mixture and stir until well combined, halve the dough into balls wrap in cling film and chill for about an hour.
2. Preheat your oven to 190˚C/375˚F and line two large cookie sheets with baking paper, unwrap the dough and sandwich between two sheets of baking paper and roll it out, using Christmas themed cutters, cut out your cookies, place them on the cookie sheets spacing them quite far apart.
3. Use a large plain piping nozzle to cut holes in the centre of each cookie, then using a skewer poke smaller hole in the top of each cookie (so you can poke the ribbon through later for hanging) Brush the tops of each cookie with egg white and sprinkle with hundreds and thousands, bake in the oven for about 7 minutes.
4. Remove the cookies from the oven, fill the holes with the boiled sweets and return to the oven for a further 5-8 minutes, or until golden and the sweets have melted and filled the holes. Allow to cool on the cookie sheets then transfer to wire racks, finally add thread the ribbon through the holes.