Sugar Cookie Paint

This is a great, hopefully more controlled alternative to frosting cookies for the holidays. It's fast, easy, and cheap to make lots! 

Step 1:

For the paint you'll need: 
1 egg white, room temperature
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 c. powdered sugar
different colors of food dye
new, clean paint brushes (plastic bristles!) 

And, while you don't "need" the paint palette - it is fun to have

For the sugar cookies, I just used a basic rolled sugar cookie recipe:
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Cream together butter and sugar - Beat in eggs and vanilla.
Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. **Cool completely before painting!! **

Step 2:

Beat the egg white and Cream of Tartar together, until stiff peaks form. Don't over beat, or it may "beak" - leaving a watery mess at the bottom of your bowl. 

Gently mix in the powdered sugar. 

Now's the time to add any clear extracts if you want a bit of extra flavor. 1/4 - 1/2 tsp is plenty

Step 3:

Separate the mixture into smaller bowls, and add a few drops of food dye to each. 

Step 4:

Paint! 

Step 5:

When you're done with your cookies, let them dry for a few minutes. The "paint" will harden, and you can stack them if needed.