Rainbow Cookies

[60 Minutes]

Rouse your child's curiosity about rainbows as you shape dough together to make rainbow cookies!

You'll need:

• cookie sheet • 3-1/2 cups flour • 2-1/2 tsp. baking powder • 2 eggs • 2/3 cup shortening • 1-1/2 cups sugar • 1 tsp. vanilla • 1 tsp. salt • 1 Tbsp. milk • rolling pin • plastic knife • food coloring--red, yellow, green, blue • bowl • measuring cup & spoons • spoon • plastic wrap

What to do:

1. Let your child help you measure and mix shortening, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until fluffy.
2. Show your child how to sift flour together with baking powder and salt. Add 1 Tbsp. milk.
3. Take turns mixing well and forming dough into a ball.
4. Divide and color the whole ball of dough as follows: 1/3 = red; 1/3 = yellow; and then divide the last 1/3 in half and color 1 part blue and 1 part green.
5. Show her how to knead the color into the dough.
6. Roll the blue dough into a thick log about 8" long. Shape into a slight arc.
7. Roll the green dough into a thick log about 8" long. Flatten log slightly and shape over the green log forming an arch.
8. Roll the yellow dough into a thick log and flatten. Shape over the green.
9. Roll the red dough into a thick log. Flatten. Shape over the yellow.
10. Wrap the layered log in plastic wrap and chill 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
11. Slice log into 1/4" pieces.
12. Let your child dip 1 side of each cookie piece in granulated sugar.
13. Place cookies sugar-side-up on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 9 minutes. While cookies are baking, invite your child to use crayons to color a rainbow picture.

Let's Talk: Ideas to Explore Together.

• How did you make colored dough?
• Have you seen a rainbow in the sky?
• What colors did you see?

Useful information:

While you are baking together, your child is developing concepts related to measurement, shapes and colors. Working with dough provides development of small muscles and finger dexterity.