Flag Cookies

Cooking Instructions

Heat oven to 350°F. Have baking sheet(s) ready.

Knead flour into cookie dough until blended. Roll out on floured surface with floured rolling pin to scant 1⁄4 in. thick. Cut out with flag-shape cutter. Reroll and cut scraps. Place flags about 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheet(s).

Bake 7 to 12 minutes until golden. Cool 1 minute on baking sheet on a wire rack. Transfer with a broad spatula to rack to cool completely.

Color frosting as follows: 1⁄3 cup red, 1⁄2 cup sky blue and 1⁄4 cup royal blue. Spoon red frosting into decorating bag fitted with &#-35;3 tip and sky blue frosting into bag with &#-35;11 tip.

To decorate: With back of a small spoon, spread royal blue frosting near top left corners into wavy rectangles about 1 in. long, 3⁄4 in. wide. Spread all but 2 Tbsp white frosting on rest of flags. Pipe 7 wavy red stripes on each. Clean piping tip, insert in a clean bag, add reserved 2 Tbsp white frosting and pipe dots for stars.

Shortly before serving: Pipe a line of sky blue frosting on each flagpole; press on a lollipop stick and a dragée.

NOTE Dragées are only for decoration. Remove before serving the cookies.

*Available in supermarkets or stores selling crafts or cake-decorating supplies.

TIP Frosting can be piped from quart size plastic ziptop bags instead of decorating bags with piping tips. Cut a scant 1⁄8 in. off corner of bags with red and white frosting, 1⁄4 in. off bag with blue frosting.

Planning Tip: The cookies can be baked up to 2 weeks ahead and frozen airtight with wax paper between layers. Proceed with Step 4 up to 1 day ahead. Store tightly covered in a single layer (frosting stays soft) at cool room temperature or refrigerate.