Rocket & Star Cookies

Cooking Instructions

Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat baking sheet(s) with nonstick spray. Trace outline of Rocket and cut a pattern from cardboard. Have ready 3-in. and 2-in. star-shape cookie cutters.

Knead flour into cookie dough until blended. Divide in 4 equal portions. Wrap 3 and refrigerate.

Rockets: With a floured rolling pin, on a floured surface, roll out unwrapped dough to a scant 1⁄4 in. thick. Cut out Rockets with pattern. Reroll and cut scraps. Repeat with another portion dough. Place 26 craft sticks about 31⁄2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheet(s). Place 4 Pull-n-Peel strands on top at end of each stick. Top each with a rocket, overlapping end of stick by about 11⁄2 inches. Lightly press down on dough.

Stars: Roll out another portion dough as above. Place 8 craft sticks, about 3 in. apart, on ungreased baking sheet. Cut out 3-in. stars with cookie cutter. Reroll and cut scraps. Top each stick with a star, overlapping end of sticks by about 11⁄2 inches. Repeat with remaining dough, sticks and 2-in. stars.

Bake Rockets 7 to 12 minutes, Stars 8 to 10 minutes until golden. (As they bake, the Pull-n-Peel strands change texture. That’s OK.) Cool 1 minute on baking sheet on wire rack. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

To decorate Rockets: Divide 1 can frosting between 2 small bowls; color 1 blue, the other red. Spoon red frosting into decorating bag fitted with piping tip. Using back of a small spoon, spread a layer of white frosting on bottom 2⁄3 of cookies. Pipe horizontal red lines across triangular top. Clean piping tip, insert in a clean bag and add blue frosting; pipe vertical lines on white frosting.

To decorate Stars: Divide 11⁄4 cups frosting between 2 small bowls; color 1 blue, the other red. Spoon blue frosting into decorating bag fitted with piping tip. Using back of a small spoon, spread stars with a layer white frosting. Pipe blue designs. Clean piping tip; insert in clean bag, add red frosting and pipe red designs.

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

TIP To make half the number of Rockets and Stars (or only 1 kind of cookie) knead 2⁄3 cup flour into 1 roll of cookie dough and decrease the other ingredients by half.

Planning Tip: The cookies can be baked up to 2 weeks ahead and frozen airtight with wax paper between layers. Proceed with Step 6 up to 1 day ahead. Store tightly covered in a single layer (frosting stays soft) at cool room temperature or refrigerate.