Cookies in a Pot

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups butter, softened
• 3 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon butter flavored extract
• 7 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS
Cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs and flavorings and mix well. Stir flour, baking powder and salt together. Add to batter and mix well. CHILL 3-4 hours or overnight before using. Roll cookies out approximately 1/4 inch thick and insert cookie sticks at least 1/3 to 1/2 way into cookie. Bake cookies at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 8-10 minutes. (Mine was a slow oven and I turned it up to 365 degrees and three on a sheet took 20 minutes.) This dough keeps well in a covered container in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. Decorate as desired. Display 3-7 cookies in a 6 inch clay pot (depending on size of cookie). Weigh pot down with dried beans and cut a circle of Styrofoam to fit snugly into top. Add ribbons and enjoy.

These were easy to cook. I had cookie cutters from JoAnn's or Micheals and I got shiskabob skewers from Wal-Mart they had 3 sizes and I got the longest. They were near the paper plates and bar-b-que things. I made sure they were a little over 1/4 inch thick but not 1/2, those were too heavy. I pushed the stickes almost to the top and hopefully in the middle front to back. I made 54 this large size and made 3 times the recipe.
Laura the icing went well. I made just a powdered sugar and milk, with a bit of almond flavoring because the vanilla made it a muddy color. Then I
made royal icing for the decorations. The cookies
aren't super sweet so the icing adds the sweetness.













I planted grass in a large flower pot and stuck the cookies in. That means the sticks come out with dirt on them not the best idea. Something else would have been better. I just wrapped them with saran wrap. Many sisters took several... (hadn't planned on that either.) It was very fun to do and I would love to do that again.