Easter treats are a delicious and festive way to celebrate the holiday. Baking and decorating cookies for Easter is easy, and can be a great way to involve children in celebrating the holiday. You can bake cookies for the family or decorate and share at holiday gatherings and festive events.

Creating cookies in the shape of traditional holiday symbols is the most popular form of Easter cookies. Easter eggs, ducks, bunnies and religious symbols such as a cross can commonly be found in craft stores as cookie cutters. Pastels are the signature colors of Easter, and can easily be prepared in frostings and decorations such as colored sugar to top Easter cookies.

This guide will provide tips and recipes for how to make Easter cookies. You can also apply these tricks to our own recipes and other desserts as well. Instead of buying store made cookies or treats for Easter, you can bake and decorate homemade cookies, while saving a few dollars as well.

Perhaps the most common holiday cookie is the sugar cookie. Sugar cookies are rolled out, and using cookie cutters, formed into familiar shapes, then baked. They are easy to make and fun to decorate.http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/sugar-cookies-recipe/index.html

3 c. all-purpose flour 3/4 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1 c. soft unsalted butter 1 c. granulated sugar 1 beaten egg 1 tbs. milk

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, blend butter and sugar using an electric mixer until light in color. Add milk and egg to the sugar mixture beat until combined. On low speed slowly add flour mixture until dough is formed. Place the dough in half, wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and prepare counter surface for rolling dough by sprinkling powdered sugar.Only remove 1 half of dough mixture from the refrigerator at a time. Roll dough out smooth to 1/4 inch thickness. Using cookie cutters cut out shapes and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the edges begin turning a golden brown. Decorate as desired.

To create a varied flavor, add vanilla, lemon or other flavored extracts.

Once you've baked Easter sugar cookies, allow them to cool before applying frosting or icing. If they are too warm, the topping will melt resulting a messy cookie.

Easy Cookie Icinghttp://southernfood.about.com/od/christmasfood/r/blxm197a.htm - makes approx 3/4 cups icing

1 3/4 c. confectioners' sugar 1 1/2 tbs. light corn syrup 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 1/2 tbs. hot water

Use a medium size mixing bowl and sift sugar. Stir in corn syrup and vanilIa extract . Add how water and mix until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add a few drops of water until the texture is as desired. Alternate extract with almond or lemon for different flavors.

Sugar Cookie Glazehttp://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sugar-Cookie-Glaze/Detail.aspx - This icing will dry leaving a smooth and sheen surface.

1 c. confectioners' sugar 1 tbs. light corn syrup 2 tbs. water Food coloring

Stir all ingredients together until blended and smooth. Add desired food coloring. Continually stir glaze to avoid lumps or drying.

Sugar Cookie Frostinghttp://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sugar-Cookie-Frosting/Detail.aspx

4 c. confectioners' sugar 1/2 c. shortening 5 tbs. milk 1 tsp. vanilla extract or other flavors Food coloring Directions

Cream confectioners' sugar and shortening in large bowl until smooth. Slowly add milk and extract for about 5 minutes until well combined and smooth. Add food coloring if desired.

Creative decorating is what makes an ordinary cookie an Easter cookie. By using different toppings and colors, you can create an endless variety of tasty Easter treats.

1. Colored sugar. A perfect and simple way to add color to a sugar cookie. Available in store bought varieties or this can be homemade. In a plastic bag, add sugar and a few drops of food coloring. Shake and blend, then lay on a cookie sheet for approx. 20 minutes to dry.http://www.mccormick.com/Recipes/Desserts/Colored-Sugar.aspx
2. Shredded coconut is another common decoration for desserts. This topping can also be colored to the season, using a small amount of food coloring and mixing well. Remember that only a few drops is needed to add color.
3. Candies. Throughout the holiday, many candy makers tailor their treats to suit the given season. Easter is a holiday of pastel colors, and many popular candies can be found with these shades.
4. Cutout sugar cookies are fun to decorate, especially when baked into familiar shapes. Decorating ducks and bunnies can be done using colored frosting. Also cookies in the shape of Easter eggs are fun to decorate.