This is how we do - Book Week

We love book week here, pretty much because we love books. Our school has wonderful library staff whom we adore and a morning reading club which we have always attended.

Plus my kids love dressing up so book week is a no brainer.

We try to follow a rule of not buying shop bought costumes or spending a heap of money which is kinda hard because I can not sew and also because I am pretty much craftless. I have mentioned before how I can not use a hot glue gun without sticking my fingers together (true story every single time).

So I need to be extra creative, and my kids have to have a bit of a sense of adventure.

One year I sent Bubble as the paper bag princess in a huge brown paper sugar bag. On the morning of the parade I was emptying sugar into big containers and cutting holes out for the arms and neck. Some messy hair a bit of eye shadow 'soot' and a tiara and we had a perfect costume.

Sweet was the little mermaid using a costume my sister had made for a birthday party and some red hairspray.

Paper bag Princess and The Little Mermaid. 

Bubble was reluctant to get out of the car but in the end she loved it.

Another year The Destroyer went as the saucepan man from The Faraway Tree. Luckily all my saucepans came home intact.

Have saucepans in the kitchen ........hello no cost costume.

Bubble's grade 1 costume was Fancy Nancy, changed the morning of the parade from another costume I had all ready to go. However at the time she pretty much was Fancy Nancy so we had no difficulty at all in rustling up a costume in 15 minutes. She even wore an old pair of my high heels just like the cover of the book. The other kids were completely in awe of her red heels.

Fancy Nancy, the other kids were not even at school,

 but seriously who misses a change to get dressed up. Not us that's for sure :)

Last year Bubble decided not to participate and I made an Alice in Wonderland stuck in the white rabbit's house costume for Sweet. A few days before the parade Bubble changed her mind and I had to come up with another costume. Luckily Sweet's favourtie book at the time was Thelma the Unicorn and I had the cutest Puddle Duckling unicorn flower horn that I already had ordered just because they are amazingly gorgeous.

I popped down to the discount stores and bought 2 wigs and used one for her mane and one for her tail. I cut up some pink sparkly cardboard and stapled them around her hands and legs for quick diy 'hooves' added a bit of face paint and she was the cutest unicorn around.

Thelma the Unicorn costume - Flower unicorn crown from Puddle Duckling

The Destroyer had decided to go as the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. During the week I hand painted a cardboard clock. He popped on his suit and we found some ears and a bow tie in our dress up box. A little bit of white face paint, pink nose, white hair spray and some whiskers and he was ready to go.

White Rabbit and Alice in Wonderland, that is a kinda embarrassed smile as there were quite a few kids gathering around by this stage.

The Alice in Wonderland costume was of course the one I spent the most time on. But it was completely free using stuff I already had on hand. The box was something I had received in the mail, I used the kids paints and the dress was an old princess dress from our dress up box. I was a bit super proud of it considering I'm not really that good at craft.

I've put my thinking cap on for this year and I am trying to come up with some fun ideas for the kids. Let me know if your have any good inexpensive ideas.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, mother, owner of The Biscuit Cafe and author of the children's cookbook Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! Published in the US in 2011 the book is still available online at Amazon and other online book stores.

Affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog

I love when people share my blog ideas and give credit. All posts contain original ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer-McCubbin unless otherwise credited. Please feel free to link back to my blog for non commercial purposes.

Free video how to make easy no bake ghost treats for Halloween

These no bake ghost cookie truffles for Halloween are so super easy you are going to love them.

Click on the picture above to see the whole video on youtube

One of my top 5 posts ever, it is always a hit at this time of the year so I whipped up a quick video to show you how easy it is to make them.

Or if you are more of a written instruction type person here is the link to the original post: CLICK HERE

Related Recipes
Oreo Tuffle Pops recipe
Tim Tam Truffle Pop recipe

If you like this recipe check out my 10 fun Halloween Foods to Make post CLICK HERE

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the Children's cookbook Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! Published in the USA in 2011 the book is still available at Amazon and many online bookstores.

Affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog.

Original ideas, photography and recipes Linda Vandermeer please do not reuse without permission.

Happy ghost cup edge cookies for Halloween

Believe it or not this may be my only Halloween post this year. Yes that's right this is a Halloween post despite the pretty floral china in the photo's.

I am what I am and at the moment it seems happy ghosts that are too cute to scare anyone perched on the edge of  latte cups are on the menu around here.

Anyhoo the fun thing about these cookies is that the cutter is not a ghost cookie cutter, or even a cup edge cookie cutter.

Nope these cutters are upside down tulip cutters and the edge of the broom from a witch cookie cutter.

 

I've seen tulip cutters used for ghost cookies all around the place at the moment they seemed to be the perfect size and as luck had it I had some tulip cutters on hand.

Works out pretty sweet - huh. If you prefer royal icing to fondant you can of course make the cookies by outlining and flooding with white royal icing and then piping on the eye and mouth detail, otherwise to make as I have follow the instructions below.

Oh and if you like these cup edge cookies you should check out the sweet deer ones I made for Christmas last year.

Oh Deer cookie tutorial link

Happy Ghost tutorial
If you prefer just to make cute ghost cookies that do not sit on the edge of your coffee cup just omit the section where you cut out the indent.

Sugar cookie dough (recipe below)
Rolling pin
Tulip cutter (I used Cake Boss Decorating Tools 4-Piece Springtime Fondant Press Set, Red )
Any cutter with a thin long section (mine was a witch from a bucket of cookies or alternatively use sharp knife to hand cute shape)
White ready roll fondant ^
Black ready roll fondant ^ (optional use a edible pen instead)
Small plastic rolling pin
toothpick
cornflour (corn starch)
2 small brushes
water
pink edible dusting powder

 ^fondant dries out quickly, when not in use store in an airtight container or ziplock bag. To use fondant knead until pliable and smooth and roll out on a workbench dusted with cornflour (cornstarch).

Using the cookie recipe and instructions below cut out and tulip cookies then using the broom section of the
witch cutter cut out thin indent from the bottom of the cookie as per pictures below. Cook as per instructions until golden.

Knead white fondant until smooth and pliable. Dust workbench with cornflour (corn starch) and roll out fondant until quite thin then using the tulip cutter cut out a fondant shape, then using the witch broom cut a thin indent the same as the cookie (see picture below).

Brush water onto the cookie and adhere the fondant, use the rolling pin to smooth the fondant into place.

Break off two small pieces of black fondant and press into oval shapes, press onto ghost cookie for eyes. Pinch of two very small amount of white and roll into a small ball, press one onto each of the black eye, use the toothpick to press in the top right corner of the circle to make the eye, then pinch off an even smaller bit of white fondant and press it into the top right corner of the black oval eye.

Make a mouth by rolling a small amount of black fondant into a thin rope, curving into a smile and pressing into place.

Use a clean dry brush to lightly dush pink cheeks on either side of the mouth as per picture.

 

Sugar Cookie Recipe (will make around 60 to 80 small ghost cookies)

460 grams plain flour (16 1/4 oz all purpose flour)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
230 grams unsalted butter (8 1/8oz)room temperature
220 grams caster sugar (7 3/4 oz superfine sugar)#
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
#use regular white sugar if you do not have caster/ superfine sugar

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to medium low, add the egg and vanilla and mix until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and mix in the sifted flour mixture until combined. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill in fridge for 30 minutes or so.

Line a few baking trays with parchment/ baking paper.

Dust workbench with plain flour and using a large rolling pin roll out the dough until around 1/2 cm (1/4") in thickness. If the dough is to hard you may need to work/knead it a bit until you can roll it out.

Cut out cookies shapes and place the cookies on the prepared trays. (Knead and reroll dough as necessary, if it becomes to soft you can pop it back in the fridge.)

Pop the cut cookie dough trays into the fridge to chill again for around 30 minutes until firm (or in the freezer for 10 minutes).

Preheat oven to 160 C (320 F) and cook the cookies until they just start to turn golden, around 15 minutes (less or more depending on cookie size).

Cool on trays for 5 minutes and then carefully lift onto a wire rack to cool completely prior to decorating.

- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for 1 week

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer do not reuse without permission.  

Walking Dead Nesting Doll Cookies Zombie and Daryl Dixon

Well it's out there. I'm a Walking Dead fan which is kinda strange as I really do not like horror or scary films at all.

So when I decided to make up some Zombie nesting doll cookie's I had to throw in someone from The Walking Dead and who else could it be but Daryl Dixon.

Seriously. It's not even a real competition.

Anyhoo I was pretty sure I wasn't going to be doing Daryl's arms any justice so I chose to make the cookie in the poncho outfit. Plus I find it kinda weird that the only people that look good in poncho's are 6 year old girls and Daryl Dixon. I'm not sure how that works, maybe it's the cross bow accessorizing.

The actual zombie cookies come in two types. Traditional green brain hanging out and the new walking dead inspired grey skin, gold eye and mildly more gory version (notice the missing hand).

If you follow the blog y'all would know I have some type of obsession with making stuff into nesting doll cookies (matroyoshka or babushka). If you use the search tool at the right you can find previous Halloween cookies I've made as pictured below.

Cookie instructions for Male Zombie, Daryl and fondant cross bow included below: There is a link to another post with the sugar cookie roll out recipe I use.

Daryl Dixon and Zombie Nesting Doll Cookie Instructions

Male Zombie Cookies (walking dead inspired)

These instructions use the medium nesting cookie cutter, follow the exact same instructions for small or large nesting doll cutter. For traditional green zombie replace green fondant for grey and add a partial piece of gummy brain onto the head.

Sugar cookies made using medium nesting doll cookie cutter (CLICK HERE for post with a cookie recipe)
rolled fondant shop bought or home made marshmallow fondant (Coloured Grey, White, blue, black and yellow - pink if you are making female)
small rolling pin
medium nesting doll cookie cutter (around 9.5cm or 3 3/4 inch)
small sharp knife
clean brush and water
black edible writing pen
gold dusting powder plus dry clean brush
*Fondant dries out very quickly. Use small amounts work quickly and when not in use place the fondant in an airtight container or ziplock bag to minimise the chances of it drying out and cracking.



 Roll out the grey fondant onto a clean benchtop dusted with cornflour/ cornstarch until a couple of mm (1/8") in thickness. I like to lift my fondant frequently and turn it like pie dough to ensure it does now stick to the bench while rolling it out.

Use the nesting doll cookie cutter to cut out a shape. Do the same with the black, blue and white colored fondant.

Refer to picture above as part of instructions

Place the black and blue fondant cut outs on top of each other and using the sharp knife cut out boots. Place the white cutout on top of the blue and using the knife cut a ragged shirt/pants then finally place the grey on top of the white and cut out a zombie face. Use a small amount of water to adhere the fondant cutouts onto the cookie, using the rolling pin to press into place as necessary.

Using the back of a knife or a fondant tool imprint an indent in the middle of the jeans and shoes.

With the remaining offcut head of the white fondant use the sharp knife to cut out a shoulder with ragged sleeve edges.

With the remaining offcut from the grey fondant use the sharp knife to cut out an arm and hand.Refer picture below. I gently twisted each finger to round the shape out a little, and then used the tip of a #1 piping tip to make nail indents, but just cutting the shape would be ok. On some of the cookies I did not put a whole hand and just added red fondant for a bloody stump (with a little white bone sticking out).

 

Make a second smaller arm and hand.

Adhere the shirt shoulder and larger arm to the zombie cookie as per picture and the smaller arm to the other side, the different sizes and prominent shoulder is supposed to give the allusion of lurching.

Roll out the yellow fondant and using the nesting doll cookie cutter cut out a head. Using the sharp knife cut out hair for the zombie and adhere with a small amount of water.

Using the knife, add some indents into the zombie's grey skin.

Add eyes, I used a small amount of white fondant and added yellow iris with a small amount of gold lustre dust. Any color would be ok - or you could just draw on eyes with an edible pen.

Optional - shape a small amount of grey fondant into a triangle and add a nose.

Draw on a mouth using the edible pen.

Allow to sit to until the water and pen have dried and then store in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Daryl Dixon Nesting Doll Cookie
*I use chocolate fondant for the dark brown, add white to make a lighter brown and mix black fondant into the chocolate fondant to make black. I just think it tastes better this way.

Sugar cookies made using medium nesting doll cookie cutter
rolled fondant shop bought or home made marshmallow fondant (Coloured Skin tone, brown, blue, black, cream, red and light brown)
small rolling pin
medium nesting doll cookie cutter (around 9.5cm or 3 3/4 inch)
small sharp knife
clean brush and water
black edible writing pen
*Fondant dries out very quickly. Use small amounts work quickly and when not in use place the fondant in an airtight container or ziplock bag to minimise the chances of it drying out and cracking.

Simple Fondant Cross Bow - the cross bow is of course optional (Umm yeah right - without it he's just some weird guy wearing a poncho)

Roll out the black fondant onto a clean benchtop dusted with cornflour/ cornstarch until a couple of mm (1/8") in thickness. Use the nesting doll cookie cutter to cut out the head, then move it inwards a little and press down again to cut out the front of the cross bow. Smooth it a little with your fingertips and pull the edges up a little as shown in the picture above.

Roll a thin strip of black fondant (or use an extruder) and shape into an upside down U. Make the U very thin and long and then place the front of the crossbow onto the top of the U shape, press the ends of the U together and then cut off excess fondant.

Roll out another even thinner strip of black fondant, attach it in the middle to the back of the crossbow (see picture) and then pull each end up to the ends of the crossbow 'front'. Cut of excess with sharp knife. Allow to set for a little while on baking paper while you make the Daryl Cookie.

Daryl Dixon Cookie

I mixed together grey, blue and brown to make dirty jean color fondant, this is optional you can just use blue or grey if you like

Roll out the jean colour fondant onto a clean benchtop dusted with cornflour/ cornstarch until a couple of mm (1/8") in thickness. I like to lift my fondant frequently and turn it like pie dough to ensure it does now stick to the bench while rolling it out.

Use the nesting doll cookie cutter to cut out a shape. Do the same with the dark brown, cream and skin tone colored fondant.

Place the dark brown and jean color fondant cut outs on top of each other and using the sharp knife cut out boots. Place the cream cutout on top of the jean color and using the knife cut a deep V for the bottom of the fondant then finally place the skin tone on top of the white and cut out Daryl's face. Use a small amount of water to adhere the fondant cutouts onto the cookie, using the rolling pin to press into place as necessary.

Using the back of a knife or a fondant tool imprint an indent in the middle of the jeans and shoes.

Roll out the lighter brown fondant and using the nesting doll cookie cutter cut out a head. Using the sharp knife cut out chunky asymmetrical hair and adhere with a small amount of water.

Roll out the red fondant and cut into thin strips, adhere around the neck and hem of the 'poncho'. then make small triangles and decorate the poncho (see picture above for example).

Shape a little excess light brown fondant into a moustache and beard - see picture above for example.carefully adhere with a tiny amount of water.

Use the edible black pen to draw on extra detail. I added dots along the red poncho trim and in the middle and side of the red design on the poncho.

Add eyes, arched eyebrows and a mouth. Make sure he's not really smiling too much.

Place the crossbow onto Daryl's shoulder adhering with a very small amount of water.

Allow to sit to until the water and pen have dried and then store in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 3 days. 

Daryl Dixon is a fictional character from The Walking Dead.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer for Bubble and Sweet do not reuse without permission. 

Zombie Week Day 3 - Brain pops

It's still Zombie Week here at Bubble and Sweet and today I made Brain Cake pops.

I've always said everything is cuter when you put it on a stick, really I wrote a whole book about it, and Zombies are just like everyone else. They like to play with their food and if it's not running away from them the next best thing is on a stick.

I've used an Easter egg mold to make these brains. I have brain molds, don't you worry. Lots of brain molds big ones, medium ones, medium small ones.

However I just don't have any actual small ones that would be just right for a cake pop.

But when I was looking through my mold boxes I saw the 'cracked' Easter egg mold that's the perfect size and really it's not like my kids are neurosurgeons, well not yet, so I was betting they wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

Cute stripe lollipop stick from Polkadot Prints

Plus I'm not adverse to saving money and I really love saving space in my creative room. So I just went with my Easter egg molds. (I've popped a link below for all of you that really want authentic looking brains )

I think they look not bad as brains at all, plus for Easter I'm thinking I can just photoshop the colors, pop ears on the skulls and use the same tutorial ;)

Oh I just couldn't help myself today and I had to shabby chic up the pictures in a Halloweenish way, but at least there weren't any doilies.

Zombie brains on a stick
(makes 12)

280g (10 oz) red candy melts
Cake pop mixture (CLICK HERE for 1 box cake pop recipe mixture or use your fav recipe)
12 lollipop sticks (mine from Polkadot prints)


Place red candy melts in microwave safe dish and microwave on medium low for 2 minutes, remove stir, return for another 2 minutes at medium low and stir. The candy melts should be smooth and fluid.

Spoon enough melted candy into the egg 'brain' mold to coat each 'brain' indent.

Place into fridge and chill for a few minutes until set.

Take cake pop mixture and press into each indent until it reaches just below the rim.

Make sure the red candy melt is still fluid (if not return to microwave at medium low for a minute and stir).

Turn the mold upside down on a tray lined with baking/parchment paper and twist to gently remove each shape.

Spoon enough mixture into the top of each brain and spread evenly over the cake pop mixture.

Place a lollipop stick into the back of the 'brain' in the still melted red candy and then place onto the baking tray flat side down to set. Place in fridge for a few minutes until set.

Can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.





Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer for Bubble and Sweet do not reuse without permission.

 

Zombie Week - Zombie brain munch popcorn

Mmmmm braaains.

Day 2 of Zombie Week on the Bubble and Sweet blog and I've whipped up some Zombie Brain Munch popcorn.


This is a link to the youtube tutorial:

It pretty much takes next to no time to make up and once again the kids loved it.

I made up my own Zombie eyes using white chocolate and M&M's but you can easily find gummy eyeballs around at the supermarket at this time of the year if you want to skip that step.

 I'm planning on some brain pops for tomorrows Day 3 Zombie week offering.

If you missed day 1 of Zombie week be sure to check out my post on Zombie Splat cookies: CLICK HERE

Zombie Brain Munch Popcorn 

8 cups plain popcorn
375 grams (131/4 oz)  white chocolate
120 grams (4 1/4 oz) green candy melts (or you can use dark chocolate)
1 cup of brain candy (I used berry lollies or use gummy brains)
1/3 cup candy eyes approx - see instructions below of buy ready made gummy ones

Place the white chocolate into a microwave safe dish and microwave at medium low heat for 2 minutes, stir and then heat for another 2 minutes at medium low. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth.

In a large bowl stir the white chocolate through the popcorn until it is evenly distributed.

Pour the chocolate covered popcorn into a tray lined with foil and spread out evenly.

Melt the green candy melts/chocolate in the microwave at medium low heat until smooth. Place in a small ziplock bag and then randomly squeeze onto the white chocolate covered popcorn until the green candy/chocolate is all used.

Push the 'brains' and 'eyes' onto the top of the tray of popcorn.

Allow the popcorn to set and then cut into pieces to serve.

Zombie eyes

This makes a stack of eyes and you will not need all of them for the popcorn. You can either reduce the recipe by 1/3rd or keep the rest for other decorating or munching.
 
85g (3oz)
80 M&M's or candy coated chocolate buttons (I used light blue, red and pink)
black edible pen

 
Melt chocolate at medium low heat 2 minutes, stir heat for another 2 minutes at medium low heat.

Place the white chocolate into a piping bag or clean zip-lock bag and cut a small hole in the end.

Pipe out rows of white chocolate dots that are just larger than the M&M's you are using.

Push a M&M into each white chocolate dot.

Once the white chocolate is set, draw a black circle in the center of each M&M.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer for Bubble and Sweet do not reuse without permission.

ZOMBIE WEEK - Zombie Splat Cookies

It's Zombie week here at Bubble and Sweet.

I'm trying to make up for the reduced baking, sharing and posting lately with a week filled with easy and fun to make Zombie treats.

It seemed fitting seeings as I have been feeling and looking a bit like a zombie in the past few weeks myself. But totally in a 'Warm Bodies' type way 'cause I haven't been completely soulless.

These Zombie Week sweets are the kind of easy to make mildly gross types of food my kids think are cool to make and eat.

First up I've made some zombie splat cookies. I thought up these cookies way back when I made my Alien Zombie Brain Eating Monster Cake Pops, the 'pops' kinda looked like they were melting which made me think of the cult 'Mr Melty' snowman cookie by Meaghan at The Decorate Cookie and I thought - hey melting zombie cookie that would be kinda cool. But I am not really sure that Zombies melt, I think they're more likely to decay so I've decided I would splat them instead.

This is the link to the Video Tutorial:

To make the splat shape I used cookie cutters I have had for years from Ikea - they are blue plastic and come in a big round set and I have used them many times in the past on this blog. I like the irregular shapes but the ones I liked were a bit too small so I had to push them out with the roller before baking. I've made a quick video tutorial which shows how I did the rolling out - I recommend watching the video for the cookie part plus it shows how to attach and roll the fondant out to shape using the same technique.

If you don't have a irregular cookie cutter shape you could draw a template onto clean cardstock/paper and then use that in place of a cookie/fondant cutter using a sharp knife to cut around your template.

Join me tomorrow for Day 2 of Zombie Week (insert zombie music here) for Zombie Braaaaain Munch popcorn. Mmmmmm brains.

Zombie Splat Cookies
These are tiny 1 or 2 bite size cookies so the cookie dough will make around 80ish. I halved my dough and used the other side for a different project. Cookie dough can be wrapped and frozen in airtight container for a couple of months, defrost in the fridge still in the container when ready to use. If you do not like fondant you can easily use royal icing instead.

Cookies in irregular shapes * see below for recipe
Green fondant (mine is white Bakels coloured with Wilton Kelly Green and americolor Electric Green)
Fruit burst berry jelly lollies (eg nordic berries or gummy brains in the US)
Edible eyes (buy or make your own CLICK HERE for diy instructions)
water (or edible glue) and clean brush

Dust workbench with a little cornflour and then with a small plastic rolling pin roll out the green fondant until quite thin.

Using the same cutter or template you used for the cookie, cut an irregular zombie splat shape out from the fondant and then attach the fondant to the cookie with a small amount of water. Use the rolling pin to push the fondant into place (see the attached video tutorial which gives a good demonstration of this step).

Push a raspberry lolly/brain candy into the top of each cookie and then 2 eyes.

Decorated cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week.

Sugar Cookie Dough recipe

460 grams plain flour (16 1/4 oz all purpose flour)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
230 grams unsalted butter (8 1/8oz)room temperature
220 grams caster sugar (7 3/4 oz superfine sugar)#
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
Green Food colour (optional)
#use regular white sugar if you do not have caster/ superfine sugar

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to medium low, add the egg, vanilla and a few drops of green food colour and mix until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and mix in the sifted flour mixture until combined. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill in fridge for 30 minutes or so.

Line a few baking trays with parchment/ baking paper.

Dust workbench with plain flour and using a large rolling pin roll out the dough until around 1/2 cm (1/4") in thickness. If the dough is to hard you may need to work/knead it a bit until you can roll it out.

Cut out cookies shapes* and place the cookies on the prepared trays. (Knead and reroll dough as necessary, if it becomes to soft you can pop it back in the fridge.)

*For the zombie splat cookies I like an irregular shape cookie cutter from an Ikea set. I rolled the dough a little thicker than normal, cut out the shape and then used the rolling pin to roll the cookie out a little bigger.
Pop the cut cookie dough trays into the fridge to chill again for around 30 minutes until firm (or in the freezer for 10 minutes).

Preheat oven to 160 C (320 F) and cook the cookies until they just start to turn golden, around 15 minutes (less or more depending on cookie size).

Cool on trays for 5 minutes and then carefully lift onto a wire rack to cool completely prior to decorating.

- Undecorated cookies can be stored in an airtight container for 1 week.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.

Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer for Bubble and Sweet do not reuse without permission.