Bake fun, colorful paper doll cookies

Preheat the oven to 350oF. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Knead the flour into the dough until smooth. Divide the dough in half. Roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface to a scant ¼-inch thickness.

Cut out the desired shapes according to the recipe, using templates or a cookie cutter and cutting as close together as possible. Transfer the shapes to the cookie sheets, spacing ab0ut 1 inch apart. Remove any areas of the cookies If directed in the recipe.

Bake until golden and firm to the touch, 7 to 12 minutes depending on the size and shape of the cookies. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Candy clay works like colored taffy or fondant and can be tinted, rolled, shaped and textured.

Place the chips in a medium glass bowl. Microwave on high, stopping to stir every 20 seconds, until the candy is melted and smooth, about 1 minute (it is important not to overheat).

Add the corn syrup and stir with a rubber spatula until well combined. The mixture will look grainy. Cover the clay tightly with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for at least 3 hours to firm up. The candy clay can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored, covered, at room temperature.

When ready to use, knead the clay until smooth. (If the candy clay was made several days in advance and is too firm, microwave the clay for 5 to 10 seconds to soften.)

Tint the white chocolate candy clay with the food coloring, if desire, kneading the clay well to blend the color. Divide the candy clay into small pieces. Roll out each piece between two sheets of waxed paper to a 1/8-inch or thinner thickness. Cut the clay into the desire shapes with a cookie cutter, small knife, or clean scissors. To make shapes, work the candy clay like modeling clay. Place the shapes on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet and cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying. Follow the directions for use of candy clay in each recipe.

Although it takes time to dry, this frosting is great for details and colorful decorations because it is tough enough to stand up to travel.

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until blended. Increase the speed to high and beat until smooth and thick (the frosting may be tinted at this time). Use as directed in the recipe.

Follow the directions for the Quick Sugar Cookie Dough through step 1. Cut out 16 cookies using 5-inch gingerbread boy or girl cookie cutters. Transfer the shapes to the cookie sheets about 1 inch apart. Use a drinking straw to make a small hole in each hand for the ribbon. Continue with step 3 to bake the cookies. Cool on a wire rack.

Line three cookie sheets with waxed paper. Tint enough white chocolate candy clay into the desired colors to make the fabrics of your choice. Knead until well blended. Roll out one color of the clay at a time between 2 sheets of waxed paper to a 1 ⁄8-inch thickness. Using a fluted pastry wheel, a paring knife, small scissors, or cookie cutters, cut the rolled candy clay into shapes. After assembling the patterns, use the same gingerbread boy or girl cookie cutter used for the cookies to trim the clay to fit. Transfer the clothing shapes to the cookie sheets. Repeat with the scraps and the other pieces of clay, keeping covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying.

Shape the remaining candy clay scraps by hand, using candies for accents to make the accessories: suntan lotion bottle (chocolate and yellow clay), beach towel (neon blue and green candy clay, textured with a grater), ax (gray candy clay and thin pretzel stick), fruit hat and dress decoration and green shoes (fruit-shaped hard candies), tie tack, buttons, star, and lips (candy decors), teddy bear (Teddy Grahams), club (butterscotch candy clay and wheat stick), bone (white candy clay), chef’s hat (marshmallow and white royal frosting), spoon (butterscotch candy clay), clogs (black jelly beans), hair barrette (pink candy clay), and purse (yellow candy clay and pink banana-shaped hard candy). Transfer the pieces to the cookie sheets.

Divide the royal frosting between two ziplock bags. Press out the excess air and seal the bags. Snip a very small (1 ⁄16-inch) corner from a bag. Pipe dots of frosting on the back side of the candy-clay cutouts. Attach the clay to the cookies. Pipe dots of frosting on top of the cookies to add the extra decorations. Let the cookies dry for at least 30 minutes.

Thread a thin ribbon through the holes in the hands to tie the cookies together.