Baking with kids: Unicorn Poop Iced Gem Cookies

Yes, you read that correctly - UNICORN POOP ICED GEM COOKIES!

Here's a great, fun recipe to make either with kids, or for kids. 
Obviously, the level of difficulty depends on whether the kids are involved or not! ;-)

You can make plain sugar cookies or leave out the vanilla and add in some ginger and cinnamon (like we did) for some spice. 

Unicorn Poop Iced Gem Cookies

Total time: approx. 40 minutes (plus cooling and setting)
Cook time: 10-15 minutes
Extra time needed for: cooling and overnight setting

Makes: 20-24 medium cookies

Stuff you'll need

For the cookies:

• 200g soft salted butter, at room temperature
• 200g / 1 cup caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract (if not using spice)
• 1 large free-range egg
• 400g / 3 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted plus extra for dusting
• Pinch of ginger (optional)
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)

For the icing:

• 250g icing sugar
• 1 egg white
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice 
• Food colouring (we used pink, blue, yellow and green)
• 4 x small/thin piping bags
• 1 large piping bag
• Large open star nozzle

How to make

Cookies-

1. Preheat oven to 180° and line a tray with baking paper
2. Mix the sugar, butter and vanilla (if not using spice) on a slow speed in an electric mixer or beat by hand until just combined
3. Add the egg, continue to mix until incorporated
4. Add the flour (and spices if using) and mix until a dough is formed. It should end up as a nice pliable ball of dough with no sticky bits left on the bowl - you can add more water or flour if it needs to be wetter or dryer
5. Roll the dough to a 5mm thickness on a clean, floured surface
6. Cut out the cookies and transfer to the lined tray/s, leaving a small gap between them
7. Bake for 10 minutes then check, if the cookies are not firm and springy to the touch, bake them a little longer, checking every few minutes
8. Leave to cool on a wire rack

You can start to prep the icing once the cookies are in the oven.

Icing- 

1. Mix all the ingredients on a slow speed until the icing sugar has been incorporated (the mixture should be very thick)
2. Add more lemon juice or icing sugar if the mixture is too thick or too runny
3. Continue to beat for around 3 minutes
4. Divide the icing into four bowls and add a few drops of one colour to each, then mix
5. Fill each small piping bag with one colour then snip off the end
6. Place all four filled bags into the large bag, ensuring the tips reach the nozzle evenly (you may wish to clip the large bag at the top to hold it firmly shut)
7. Squeeze the icing out starting on the outside edge and working your way inside and upwards in a swift action, forming a peak at the top
8. Leave to dry overnight or place in oven at about 70° for 30 minutes then turn off heat and leave for 1-2 hours.

 If you're making these with kids, you can eat them before they're dry!