Sugar Cookie Jigsaw Puzzle

If you are looking for one of those fancy schmancy moms that do REALLY cool things like Rachel does with her Bento lunches or Cat does with about EVERY dessert ever made, you can pack up and leave. I am not really good at this whole cooking thing. I mean it usually TASTES great but getting it to stand up, not crack, not fall over, and to look professional?

I failed that part of momhood.

What you will find right now is a fun idea for you and your kids to do together in the kitchen which is what the holidays (and really everyday) should be about. And I documented it to inspire you to play around in the kitchen. I originally saw this idea in a child’s cookbook I have (Taste of Home Kid-Approved Cookbook: 300+ Family Tested Fun Foods) and let me tell you, theirs looks nothing like mine.

Nothing like it.

I am starting to wonder if they Photoshopped their picture because they did not give half the instructions that one would give before embarking on this adventure.It also had no cracks whatsoever, so at this point I am thinking they just painted uncooked dough. In any case, I am going to give you the reality and the rest is up to you.

How to make a Sugar Cookie Jigsaw Puzzle

Yep, a cookie jigsaw. We are throwing the lid off this Christmas and going all Chevy Chase on you.

Ingredients

• 1 tube refrigerated sugar cookie dough, softened
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• almonds ( I used walnuts)
• 2-2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
• 4-5 tablespoons of milk
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• assorted decorations and food coloring
• oven on 350
• metal cookie cutters

1) In a large bowl combine the cookie dough and flour. The original recipe says 1/2 a cup but I could only get about 1/4th cup to absorb in without it being too dry. I suggest putting your dough and adding a little at a time.

2) On parchment paper (which is NOT wax paper) roll out the dough into a 14×11 inch rectangle. I did my best here. Its not that easy to get into a rectangle. Or a square. I used the pizza cutter to even up the edges and ate the extra dough. That is not advice in case you are worried about death by salmonella. Then take your cookie cutters and shape out your scene. You can use your imagination here, but my advice is to use METAL cutters, not plastic. This will be a future helpful tip.Do not remove the shapes, but place the whole thing on a cookie sheet and put in the fridge for 10 minutes.

3)  Pull out from fridge and remove the shapes from the cookie. Add almonds (or in my case I used walnuts) in the middle of each shape to act as a handle for your puzzle. Put on an ungreased cookie sheet 350 degrees for 7-9 minutes. I honestly left them on the parchment paper myself. I find it easier for removal.

IMPORTANT: Once you remove from oven, RECUT THE SHAPES with the cutter. The oven will have made the cookies bigger so if you do not recut, they wont fit. You have to do it right away while the cookies are still hot or they will get all crumbly. I know this from experience.

4) Take your rectangle cookie and leave on parchment paper and bake from 12-13 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and RECUT THE SHAPES with the cookie cutter so you have perfect edges. If you are using plastic, I found this to be harder, this is why I advised metal. Now your cookies and your puzzle should be the exact same size.

5) Let cool completely.

4) In bowls combine your confectioners sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Separate your frosting into different bowls and use food coloring to tint it. then you can use regular paint brushes (this is the fun part your kids can do!) to paint the puzzle.

5) Once you are all done, put the puzzle pieces IN  the puzzle and EAT!!!

My Cookie Jigsaw Puzzle may be messy…but it’s TASTY. Of course we have already taught you HOW NOT to make cookies around here.

Do you cook with your kids over the holidays?

~trisha