EASY SKELETON RECIPES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until easy to handle. , On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-in. gingerbread boy cookie cutter. Place on greased baking sheets. , Bake at 375° for 7-8 minutes or until set. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For icing, in a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Cut a small hole in the corner of a resealable plastic bag; fill with icing. Pipe skeleton bones on cookies.

Steps:

• Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in bowl; set aside.
• Combine sugar and butter in bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed until well mixed.
• Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a ball; flatten slightly. Wrap each in plastic food wrap. Chill at least 2 hours or until firm.
• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Roll out dough, one-half at a time (keeping remaining dough refrigerated), on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with floured 2-inch gingerbread boy cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 5-8 minutes or until cookies are just set. Cool 2 minutes on cookie sheets; remove to cooling rack. Cool completely.
• Combine powdered sugar and enough half & half for desired piping consistency in bowl; mix well. Spoon icing into pastry bag fitted with small round tip; pipe small circle for head. Pipe stick figure to form arms and legs and 2 short lines for ribs on body.