There's nothing more beautiful on an early spring day than a rainbow. If Nature isn't giving you one, take matters into your own hands and make your own. Grab the kids and roll up your sleeves. These cookies are a lot of fun to make together and they're the perfect springtime treat for St. Patrick's Day, a birthday party, a baby shower, or any rainy day that needs a rainbow.
Rainbow Cookies (adapted from allrecipes)
3/4 cup butter, softened 3 ounces cream cheese 1 cup sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 3/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt red, yellow, green, blue food coloring
Directions In a large bowl on medium speed, combine butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and whip until smooth and creamy. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then add slowly to the butter/egg mixture until a thick dough forms. Allow dough to mix for an additional 2 minutes. Separate dough into four equal parts. Drop 8-10 drops of food coloring into each portion and knead until color has mixed in completely. Wrap each colored dough in plastic wrap and chill for 1-2 hours.
After chilling, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Separate each color of dough into four sections. Roll each section into an even cord. Gently press a red, yellow, green, and blue cord together, and then bend into a wave pattern. Cut the waves into separate "rainbows" and place on a prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Do not overcook. You want the dough to be soft instead of crisp. Repeat with remaining sections of dough.