STRIPED NECK TIE COOKIE HOW-TO

source: http://thecakegirls.com/catalog/product/view/id/1561/s/striped-necktie-cookies/category/110/

STEP 1: TINT THE COOKIE DOUGH

Prepare both cookie dough recipes according to the recipes and place both in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap. After 30 minutes, remove the vanilla sugar cookie dough, cut into 3 portions and tint each portion by kneading in food coloring. Place them back in the fridge, wrapped individually and chill for 3 hours or overnight.

STEP 2:  CREATE STRIPES

Unwrap your cookie doughs and cut each in half and place remaining pieces back in the fridge. 

 

On a lightly floured surface, roll each color out to 1/4 inch thickness (Check the thickness against each other. It's most important that they're all the same thickness rather than being exactly 1/4" thick)

Use the rolling cutter to cut each color into strips, anywhere from 1/4" to 1/2" wide. You can use a ruler to guide your cutter if you want, but I didn't.

Place a strip on a lined 1/2 sheet tray. Place a different color strip right up against the first, MAKING SURE to press it into the first so that they are stuck together. Continue to layer the strips in your desired pattern, pressing each strip into the next. You should make the width of your design about 9 strips wide.

When you are done, your tray will look like this.

If you have any super long strips curling up the side of the pan like I did, trim them off with your cutter.

STEP 3: ROLL OUT, CUT  AND BAKE

Place your pan in the fridge and refrigerate your dough until very firm, 1/2 hour or longer. Once chilled, remove the pan and gently peel off one section of dough from the parchment and place on a lightly floured surface. Place the others back in the fridge. Roll the dough in the direction of the stripes until it's 1/8" thick, lightly flouring your rolling pin as necessary.

Cut out the neck tie cookies on an angle to give each an angled stripe pattern.

Place the cookies on the second parchment lined 1/2 sheet tray. With the extra striped dough, use the top of the cutter to cut out the knot of the neck ties and adhere to the cookies using a little water to moisten. Flip the pieces over to get reverse patterns. Repeat with the remaining refrigerated striped dough until the tray is full of ties.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Refrigerate your cookies for 15 minutes before baking. Place the cookies in the oven straight from the fridge and bake for 9-10 minutes or until the edges are just lightly golden. Repeat the whole process with the remaining dough.