Candy Filled Pinata Cookie

With the new apartment, I've gotten back into the baking swing and have decided to take a shot at a cookie project I found on Pinterest a while back: The Pinata Cookie. These little burros take some time to make but are a fun party favor and hide a great surprise inside. You can find the original recipe on "She Knows".

Step 1: Gather your supplies. You're going to need some food coloring (I used a combination of gel and standard liquid), cookie dough, a bag of M&Ms, some quick dry icing, and a donkey cookie cutter (tip: check out "Ark" packages or substitute a more common horse cutter).





 

Step 2: Separate your cookie dough into five equal portions. Before breaking out the food coloring be sure to put some plastic wrap down to ensure you don't stain your counters. Food coloring will stain! Knead your food coloring into each piece of dough. You can do this by hand if you're brave, with the use of a hand mixer, or with a good old fashioned spoon if you're looking for a work out.

Step 3: Line a container with plastic wrap. Then, roll out each piece of dough individually and layer it within the container. You will want to freeze this before continuing--and I do mean freeze. I got eager and my colors blended a bit in step 4. Be sure your dough is totally frozen before continuing for a properly colored pinata.

 Step 4: Cut your frozen dough into slices. You are going to bake these as solid squares before using the cookie cutter, so cut the slices at a thickness you think appropriate for your cutter.

Step 5: While your cookies are still warm, use your cookie cutter to piece out your pinatas. Colors should run horizontally. Keep in mind that each cookie will require three pieces to make a whole pinata.






Step 6: One of every three pieces is going to need to be trimmed to make the "middle" of your pinata. Head and body should remain intact. Remove the pinata's legs and ears and hollow out his middle portion.





 

Step 7: Use your quick drying icing to piece the pinatas together. You will want one whole burro on the bottom, a legless burro in the middle, and another whole burro on top. Be sure to fill the cookie's stomach portion with M&Ms before sealing with icing.

 



Step 8: Bust open those Pinatas!!!