Ladybug Cookies

Here in northeast Georgia the ladybugs appear October 15 on the dot, and if the winter is mild we’re still brushing them out of our hair in March. There are always plenty of them around by Christmas!

These Ladybug Cookies are an easy variation on the traditional snowmen and reindeer Christmas cookie, and will really brighten up your cookie platter. They also look great hanging on a cookie tree!

Ladybug Cookies

Use your favorite recipe for roll-out sugar cookies. Here’s an oldie but a goodie:

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla OR peppermint extract
1 and ½ cups baking flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix first four ingredients. Add dry ingredients a little at a time. Add red food coloring until the dough is a bright red shade (you may have to knead this with your hands. Wear gloves! The food coloring stains)

Cover and refrigerate at least one hour. Roll out 1/4 in thick on floured surface. Cut into small circles with a juice glass or a biscuit cutter dipped in flour. Roll one quarter teaspoon of dough into a small ball for each cookie, then flatten and attach the ladybug “head”. (This is a great job for children, who can shape the head of each ladybug and give it personality). Bake 8 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet until light golden . Cool and decorate.

Decorations:

1 recipe butter cream frosting OR 1 can pre made white frosting
1 bag chocolate chips
Red food coloring
Red colored sugar (you can easily make your own by combining 1/2 cup white sugar with red food coloring to the desired shade–10-20 drops. Mix with a fork)

Decorating:

Melt ½ cup semi- sweet chocolate chips in a double boiler. You can add up to 1 tablespoon of milk or cream to keep the consistency smooth.

Add red food coloring to the frosting until you obtain a deep pink or red color,and frost the body of the ladybug
While frosting is wet, sprinkle liberally with red sugar (or dip the cookie in a plate of red sugar and shake off the excess)
Dip the “head” in the melted chocolate
Place chocolate chips on the body of the cookie for the ladybug’s spots.

Get the whole family involved and set up an assembly line. These cookies are almost as much fun to make as they are to eat!