First, bake a batch of sugar cookies and make decorating icing (see related recipe at right). You can add food coloring to create several colors of icing, if you'd like.

After the cookies have cooled, it's time to decorate them. It's even more fun when you invite friends over and have a cookie-decorating party!

• Using an icing spatula, spread some icing on each of the cookies. Use one or more colors if you want.

• While the icing is soft, decorate the cookies with colored sugars, sprinkles and/or candies. The icing must be soft for the decorations to stay in place.

• Set the decorated cookies back on the wire cooling rack until the icing is firm, about 20 minutes.

• Then have fun eating your creations!

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Kids Baking, by Abigail Johnson Dodge (Oxmoor House, 2003).