Paint Box Cookies

Makes about 36 cookies

Ingredients:

11/4 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
11/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
Red, blue, green and yellow food coloring

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Brush two baking sheets with melted butter.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into the mixture and combine. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about one hour, or until firm. If it becomes too hard, leave at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
Place each egg yolk in a separate bowl. Add a teaspoon of water and beat well with a fork. Add a few drops of a different food color to each one.
Divide the dough in half; keep half refrigerated and roll out the other half between two sheets of waxed paper to about 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out shapes and use enough to fill the prepared baking sheets. Use small paintbrushes to paint the cookies, adding a little extra water to the food colorings to create a more translucent effect. Allow the "paint" to dry before baking. 5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly colored. Cool on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining mixture, preparing the baking sheets as instructed in step one.