Fruit Shaped Cookies Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda and cinnamon in a bowl. Cream the butter and sugar in a separate bowl, then gradually add the eggs. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, blending well. Mix the pecans, cherries, pineapple and raisins in a large bowl, then pour the batter over them. Fold the fruit and nuts into the batter by hand, mixing well. Drop the batter by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and done.

Steps:

• Mix margarine and sugar in medium bowl; stir in flour and almond extract until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Divide dough into 3 equal parts; tint and shape each portion as desired; see below for fruit options.
• Place on ungreased cookie sheet; cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 300F degrees.
• Bake cookies for about 30 minutes, until they're set but not browned.
• Apples: Mix red or green food colour into part of dough; shape into small balls; insert small piece of cinnamon stick in top of each stem end and whole clove into bottom of each for blossom end; dilute red or green food colour with water and brush over apples.
• Apricots: Mix red and yellow food colours into part of dough; shape into small balls; make crease down 1 side of each with a wooden pick; insert whole clove in each for stem end; dilute red food colour with water and brush over apricots.
• Oranges: Mix red and yellow food colours into part of dough; shape into small balls; insert whole clove in each for blossom end; prick balls with blunt end of wooden pick to resemble texture of orange peel.
• Pears: Mix yellow food colour into part of dough; shape into small balls, then into cone shapes, rounding narrow end of each; insert small piece of stick cinnamon in narrow end for stem; dilute red food colour with water and brush on"cheeks" of pears.
• Bananas: Mix yellow food colour into part of dough; shape into 3-inch rolls, tapering end to resemble bananas; flatten tops slightly to show planes of banana; curve each slightly; paint on characteristic markings with mixture of red, yellow and blue food colours diluted with water.
• Strawberries: Mix red food colour into part of dough; shape into small balls, then into heart shapes (about 3/4-inch high); prick with blunt end of wooden pick for texture; roll each in red sugar; insert small piece of green-coloured wooden pick or green dough into top of each for stem.

Steps:

• Mix butter and sugar in large bowl. Stir in flour and almond extract until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Divide into 3 equal parts. Tint and shape dough as directed below. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 300°F. Bake about 30 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Apples: Mix red or green food color into part of dough. Shape into small balls. Insert small piece of cinnamon stick in top for stem end and whole clove in bottom for blossom end. Dilute red or green food color with water and brush over apples. Apricots: Mix red and yellow food colors into part of dough. Shape into small balls. Make crease down 1 side with a toothpick. Insert whole clove for stem end. Dilute red food color with water and brush over apricots. Bananas: Mix yellow food color into part of dough. Shape into 3-inch rolls, tapering ends. Slightly flatten sides to make planes of banana; curve slightly. Paint on markings with mixture of red, yellow and blue food colors diluted with water. Oranges: Mix red and yellow food colors into part of dough. Shape into small balls. Insert whole clove for blossom end. Prick with blunt end of toothpick for texture. Pears: Mix yellow food color into part of dough. Shape into small balls, then into cone shapes, rounding narrow end. Insert small piece of cinnamon stick in narrow end for stem. Dilute red food color with water and brush on "cheeks" of pears. Strawberries: Mix red food color into part of dough. Shape into small balls, then into heart shapes, about 3/4 inch high. Prick with blunt end of toothpick for texture. Roll in red sugar. Insert small piece of green-colored toothpick or green dough into top for stem.