What makes them a “paintbrush” cookie is the decorating method: instead of frosting the treats after they’re baked, you brush raw cookie dough with colorful egg yolk paint before baking. The colors are cooked in, creating bright, glossy designs that hold their look without smudging.
This particular version comes from a collection called Happy Holiday Cookies, which featured festive treats you could bake and give as gifts. The cookie dough is simple and sturdy, just right for rolling and cutting into shapes. The real fun comes with the painting part, using small brushes and as many colors as you want. It’s a hands-on way to bring a little art to your holiday baking.
Colorful cookies from the fifties
From the Solano-Napa News Chronicle (Vallejo, CA) Nov 29, 1956
Want a new cooky decorating idea for Christmas? This is it!
Paint cookies with a brush and egg yolk paint before baking. Just mix one egg yolk, ¼ teaspoon water and the desired food coloring together and you’re ready to paint delicate sugar cookies with your own original designs. When you take them out of the oven, they’re ready to eat or use to decorate your centerpiece. And you’d better make a few extra, because they’re so pretty all your guests will want to take some home!
And wonderful, too, they look ever so pretty and delicate. Christmas trees with colorful decorations, wreaths and birds and even Santa Claus will fairly come to life with these bright and shimmering colors. Use red, green, yellow, blue or any other food coloring you choose. They’ll all come out perfect and shining! And best of all, this new idea in decorating takes little time and the children will love dabbling with it, too!
Paintbrush cookies are a completely new holiday treat! You make a delicate sugar cookie and decorate it with your paintbrush BEFORE it’s baked. They’re as delicious as they are pleasing to the eye.
Happy holiday paintbrush cookies
Paintbrush Cookies, Chocolate Thumbprints, Christmas Stockings… twelve tempting homemades, all just as good as they look! Easy to bake, fun to give (and get). And you know they’ll turn out wonderful, because you bake them better with Gold Medal Flour. It’s the flower of the wheat! So Merry Christmas and Happy Baking!
Bake it Better with Gold Medal
Holiday paintbrush cookies
Let yourself go and create your own designs. The lively colors will stay vibrant.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup soft shortening (part butter)
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. flavoring (vanilla or lemon)
- 2-1/2 cups sifted GOLD MEDAL Flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
Instructions
Mix well shortening, sugar, egg, flavoring.
Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and stir in. Chill at least 1 hour.
Heat oven to 400 F (mod. hot). Roll out 1/4 of dough at a time 1/8" thick on lightly floured board. Keep rest of dough chilled.
Cut in desired shapes. Place on ungreased baking sheet.
Paint with Egg Yolk Paint.
Bake 6 to 8 minutes, until set but not brown. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Egg yolk paint recipe
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 tsp. water
Blend well egg yolk, water.
Divide into two small custard cups. Color as desired.
Paint designs on cookies with small paintbrushes, using a separate brush for each color. For more colors, make more paint.
Success tip: If Egg Yolk Paint thickens on standing, add a few drops of water.
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![Wildone Baking Sheet & Rack Set [2 Sheets + 2 Racks], Stainless Steel Cookie Pan with Cooling Rack, Size 16 x 12 x 1 Inch, Non Toxic & Heavy Duty & Easy Clean](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/4149WYoQCqL._SL500_.jpg "Easy & fun paintbrush cookies deserve a comeback for your next holiday baking day (1956) 8")
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 48 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 58Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 25mgCarbohydrates: 5gSugar: 5gProtein: 0g
Click Americana offers approximate nutrition information as a general reference only, and we make no warranties regarding its accuracy. Please make any necessary calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe, and consult with a qualified healthcare professional if you have dietary concerns.
MORE: Make an edible Christmas tree with star-shaped cookies (1962)
One Response
HELP! I am looking for the pamphlet that the painted Christmas cookie recipe was attached to. The recipe I am looking for was I think sugar cookie shaped like a Santa boot and filled with nuts, choc chips, and candied fruit. Would you happen to have that recipe?