Spider Bites
Makes about 3 dozen cookies
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 package black rope licorice, cut into short 1-inch pieces
1 small tube of green (or color of choice) decorating gel
Toothpicks
Preheat oven to 375°F.
In large bowl, combine shortening, sugar, water, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add eggs into mixture and blend. Slowly mix in flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder using low-medium speed.
Drop tablespoon helpings of mixture onto ungreased cookie sheets and roll each helping into a ball. Bake 9 minutes.
Let cookies cool for about 10 minutes. Then using a toothpick, create four small holes in either side of the cookie.
Still using the toothpick, push one end of a piece of the cut licorice into each hole, creating the “legs” of the spider. Keep licorice pieces short so as not to harm braces.
Once all eight pieces are in place, create eyes or decorate at will using the green decorating gel.
Recipe idea adapted from “The Braces Cookbook” by Pamela Waterman
