Christmas Light Cookies

Directions

1. 1In a mixing bowl, stir together the sugar cookie mix and the flour. (NOTE: The package recipe says to add 1 tablespoon of flour, but with the addition of the wet food coloring, I added an extra tablespoon to ensure the light bulbs would look like light bulbs once baked.) Add the butter and mix to combine. Crack the egg, pour the egg into the bowl and mix until a soft dough forms, saving the egg shell for later.
2. 2Pinch off about 1/4 cup of the dough. Set it aside. Divide the remaining dough in half.
3. 3Color one half of the dough red and the other half green, using the food coloring.
4. 4Scoop out 14 tablespoonfuls of the red dough and 14 of the green dough. Roll into balls then shape into Christmas lights (like teardrops). Set on parchment paper lined baking sheets.
5. 5Divide the remaining uncolored dough into 28 small pieces. Roll the pieces into balls then into short tubes.
6. 6Use the tiny amount of egg white that is still inside the egg shell as glue. Use a pastry brush or your finger to brush a bit of egg white one end of each tube of dough and press them onto the wider ends of the colored light bulb shaped dough.
7. 7Refrigerate the light bulbs for 30 minutes.
8. 8Preheat your oven to 375 degrees (350 degrees for dark or nonstick cookie sheets.)
9. 9Bake cookies, one tray at a time, for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
10. 10Decorate your Christmas Light Cookies by filling a disposable pastry bag or a zip top bag with the chocolate frosting. Snip off the end of the bag and pipe a small dot of frosting onto the back of each candy eye. Press the eyes onto your light bulbs. Pipe on silly smiles. Pipe grooves onto the base of each light bulb.
11. 11To dress up your platter of cookies arrange your light bulb cookies along a strand of ribbon or a long licorice lace.
12. 12Store in an airtight container for up to a week.