Bats, Rats, Witches, and Cats

1. Freeze cookie dough for at least 2 hours. Divide frosting into four small bowls. Add desired paste food coloring to each bowl. Cover and set aside.

2. Unwrap frozen cookie dough.

3. To make Bats: Cut cookie dough into/4-inch thick slices. Make a jagged cut through the center of a slice. Carefully separate the two pieces. Space cookies about 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Cool on wire rack. Decorate as desired, or frost with black-tinted frosting. Cut a small black gumdrop in half and place in the center of wings for ears. Sprinkle cookie with desired sugar. Add small candies for eyes.

4. To make Rats and Cats: Cut cookie dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Make a jagged M-shape cut through the center of each cookie slice. The cookie slice with three points forms the rat and the half with two points forms the cat. Carefully separate the pieces. Place dough on ungreased baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Cool on wire racks. Decorate as desired, or frost with black-tinted frosting. For the Rat, attach a small piece of string licorice for a tail. Add a candy eye and a slice of a large gumdrop for an ear. Decorate cat face with small decorative candies.

5. To make Witches: Cut cookie dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place slices on ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Make a jagged cut through the center of each slice; pull cut pieces slightly apart to form an open mouth. Bake in preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Cool on wire racks. Decorate as desired, or frost with green or yellow-tinted frosting. Add a candy eye and warts. Shape a witch hat out of rolled large gumdrops and press onto witch's head. Decorate mouth and hair with edible writing gel. Makes 30 cookies.