For the cookies:

• 115g butter
• 100g castor sugar
• 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence
• 1 large egg
• 185g flour
• 2.5ml (½ tsp) baking powder
• small pinch of salt
• extra flour for dusting
• star cookie cutter (or any shape you prefer)

To decorate:

• 210g icing sugar
• 45ml (3 tbsp) water
• gel food colouring
• toothpick or thin skewer
• sprinkles

1.) Place the butter and castor sugar in a bowl. Cream for a few minutes until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla essence and egg.

2.) Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until just combined, then tip the mixture onto your work surface and press together. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3.) While the dough is chilling preheat the oven to 170ºC and line a baking tray with baking paper.

4.) Lightly flour the work surface and roll the dough out to a thickness of 3mm. Cut out stars and arrange them on the baking tray. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. Transfer to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.

5.) Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Add the water gradually and stir until the icing has a pouring consistency (it should not be watery).

6.) Pour the icing onto a plate. Add two or three drops of gel colouring onto the icing and use a toothpick to swirl them together a few times. Don’t swirl too much or the colours will start to mix.

7.) Carefully dip the surface of a cookie into the icing. Allow the excess icing to drip off then place the cookie back on the cooling rack. Add sprinkles then leave to dry and set. Repeat with the remaining cookies.