Z is for Zebra Cookies - ABCs of Homeschooling

For the final recipe in the Alpha-Bakery children's cookbook, Sophia made Zebra Cookies.

Two of the zebra cookies that Sophia made.

The horse cookie cutter (which is the closest cookie cutter to a zebra that we had) was slightly larger than the stacked cookie dough that was sliced. We had to pushed the dough down a bit so it was big enough for the cookie cutter to fit.

With the dough that was leftover, Sophia put it in a ball and, using a rolling pin, rolled it out to about 1/4" thick. It was beautifully marbled at that point, and the next batch of cookies were marbled instead of striped.
Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup margarine or butter, softened (we used dairy-free butter)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/4 cup cocoa

Directions

Mix flour, both sugars, vanilla, margarine, salt, and egg until dough forms.  Divide dough in halves. Mix cocoa into one half. 

Sprinkle a surface very lightly with flour. Pat or roll each half of dough on the floured surface into a nine-inch square.  Cut each square into three 3-inch strips. Cut strips crosswise into halves.

Lift one brown strip half with large metal spatula and place on plastic wrap. Top with 1 white strip half; press firmly. Top with remaining 10 brown and white strip halves, alternating colors and pressing layers firmly to form into a bar, about 4 1/2 inches long, 3 inches wide, and 3 inches long.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, 1 to 2 hours.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Cut bar of dough crosswise into about 18 1/4-inch slices. Cut each slice with floured horse-shaped cookie cutter, about 3 inches x 3 inches. (Or, if you like, cut each slice cross-wise in half instead of using a cookie cutter. Makes about 36 cookies this way.)

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake cookies unti ledges begin to brown, 8-10 minutes. Let cookies cool slightly, then remove from cookie sheet with a spatula.

Makes about 18 cookies.