It was kind of like a cookie factory at Faith Alliance Church with many of the children rolling out dough, shooting the spritzer, making chocolate balls for dipping and adding antlers to the reindeer pretzels. The children came together to make the desserts for the church potluck after the Christmas program Sunday.

While the children get-together during Sunday school or visiting in individual homes, it’s still not enough time to play. Between making cookies the children, along with the Heavenly Hosts (characters in the Christmas program), romped and ran while waiting for the next recipe to be stirred up.

With many hands in the mixing bowls, there just may have been a little more flour in one batch than another, but the cookies turned out just fine in the end.

DENIECE SCHWAB | SIDNEY HERALD Children decorating cookies for the church potluck are, from left, Christine Turek, Diana Johnson, Garrett Dodds and Seth Dodds.

Christmas is a time for sharing among friends and family, and there was plenty of that while baking in the Faith Alliance kitchen.

homespun@sidneyherald.com

Here are the children’s recipes:

Reindeer Pretzels:

Waxed paper

White almond bark, melted according to package directions

Thin pretzel sticks

Large, thin twist pretzels

Mini M&Ms

Cherry Nibs or regular-size red M&Ms

Place large, thin twist pretzels on waxed paper. Fill the three openings with almond bark. Add mini-M&Ms for eyes, a Cherry Nib or Red M&M for the nose and pretzel sticks for the antlers (these can be whole or broken pieces). You could end up with a monster buck! Chocolate almond bark may be used in place of white almond bark. Are you making whitetails or muleys?

Oreo Bonbons

1 package Oreos, crushed fairly fine

1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

Almond bark, white or chocolate, melted according to package directions

Toothpicks or skewers for dipping

Wax paper

Mix the crushed Oreos thoroughly with the softened cream cheese. Roll into bite size balls. Using toothpick or skewer, dip into the melted almond bark. Place on waxed paper to harden. Cover toothpick hole with a drop of almond bark. These should be refrigerated until ready to serve.

Easy Sugar Cookies

1 cup soft margarine

1 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon clear vanilla OR lemon OR almond flavoring

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream margarine and sugar together; add egg and mix. Add milk, stir and then add the flavoring of your choice. Mix the last three ingredients together. Add to the wet ingredients, mix well. Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with assorted cookie cutters and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Cookies may be decorated with sugars or sprinkles before baking or frosted after baking.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 5 to 8 minutes.

Spritz Cookies

1 cup margarine or butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon almond OR vanilla flavoring

Food coloring if desired

2 1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

Mix margarine and sugar well, add egg and flavoring and food coloring if desired. Mix dry ingredients together then add to wet ingredient mixture. Spoon cookie dough into a cookie press and press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 6 to 9 minutes, until set but not brown.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.