Learning to count can be great fun with these easy Homemade Counting Cookies.
They’re made from a simple salt dough recipe so they’re a really thrifty make; much cheaper and much more fun than simply buying a version from the shop. We’ve made a set of ten and each has a number on the reverse and the corresponding number of coloured treats for counting on the top.
They are very versatile and can be used in lots of different ways….for developing early math skills like number recognition and counting…for learning colours…for fantastic imaginative play such as baking, and make-believe tea-parties and picnics and I’m sure your little ones will come up with lots of ideas of their own too.
How To Make Counting Cookies
Counting Cookies Supplies:
For the salt dough
- 1/2 Large Cup Salt
- 1/2 Large Cup Water
- 1 Large Cup Plain Flour
For Decorating
- Round Fluted Cookie Cutter
- Fine Paint Brush
- Acrylic Paints
How To Make Counting Cookies For Early Math and Imaginative Play
Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl and gradually add in the water until you have a smooth, firm dough. (You may not need all the water.)
Roll the dough out to 1/2 cm and use your cutters to make 10 round shapes.
Place the cookies on a large flat baking sheet.
Use the remaining dough to make 55 little balls.
Attach the little balls to the top of the Counting Cookies by pushing them gently into place. You can also try a tiny dab of water too if you like. Add 1 ball to one cookie, 2 balls to another, 3 to the next and so on up to 10.
Bake the Counting Cookies in the oven on its lowest setting for 3 to 4 hours until fully dried out. It may need a little longer depending on the thickness of the cookies.
Allow to cool and paint with your chosen colours. We painted the whole cookie a light brown first and then mixed up different colours for the candy on the top and used white for the numbers underneath. Remember to allow one side to dry before turning them over to paint the other side.
You could varnish the cookies if you wanted or paint them over with PVA glue which will dry transparent.
We hope you have lots of fun with the Simple Salt Dough Recipe and your own Counting Cookies.
Print the instructions below:
Homemade Counting Cookies
Materials
Instructions