Mix the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.

Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla.

Sift in the flour and stir in gently, using your hands to form it onto a ball of soft dough.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour to chill/rest.

Take dough out, cut in half, take one half and roll out on a floured surface.

Cut shapes and place on baking sheets.

Bake at 180C for 10-12 minutes. You may need to turn the tray around if obe side is getting darker than the other.

Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Once cool, make the glacé icing by putting the sugar in a bowl, add the colouring, then gradually adding the water, stirring. Adjust with a little more water or sugar if needed to make a smooth, glossy but not too runny icing.

To flood the cookies, put the icing ib a piping bag with a very small round hole in the tip. 'Draw' around the outline of the cookie, then fill the inside of those lines with icing.

Place mini marshmallows for eyes, while icing is still wet. Allow to set dry before using black icing to finish details like eyes and mouths.

*To make different colour icing, simply divide the icing sugar in required number of bowls with drops of colouring in separate bowls, mix up with teaspoons of warm water, one at a time until the desired consistency is achieved.