Cinco de Mayo Piñata Cookies

Feliz Cinco de Mayo! Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday celebrated one the 5th of May. Many people think of it as their equivalent to America's Independence Day on the 4th of July, but is actually the celebration of a battle won by the Mexicans in the city of Puebla against the French. Even though it was not a major victory strategically, it bolstered the Mexican citizens' moral when ill-equipped 4,500 man army defeated the 8,000 soldiers of the French army, considered to be the best army in the world at that time. Now, Cinco de Mayo is a day of celebration of Mexican heritage and culture. If you're going to a Cinco de Mayo party, or want to have a little fun at home, try making these party piñata cookies!
To make the cookies you will need 1 cup sugar, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 cup butter, 1 cup vegetable oil, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon almond extract, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 5 cups flour, 1 Tablespoon vanilla, 6 different colors of food coloring ( I suggest black, blue, orange, yellow, purple, and pink), mini M&M candies, and a donkey cookie cutter. To make the frosting simply whisk 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons milk in a small bowl.
To make the dough, combine the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and then set aside. Cream the sugar and powdered sugar with the butter. Beat in the eggs and oil. Slowly fold in the dry ingredients. Mix in the vanilla and almond extract. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and color each portion a different color.

Next line a rectangular container that is a bit wider than your cookie cutter with plastic wrap. Build up layer of each color, excluding black. Once each color has been added twice, add 2 layers of black (this side will be the donkey's hooves). Let container set in the fridge for 4-6 hours.
 

 Use the plastic wrap to lift the dough out of the container, while keeping the rectangular shape. Slice the dough so it is 1/4 of an inch thick and lay them on a cookie sheet.
Place the cookie sheet in the oven at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Each individual pinata cookie will take 3 slices of cookie, so use the cookie cutter to shape 3 donkey cookies.
 
Use a small square cookie cutter to cut a hole in one of the donkey's mid section.
 
 Take one of the whole donkeys and outline it in frosting. 

 Place the donkey with the hole in the mid section on top of the whole donkey. Fill the hole with miniature M&Ms and outline it once again with frosting.

Place the last full donkey on top of the frosting. Wait at least 30 minutes for the frosting to harden and then you can stand your creation up!
 
 Now, when you bit into it, candies fall out just like a real piñata.
Tips:
Keep a close eye on the cookies while they bake, because they are very thin and if you over-bake them-even slightly- the colors turn a golden brown, which takes away from the bright piñata look.
If you use gel food coloring the colors will bake much brighter.
If you don't have any cream of tartar on hand, use 1 teaspoon baking powder instead but if you do only use 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.