Best Animal Cookies Recipes

ANIMAL CRACKER COOKIES

Steps:

• Over small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and mace, set aside.
• In bowl of electric mixer beat butter on high speed for 2 minutes.
• Reduce the speed to medium, slowly add sugar and beat for 2 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl.
• Add the egg and vanilla and beat for 1 minute, again stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Stop the mixer and add half of the flour mixture.
• eat on low speed until most of the flour has been absorbed.
• Add remaining flour and beat until all of the flour has been absorbed and dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl, 2-3 minutes.
• Turn dough out onto a work surface and divide into 2 equal balls. Shape eacy into a disk and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
• Let the dough stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. Place each dough disk between 2 clean, large pieces of plastic wrap.
• Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness (If dough cracks while rolling, let it stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes) Remove plastic wrap and place the dough on a floured work surface. Lightly dust the top of dough with flour.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Dip cookie cutters (I have circus animal shapes) into flour just before using and cut out the shapes.
• Bake cookies until very light golden brown, 14-16 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and alow to cool to room temperature.

CIRCUS ANIMAL SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, shortening and sugar for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla and stir until well combined. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Fold in the sprinkles, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• Using a small cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons), portion out the dough into balls and roll between the palms of your hands, placing 6 on each of the prepared baking sheets. Make sure to leave about 2 to 3 inches of space in between to allow the cookies to spread while baking.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and immediately place 1 frosted circus animal cookie on the center of each cookie, pressing down slightly. Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Allow the baking sheets to cool completely, then repeat with the remaining dough and circus animal cookies. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

ANIMAL COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, occasionally scraping the bowl. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator until firm.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Roll the dough out on a floured surface 1/8th-inch-thick and cut into shapes with animal cookie cutters. Place the cookies on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper, and bake for 8 to 12 minutes, depending on the size. Cookies should be golden brown on the edges. After cookies have cooled and are firm, they are ready to decorate, if desired.
• For the decoration, fill a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip with Royal Icing. Place each cookie on a piece of parchment paper and outline it with a thin line of Royal Icing around the entire edge of the cookie. Allow the icing to set.
• Place 1/4 cup of Royal Icing in a small bowl and mix it well with 1/4 teaspoon of the egg whites or water. Continue mixing and adding egg whites or water until the icing is the consistency of maple syrup.
• Using a number 12 artist's brush push a few dollops of the thinned icing around the top of each cookie until it is completely covered to the edge. Allow the cookies to sit overnight to harden. Reserve the remaining Royal Icing.
• Place Royal Icing in a small bowl and mix in several drops of black food coloring. Continue mixing and adding food coloring until you have the desired color. Spoon the black icing into a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip and outline each cookie with a thin line of icing and decorate, as desired. For each additional colored icing, repeat the process. Allow the icing to set.
• Place the confectioners' sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the eggs whites and lemon juice and beat at medium speed until the sugar and eggs are completely mixed and the icing is thick and white.

MOTHER'S CIRCUS ANIMAL COOKIES

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, butter flavoring, and almond extract and mix until incorporated.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. With the mixer on low, incorporate the flour mixture in two additions, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Mix just until incorporated. Form the dough into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
• Remove the dough from the fridge and set out at room temperature for 20 minutes. Position two oven racks close together in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Separate the dough into four sections and roll each out separately to 1/8 inch thick. Dip cookie cutter in flour and cut animal shapes out of the dough. Place cookies 1 inch apart on the parchment-lined sheets and bake until lightly golden on the edges, approximately 10-12 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.
• In a microwave safe bowl, melt the white chocolate in 10-second intervals in the microwave or place over a double boiler. Using a fork, dip each cookie in the chocolate until completely coated. (Once you're halfway through the cookies, add food coloring to the chocolate to the desired pinkness and finish coating the cookies.) Place on parchment paper, sprinkle with nonpareils, and let dry.
• For quicker drying or if you live somewhere warm, like me, place cookies in the fridge to dry. Cookies will keep stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. I kept mine in the fridge to keep them safe from the warm weather we've been having here.

CIRCUS ANIMAL COOKIES WITH ICING

Steps:

• Place butter in a large bowl and cream using an electric mixer for 3 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar and mix until incorporated. Add each egg individually to the creamed butter, scraping the sides of the bowl if needed. Add vanilla extract and mix for 3 more minutes.
• Sift flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar together in a bowl. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed. Cover and chill the dough until it is workable, 2 to 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Roll dough out onto a work surface and cut using small animal-shaped cookie cutters. Place cookies on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack until crisp, 7 to 9 minutes. Let cool completely before icing, about 45 minutes.
• Mix 2 cups confectioners' sugar, half-and-half, and vanilla extract together in a bowl. Divide icing and add pink food coloring to 1 half. Dip cookies in icing and decorate with sprinkles quickly before icing dries. Place cookies on a rack to let icing dry to a shiny finish.

ELK AND OTHER ANIMAL CUT OUT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a big bowl combine butter pieces, flour, vanilla sugar, sugar and egg. Knead into a smooth dough. Wrap dough into cling film and refrigerated for 30 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough quite thinly (about 3 mm thick).
• Cut out elks or other shapes using a lightly floured cookie cutter and place on a paper-lined baking sheet. If you like attach a currant to each elk for eyes.
• Bake in the pre-heated oven at 190°C/375°F for 8-12 minutes or until just slightly browned around the edges.
• Allow to cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheets and then transfer to a wire-rack to cool completely.
• Now you can add any decorations you might like to add. I used some eggnog flavoured icing dipping the cookies into it and attaching a chocolate chip as an eye afterwards.
• Let dry.

ANIMAL CRACKER COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat shortening, milk and honey with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Stir in remaining ingredients until well blended.
• Divide dough in half. On lightly floured cloth-covered surface, roll half of dough at a time 1/8 inch thick. Cut with about 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-inch animal-shaped cookie cutters. On ungreased cookie sheet, place cutouts about 1 inch apart.
• Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are very light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

ANIMAL PAWPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Grease cookie sheets.
• Let dough stand at room temperature about 15 minutes.
• Combine dough and cocoa in large bowl; beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended.
• For each cookie, shape dough into 1 (1-inch) ball and 4 (1/4-inch) balls.
• Place large ball on prepared cookie sheet; place smaller balls on one side of large ball.
• Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until cookies are set and no longer shiny.
• Remove from oven; immediately place regular-sized peanut butter chip on first "toe" and place mini peanut butter chips on remaining "toes" of each cookie.
• Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

CIRCUS ANIMAL COOKIES

Steps:

• In a microwave safe dish, melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals until smooth. Melt more white chocolate in another dish and then add red food coloring to make pink. Dip the crackers and then with a fork, lift them out onto parchment or wax paper (I used a baking mat). Quickly sprinkle with sprinkles.

ANIMAL SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Special Equipment: assorted animal-shaped cookie cutters, about 4 to 5-inches long
• Decorating suggestion: multi-colored sprinkles, colored decorating sugar, mini chocolate chips, small candies, mini marshmallows
• For the cookies: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine the cookie dough and flour until smooth. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick. Using animal-shaped cookie cutters, cut out shapes from the dough and arrange, about 2-inches apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Form the scraps of dough into a ball, roll out to 1/4-inch thick, and continue to cut out animal shapes. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden brown. Cool for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• For the frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and 1/4 cup water. Beat on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is smooth, adding more water, as needed, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the frosting is spreadable. Divide the frosting between 3 small bowls. Color the frosting by mixing in 1 drop of food coloring at a time, until the desired color is reached. Spread the frosting over the cooled cookies and decorate.
• Cook's Note: If using natural food coloring (such as Seelect brand), be sure to shake the bottle before adding the coloring to the frosting.

ICED ANIMAL COOKIES

Steps:

• For the animal cookies: In a stand mixer with the paddle, cream together the butter and sugar until just combined; do not incorporate air. Add the egg, lemon juice, vanilla extract and salt and beat to incorporate. Add the flour and mix to form a dryish dough. Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap and smush the dough together, then flatten into a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes or until you are ready to roll it out.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured countertop to about 1/4-inch thick. Cut out cookies with your cutter of choice and place on the lined baking sheet. (They will not spread, so you can put them fairly close together.)
• Bake for 12 minutes, rotating halfway through. They should not really take on any color, just a little bit on the bottom. Let cool completely on the baking sheet.
• For the icing and decorating: Place the melting wafers in 2 double boilers and gently stir to melt. Drop in each cookie into one of the icings, top-down. Flip over and remove with a fork. Tap off excess and place on parchment paper. Sprinkle with sprinkles immediately, then allow to set at room temperature, about 1 hour.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature until you have eaten them all.

BLACK-AND-WHITE SPOTTED ANIMAL COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat together the egg and vanilla in a small bowl.
• Beat together the butter, granulated sugar and confectioners' sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed. Once incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat until slightly creamy, about 3 minutes.
• Reduce the speed to low again and slowly pour in the egg mixture; beat until combined. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, increasing the speed as the dough gets thicker to keep the beaters spinning, and scraping down the sides of the bowl and the beaters themselves as needed. Once all the flour is just incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, until the dough is very smooth, about 5 minutes.
• Remove half the dough from the bowl and set aside. Beat the cocoa into the remaining half on low speed until well combined, about 2 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment.
• Drop grape sized pieces of plain and chocolate dough in the center of a separate piece of parchment (the dough pieces should be close to each other). Put another piece of parchment on top and using a rolling pin roll the dough to 1/8-to-1/4-inch-thick to create a spotted dough. Chill to firm slightly, about 15 minutes. Cut out cat, dogs and cows shapes with cookie cutters. Push the scrap back together (don't stack or roll into a ball) and reroll and cut out more cookies. Repeat until you have used up as much dough as you can. Transfer the cut out dough to the prepared baking sheets and bake until set but still light in color on the plain cookie dough part, about 12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• Use the melted chocolate to dot on eyes using a toothpick. Put the pink icing into a small resealable plastic bag and make a small opening by snipping the corner. Pipe the frosting to give the cat a nose, the cow an udder and a nose and the dog a tongue.

GLUTEN-FREE ANIMAL COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix the arrowroot, flour and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.
• Cream the margarine, sugar and vanilla together in another bowl.
• Beat the baking powder, oil and water mixture into the margarine and gradually blend in the flour mixture.
• Bring the dough together into a ball with your hands, flatten and divide into quarters. Roll out one piece thickly on a clean and floured board with a floured rolling pin.
• Cut our your favourite animal shapes (or any cookie cutters you like) and carefully transfer them onto ungreased non-stick baking trays.
• Bake them in the centre of the oven for about 8 mins at 190C or 375°F.
• Remove the trays from the oven and leave the cookies to cool on the trays for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks.
• Decorate with icing as desired or eat plain.
• Makes about 30 (depending on size).