ANIMAL COOKIES FROSTED RECIPES

Steps:

• Cookie Dough:
• In a mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer cream together butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar until well combined. Mix in egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
• With the mixer set on low speed, slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until combined. Divide mixture into 2 equal portions, then shape each portion into a smooth 6-inch disk.
• Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for 1½ hours, or until firm. Alternatively, chill overnight then let rest on the counter for about 5 minutes if the dough is too firm to roll.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F during the last 10 minutes of chilling.
• Dust a clean work surface with flour then place one disk of dough on a floured surface. Dust top lightly with flour, and roll out to ¼-inch thickness. Leave the other dough disk chilled.
• Cut into mini animal shapes then use an offset spatula to transfer them to a baking sheet lined with a silicone liner or parchment paper. Leave about ¾-inch between cookies.
• Bake in preheated oven for about 7 to 11 minutes until set. Meanwhile gather scraps of dough, mash, and shape into smooth disk again and refrigerate.
• Remove from oven and cool several minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Repeat with remaining disk of dough.
• Icing:
• In a medium mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough half and half or cream to reach a medium consistency.
• Divide mixture evenly among two bowls, tint one of them with pink coloring, and leave the other white.
• Spread over cookies and immediately sprinkle with sprinkles after frosting each one. Let rest until glaze has set.

Steps:

• For the dough: Add the granulated sugar and butter to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla and egg and beat again, scraping the sides of the bowl halfway through. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk to the mixer until the dough comes together. Flatten the dough into a disc and put it in a plastic bag. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats.
• Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut out as many cookies as you can in a variety of animal shapes. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets and bake until they're just barely done, 8 to 10 minutes; you want them to be set, but not brown. Let the cookies cool completely before decorating.
• For the frosting: Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl, add the food coloring and 1/4 cup cold water and stir to combine
• Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet and drizzle the frosting over them. Let the frosting dry before serving the cookies, about 2 hours.