ICED ANIMAL COOKIES RECIPES

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.

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.