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Animal Crackers served on a platter.

Circus Animal Crackers


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4.9 from 13 reviews

Description

Circus animal crackers are a taste of childhood! This delicious recipe is  easy to make with these special cookie cutters. These nostalgic cookies keep their shape while baking!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 + 1/2 sticks of butter (12 tablespoons), softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 + 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground mace
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

RECIPE PREP: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

  1. Add butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla to the bowl. Mix again.
  2. In a separate bowl, sift flour, cornmeal, baking powder, mace and nutmeg. Add sifted ingredients to the bowl of the stand mixer. Blend until all ingredients are well incorporated, and the dough starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
  3. Divide cookie dough into 4 equal pieces. On a pastry board roll out each piece to form a 1/4-inch rectangle. Wrap pieces separately in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes. DON’T SKIP THIS STEP!
  4. After 30 minutes, pull out the first piece of dough. Leave the other pieces in the freezer. Your dough is at the correct thickness, so you can start cutting out shapes. Dip the cookie cutter into flour. Shake off excess. Press the cutter down firmly into the dough. Lift the cutter straight up with the dough still attached. Hovering over a cookie sheet, press down on the knob of the cutter. Quickly release the cookie directly onto the baking tray. Continue cutting out shapes.
  5. Gather up the remaining scraps of dough and press them into a ball. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inches. Wrap it and return it to the freezer.
  6. Take out the other three pieces from the freezer. Put two of the pieces into the refrigerator, then work with the third piece cutting out shapes. Continue until all of the animal crackers have been formed.
  7. Stick the baking tray with the preformed animal crackers into the freezer for 15 minutes. DON’T SKIP THIS STEP! Adjust your oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  8. Bake cookies for 11-14 minutes. The cookies are done when the sides and tops are just barely starting to become lightly golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking tray  for 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.
  • Prep Time: 60 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Snack, Dessert, Party
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American