Animal Cracker Cookies

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
• 1/2 teaspoon mace
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 over small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and mace, set aside.
• 2 in bowl of electric mixer beat butter on high speed for 2 minutes.
• 3 reduce the speed to medium, slowly add sugar and beat for 2 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl.
• 4 add the egg and vanilla and beat for 1 minute, again stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• 5 stop the mixer and add half of the flour mixture.
• 6 eat on low speed until most of the flour has been absorbed.
• 7 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.
• 8 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.
• 9 let the dough stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. place each dough disk between 2 clean, large pieces of plastic wrap.
• 10 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.
• 11 preheat oven to 350.
• 12 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.
• 13 bake cookies until very light golden brown, 14-16 minutes. transfer to wire rack and alow to cool to room temperature.