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Animal Crackers

Source of Recipe

From "Classic Snacks Made from Scratch" by Casey Barber


Recipe Introduction

"When it comes to animal crackers, I've always preferred the elegantly vintage Barnum's box. With a hauntingly warm flavor and soft texture, these are the ones I reach for when I need a nostalgia boost. If you prefer a milder cookie, tone down the spice and add more vanilla."

List of Ingredients

◦  2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
◦  1 tsp baking powder
◦  ¼ tsp ground mace
◦  ¼ tsp ground allspice
◦  ⅛ tsp ground ginger
◦  5 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
◦  ¼ cup vegetable shortening
◦  ½ cup granulated sugar
◦  1 large egg
◦  1 tsp vanilla extract


Recipe

Whisk the flour, baking powder, mace, allspice, and ginger together in a medium bowl; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, shortening, and sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until shiny, fluffy, and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and stir on low speed until fully incorporated. Gradually add the flour and spice mixture until fully incorporated into a soft dough. Pat the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour; the flavor of dough improves as it's chilled, so chill overnight for best results.

Preheat the oven to 350° F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat liners.

Divide the chilled dough into four pieces. On a floured surface, gently roll one of the pieces to a ¼- to ½-inch thickness. (Keep the remaining pieces refrigerated.) Use floured cookie cutters to stamp out shapes (lions and tigers and bears?) and carefully transfer the cookies to a prepared baking sheet, using a cookie spatula or turner if necessary. Save the scraps for re-rolling.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cookies are puffy and golden brown at the edges. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Scraps can be re-rolled once to make additional cookies. Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.


Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies