Animal Crackers

Ingredients:

Dough

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 10 tbsp salted butter, softened
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups premium flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp whole milk

Glaze

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 5 drops of red food coloring
• Special equipment: animal-shaped cookie cutters

Preparation:

1. Dough:

   
   In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the granulated sugar and butter and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and egg and beat again, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Alternately add the dry ingredients and milk to the stand mixer bowl until the dough comes together. Form the dough into a disk and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 2 hours to set.
   
2. Preheat oven to 175°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
3. Roll the dough out to a thickness of 0.5 cm and cut out as many cookies as you can. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets and bake until set, 8-10 minutes; they should be set but not browned. Let the cookies cool completely before frosting.

4. Glaze:

   
   Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl, add the food coloring and 1/4 cup cold water and stir until smooth.
   
5. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and frost them. Let the frosting dry for about 2 hours and serve.