When I’m craving a cookie, it’s not unusual for me to crave frosted animal cookies (like Mother’s Circus Animals – who can forget these pink and white treats?), so when I found a recipe for these classic cookies, it quickly became one of my favorites. Though these delicious shortbread animal cookies are not traditionally Christmas-like,  you can make them festive by using your holiday cookie cutters (a nice snowflake cookie with sprinkles? So cute).

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspon salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 stick (four ounces) softened UNSALTED butter
1 large egg
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla extract
One 11.5 ounce bag white chocolate chips
2 tablespoons multicolored nonpareil sprinkles

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix your flour, baking soda and salt.

In a separate bowl, cream together your sugar and butter using the HIGH setting of your electric mixer for about two minutes. Blend in the egg and vanilla.

Gradually add your dry ingredients to your sugar/butter mixture.

Shape the dough into two balls and place each ball between two pieces of wax paper before rolling the dough into ten inch rounds. Place them on a cookie sheet and chill in the fridge for about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350. Using your chosen cookie cutters (whether you opt for animals or Christmas shapes is up to you!), cut the dough into cookies. Keep rolling your scraps together until all the dough is cut.

Place cookies 1 inch apart on parchment lined cookie sheets (I prefer to use a silicone baking mat). Bake until the edges are golden brown – 15 to 20 minutes. Cool cookies.

In a small pan over low heat, melt white chocolate, stirring gently until the chocolate is melted and glossy. Use a small spatula to smear the frosting on cookies and transfer to a wax paper lined rack. Coat with sprinkles and chill until set.

ENJOY!