I could never get enough of the classic Circus Animal Cookies when I was growing up. Bright pink, overly sweet, and bite-sized—everything a kid could dream of. This week, a wave of nostalgia hit me in the grocery store when I came across their packaging, and I knew I had to recreate them.
This is my take on that traditional and ever-loved snack cookie. I crafted a brown butter and almond sugar cookie base—baked just enough to have a slight crunch while remaining soft and chewy. Then, I dipped the cookies in white chocolate and sprinkled them with rainbow sprinkles, capturing the essence of the classic circus animal cookie. These were almost as fun to make as they were to eat. I cannot recommend them enough.
Ingredients:
2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling the dough
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup unsalted butter, browned
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
I used Trader Joe's bourbon vanilla bean paste - so good
1 package white chocolate baking chips (11-12 oz)
Red food coloring
Directions:
To bake:
Brown the butter by melting 3/4 cup of butter in a saucepan over medium heat until brown specs start to form and a nutty aroma is present (about 5 minutes). Pour butter into bowl and set in the fridge for at least 15 minutes to solidify.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and pinch of salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer or stand mixer to beat the butter and sugar on high speed until smooth and creamy (2-3 minutes). Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat until combined, about another minute.
Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture, and begin mixing on low. While mixing, spoon in the remainder of the dry ingredients by the tablespoon. Continue mixing until fully combined. If the dough is too sticky to roll with a rolling pin, add a bit more flour.
Divide the dough into two equal parts. Place each portion onto a lightly floured parchment paper or silicone baking mat and roll into sheets of about 1/4 inch thickness. Continue to add more flour if the dough is too sticky.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1-2 hours (or up to 2 days).
Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Use an animal cookie cutter to cut the dough into shapes. Re-roll the scraps and continue cutting until all the dough is used. Repeat with the second piece of dough.
Arrange the cookies on baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until very lightly browned around the edges. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
I like to take them out just before any part of the cookie browns so that they're a bit more chewy. For an extra crunch, keep them in a bit longer until the edges are lightly browning.
To decorate:
Once the cookies are completely cool, separate half of the cookies and half of the chocolate to decorate with the pink and white chocolate coating.
Melt half of the white chocolate in a microwave or double boiler according to the directions on the package. Save the other half of the package to make the pink coating.
Using the bottom of a spoon, carefully spread the melted chocolate on top of each cookie to match the shape of the animal. Once the chocolate is evenly distributed, gently shake the cookie from side to side. This helps the chocolate become more smooth and glossy. Top with rainbow sprinkles and repeat with half of the remaining cookies.
To make the pink icing, melt the rest of the white chocolate in a microwave or double boiler. Once completely melted, add 1 drop of red food coloring and mix thoroughly.
You can continue to add drops of food coloring to get your desired shade of pink. I found that one was plenty for my liking.
Repeat the decorating process with the pink icing until all cookies are covered.
Wait at least 30 minutes for the chocolate to fully harden before serving or storing. I plated mine with the original circus animal cookies, and they were SO cute. Happy baking!
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