A sweet and simple recipe for Frosted Animal Cookies! Today’s recipe starts with an easy (no-chilling-required) vanilla cookie base and is decorated with royal icing (and sprinkles!). Recipe includes a how-to video!
A Sweet Treat
Remember how I told you a few weeks ago that my grandmother let me raid her recipe collection? I’ve already shared plenty of her recipes here, (Black Bottom Cupcakes, Gobs, and my current favorite: Cream Puffs) and here is another winner from her collection: Frosted Animal Cookies
I may be just slightly obsessed with these fun, colorful, and super cute frosted animal cookies. Lions, elephants, zebras, and giraffes all covered with pretty pink and white frosting… what’s not to love? These would be adorable for a circus or safari themed baby shower or birthday party, but so far I’ve just been enjoying eating them for no occasion whatsoever.
Flavoring
I originally bought these animal cookie cutters with the goal in mind of making animal crackers (you know the kind that comes in that red circus animal box), not cookies. If you’ve tasted those before you know that they have a subtle but distinct flavor that sets them apart from any other animal cracker. Because of this, I’d bought a citrus-y/almond-y flavor emulsion known as “Princess emulsion” or “Princess flavoring” at the advice of the owner of my local cake shop (I’ve mentioned this emulsion before and used it in the frosting for my Funfetti cake).
Well an animal cracker recipe is still forthcoming, and when the recipe from my grandmother called for almond extract I decided to try a splash of the Princess emulsion flavoring instead, and I’m so glad I did. While I don’t think it’s necessary for anyone to rush out and spend $6 on a bottle just for this cookie recipe, if you think you might be making these animal cookies over and and over again (you will be) or want to experiment with the flavoring in other recipes, it’s a worthy purchase! I’ve linked to the flavoring in the recipe, but my local Walmart actually carries it, too.
Frosting
The original animal cookie recipe called for a royal icing, but one made with unpasteurized and uncooked egg whites.
Since I’m currently pregnant (as I typed this, baby kicked me hard in the ribs, ouch), that wasn’t an option I could consider. Instead I opted to use a meringue powder-based royal icing. This is honestly an easier route than using egg whites, but if you’re not feeling royal icing or don’t feel like running out to buy meringue powder you can always use the easy frosting that I use in my sugar cookie recipe instead.
Tips for Making Frosted Animal Cookies
- This recipe makes over 100 (small) cookies (assuming you’re using the same cookie cutters I did, listed in the recipe!). Feel free to cut the recipe in half if you don’t feel like rolling, dipping, and decorating 100 cookies. Alternatively you can divide the dough in half, bake one half, and then tightly wrap the other and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- If the frosting in your bowl becomes too thick to dip or begins to crust over, just make sure to give it a stir before dipping your cookies. Royal icing hardens quickly! If you have several bowls of frosting (of different colors, maybe?) keep the bowls you aren’t actively using tightly wrapped with plastic wrap and then stir before dipping.
- Let me reiterate: Royal icing hardens quickly! If you want to decorate your cookies with sprinkles, add them immediately after dipping each cookie. Otherwise the frosting will begin to harden and the sprinkles will just slide right off. Sad 🙁
Enjoy!
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Let’s bake together! Be sure to check out my video at the bottom of the recipe where I’ll show you exactly how I make these adorable Animal Cookies in my own kitchen! If you enjoy watching, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel where I’ve already uploaded over 150 recipe videos that you can watch for free!
Frosted Animal Cookies
Ingredients
- 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened, but still slightly cool. Should not be melting or your cookie dough will be too soft and you may end up needing to chill it.
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Princess emulsion¹ or almond extract optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 ½ cups (560 g) all-purpose flour
Icing
- 2 cups (230 g) powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon meringue powder
- 3 Tablespoons water
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food coloring² optional
- Nonpareil sprinkles optional
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C).
- In a large bowl (or in a stand mixer), use an electric mixer to beat butter and sugar together until well-creamed and thoroughly combined.12 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- Add egg, salt, and extracts, and beat until combined.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon Princess emulsion¹ or almond extract
- With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, stirring until completely combined.4 ½ cups (560 g) all-purpose flour
- Divide dough into two equal parts. Lightly flour a clean surface and roll one portion of dough to be ¼” thick.
- Cut out animal shape, cutting cookies as close together as possible then regroup any scraps and re-roll to get more cookies. Repeat with second half of dough once you have finished with the first.
- Transfer cookies to parchment paper lined baking sheet, spacing at least 1 inch apart.
- Bake in 350F (175C) oven until cookies are just beginning to turn a light golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to cooling rack to cool completely before icing.
ICING
- Whisk together powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add water and vanilla extract. Use an electric mixer to beat until soft peaks form. Stir in food coloring, if using.2 cups (230 g) powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon meringue powder, 3 Tablespoons water, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, Food coloring²
- Holding cookies gently by their base, dip the surface of each cookie in the icing. Return to cooling rack or a wax paper lined baking sheet and sprinkle immediately with nonpareils, if using. Allow icing to harden before enjoying (about 15-30 minutes).Nonpareil sprinkles
Notes
²I used Americolor gel “electric pink” food coloring
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Rebecca Hoffman
What is the meringue powder for exactly? if I don’t have any is there an alternative of another ingredient that I can use? or do I even have to use it? thank you 🙂
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Meringue powder helps the frosting dry firmly. If you don’t have it, you can just use our easy sugar cookie icing instead ☺️
Rebecca Hoffman
ok Thank you 🙂
Isabel
I love this recipe! But it does take awhile.
Would it be possible to replace the almond extract with vanilla extract? For people who are allergic to nuts.
Sam
Hi Isabel! You can substitute vanilla for the almond extract. I’m glad they were a hit! 🙂
Jen
My family loved these! It was nice that the dough was so easy to work with because it meant that my 4 and 6 year olds could take over with the cookie cutting while I did other things. Magic! Thank you so much for such a fun recipe. We will all enjoy eating these.
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Jen! 🙂
Irine Martin
Hi Sam,
Can I use sourdough discard in this recipe some how??
Sam
Hi Irine! Without having tried it I can’t say for sure how it would be done.
Sharon
Hey Sam –
Do you have another option for the sugar? I’m going to make these for my granddaughter, and they are super conscious about what she eats. Thanks.
Sam
Hi Sharon! Unfortunately I haven’t tried any substitutions so I can’t say for sure how this would work. 🙁
Sharon
Thanks, Sam –
Anna
Is this recipe an April fools joke or something? Just like the other woman in the comments by the time you are finished with the 4 1/2 cups of flour like you stated in the instructions the dough is completely ruined because it no longer can bind. If I have to go and figure out a different kind of measurement other than the 4 1/2 cups you state then actually put that in the instructions and clarify it. I have tried making this two times now wasting hours of my time and tons of baking products, before a baby shower. This needs some serious clarification and I hate it.
Sam
Hi Anna! No jokes here. I would recommend watching the video. You can see me add it all there. Are you weighing your flour? Are you making any other substitutions?
Sarah
Great recipe- the cookies were so quick to make and the dough was super easy to work with. They turned out perfectly- no spreading, nice and crunchy, and they look adorable. I’ve never seen a no-chill sugar cookie dough that holds its shape so beautifully before- it’s quite impressive! I used white chocolate to frost instead of royal icing, however I’m keen to try them with the royal icing next time for a bit more sweetness. Thanks for another lovely recipe! I also love your adorable animal cookie cutters!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Sarah! When I saw those cookie cutters I knew I had to have them. 🙂
Rose
Trying these cookies today. Is it supposed to be crumbly? It’s not like a sugar cookie where it’s easy to roll out and cut the shapes.
Thanks
Sam
Hi Rose! The dough should not be crumbly. If your dough is too crumbly there may have been too much flour added here. Make sure to check my post on how to properly measure flour if you aren’t using a scale. 🙂
Alyssa
Amazing recipe- I brought the extras into work and my coworkers begged me to leave a comment on your blog about how amazing these were 😀 Super easy recipe and super cute results!! Genuinely can’t wait to make these again!
Sugar Spun Run
Alyssa, thank you! I am so happy that the animal crackers were a hit! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, I appreciate it! Enjoy! 🙂
Eileen Wooldridge
HI Sam, please could you tell me how to get animals cutter from has I live in the UK England.
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Eileen! I ordered my animal cookie cutters from Amazon. I believe that they ship to the UK as well. If not, I would recommend looking at your local craft store that carries cake decorating items. Let me know where you end up finding them. I hope that you enjoy the recipe! 🙂
Charlene Wiest
If I may make a suggestion about the Royal Icing: To keep Royal Icing from drying too fast, drape your bowl of icing with a cotton tea towel that has been wet with water and squeezed nearly dry leaving the towel lightly damp. The moisture in the towel will keep the icing from drying out and prevent it from hardening and becoming unusable.
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Charlene! That is a wonderful suggestion! I appreciate the tip! 🙂
Kate McCarthy
👍