farm animal sugar cookies
This is a classic sugar cookie that I use whenever I want to make cutout cookies. Be aware that you do need to refrigerate the dough. You can make this is advance. If you are using within three days just store in the fridge. If you are waiting longer store in the freezer and then move to the fridge the day you are going to use the dough. I decided to make these cookies because my cousins little baby was turning one and she was having a farm themed birthday party. I purchased the barn cookie cutter from amazon and used 2.5 inch round cookie cutter for the pigs and cows. This is a great idea for a little kid party. You can always pick different animals like chicks or sheep. I simply liked cows and pigs because I could reuse the colors.
What you need: Makes about 5 dozen cookies
For the cookies:
1 1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
8 tsp. milk
4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. baking soda
For the icing:
3 cups powdered sugar
4 tbs. milk- plus more till desired consistency
What to do:
Make the dough and refrigerate:
1. Leave butter at room temperature. Cream butter and sugar together until blended.
2. Add eggs, vanilla, and milk
3. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture until dough forms.
4. Let dough REFRIGERATE overnight before using.
5. After chilling roll dough out thin and cut dough into shapes.
6. Preheat oven to 375. Bake on lightly greased cookie sheet (or silpat) for 10 min. Enjoy:)
Decorate the cookies:
You will need two types of icing: some for the border and some for filling.
WHITE: thick and watery: for cows and barn
RED: thick and watery:--------------for barn only
Light PINK: thick and watery:----for the pigs first layer and cows
DARKER PINK: thick:---------------for the pig ears and snout
BLACK: for the cows spots.------- pig and cow eyes
1. Since each cookie had multiple layers to them I did the first layer first just filling in the outline of the cookie. For this I made 2 types of icing. I made a border around the cookie with a thicker icing, and then filled the cookie with a more watery icing. You can check out this youtube video to see what I am talking about. (fast forward to about 1:45)
Colors for this step: White (cows), red (barn), and pink (pigs)
2. Cows: I used the "watery"pink from the pigs and added that to the surface of the cows near the bottom of the cookie.
3. Barns: After the barns have their first layer use the THICKER white icing from the border of the cows to make a barn door.
4. Make the black icing: I made the black icing somewhat thick. I put the icing into a piping bag with a smaller tip and piped the spots on the cows. If the icing wasn't spreading I used a toothpick to nudge it a little bit. Then use the black and make eyes for the cows and the pigs.
5. Make the dark pink icing: I also made this in-between thick and watery and put it in a piping bag. I piped a circle on the pig, a snout, and then two triangles at the top for ears.
Optional: If you had leftover pink icing you can add little lines to the pig snout or dots on the cow.
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