Elk and Other Animal Cut out Cookies

This is a lovely recipe for plain cut-out cookies. They have a yummy vanilla taste and the dough is super easy to work with. Cut out any shapes you like and decorate them with whatever strikes your fancy. Please note that a 30 min. cooling time is not include in prep time. Yield of cookies will vary according to the size of your cookie cutters. I got 7 large elks and about 15 small ones.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Yields: 25-40 cookies

Ingredients

• 125  g butter, cut into pieces
• 250  g flour
• 1  tablespoon  vanilla sugar (or use regular sugar and add some vanilla)
• 70  g sugar
• 1  egg (medium)

• Optional Decorations

•  currants (for the eyes)
•  colored sprinkles
•  royal icing or   coloured  icing
•  melted chocolate

Directions

1. In a big bowl combine butter pieces, flour, vanilla sugar, sugar and egg. Knead into a smooth dough. Wrap dough into cling film and refrigerated for 30 minutes.
2. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough quite thinly (about 3 mm thick).
3. Cut out elks or other shapes using a lightly floured cookie cutter and place on a paper-lined baking sheet. If you like attach a currant to each elk for eyes.
4. Bake in the pre-heated oven at 190°C/375°F for 8-12 minutes or until just slightly browned around the edges.
5. Allow to cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheets and then transfer to a wire-rack to cool completely.
6. Now you can add any decorations you might like to add. I used some eggnog flavoured icing dipping the cookies into it and attaching a chocolate chip as an eye afterwards.
7. Let dry.