Making My Kitchen into A Three-Ring Circus

During the holidays, I dared venture into my temple, Williams-Sonoma. It's dangerous when I walk into any W-S, I could come out pennyless with an apple peeler and corer or espresso machine. It's happened. There have been interventions!! On this most recent (online) visit, I spotted Circus Animal Cookie Forms, you know, like Barnum's Animal Crackers!! I could make them at home!

I've always loved Barnum's Animal Crackers, partly I believe to my birthday sharing with P.T. Barnum, but I've never even considered making them at home since I never had the intricate forms. Williams-Sonoma's set contains:

A Giraffe


A Seal


A Tiger


An Elephant


And a Lion

Since I never imagined I would be making these, I've never kept any animal cookie recipes. Luckily, W-S gives you a recipe on the back of their box. It a typical sugar cookie recipe with some mace and nutmeg added. I've been brainstorming on what to do with the next batch, make it more gingerbready? more lemony? I'm not sure. Experiments are needed.

Getting ready for the oven

W-S recipe was a little off for my oven; they called for a 350° oven for 12 to 15 minutes. In reality, the best batches (best, but not perfect) came out of a 325° oven after 12-14 minutes. It would also help if I did batches of one shape each, it's taking a long time for me to learn that lesson.