Cinnamon Brown Sugar Animal Crackers

Preparation

• 1 Beat flour, butter, sugar, baking soda and cinnamon with an electric mixer on medium speed just until mixture comes together, but is still sandy in texture, about 4 to 6 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, be sure to use the paddle attachment, not the whisk.)
• 2 Whisk egg and salt in small bowl until well blended. Add to flour mixture; mix on medium until a soft dough forms, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• 3 Wrap dough tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.
• 4 Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C). Roll dough to 1/8-inch (3-mm) thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place crackers on parchment-lined baking sheets.
• 5 Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute. Transfer crackers to wire rack. Cool completely. Decorate with your favourite icing, if desired.
• 6 Test Kitchen Tips:
  •If you don’t have an electric mixer, don't worry! This dough can be mixed by hand!
  •Make dough up to 1 day in advance.
  •Pop dough scraps back in the fridge to chill, then re-roll to make more cookies.
  •Instead of icing, sprinkle crackers with a mix of demerara sugar and cinnamon before baking; press gently to make sure the mixture sticks to tops of crackers.
  •Try sprinkling crushed animal crackers over your favourite ice cream or morning yogurt for a little extra crunch.