Themed Cookies ... Circus Animal Sugar Cookies

I saw this yummy Circus Animal Sugar Cookies recipe on I Dig Pinterest on a blog hop a while back and had to give it a try.  Oh man are these cookies good, so good that I had to actually send them out of my house and to my friend so I would not sit and eat everyone.  They are really sweet so most people could stop at one but not this girl .. lol.  Knowing my weakness I did what any good friend would do and give to her friend .. lol, she has kids at the house so I knew she wouldn't be tempted like me and if she was she could have the kids eat them .. lol.

1 c. sugar

1 c. shortening

1 egg

3/4 tsp. almond flavoring

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. (or a little more if you'd like) Circus Animal Cookies, coarsely chopped

1 c. white chocolate chips for drizzling (or Wilton White Melts)

Cream together sugar and shortening.  Add egg and almond flavoring and mix once again.  In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.  Add to wet mixture and mix until combined.  Stir in Circus Animal Cookies.  No need to chill the dough! Form into round balls, put on cookie sheet, then flatten with a fork while using your other hand to keep the dough together.  Sprinkle sugar over the tops of them and bake at 350 for exactly 8 minutes.  Don't overbake!  Let sit on cookie sheet for a few minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.  When cool, drizzle with melted white chocolate chips.

ALEXIS NOTES: I used 1/2 a bag of Wilton White Melts instead of chocolate chips, they melt nicer and I like the taste better (I buy mine at Walmart cheap).  I used my ninja to chop up the cookies, made them a little smaller then I would have liked.  Next time I'll do the zip-lock bag full with a rolling pin.  Also make sure you cut a small hole for pipping the white chocolate.  Mine was a little too large which didn't make my cookies as pretty as her's.  Or I could always use a piping bag with a small tip, but I was being lazy and didn't want clean my pipping bag and tip.

I found the animal cookies when I was buying treats for the kids and thought of this recipe and knew it would just be perfect to try it out!  I got rave reviews on these cookies from my friend and her family, along with my grabby little hand that kept going back for more!!

Wouldn't these be fun for a Baby Shower or heck just because!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.