Whole Wheat Animal Crackers

Ingredients:

- 1 cup whole wheat flour

- 1 cup all-purpose flour

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1/4 cup sugar

- 1 egg

- 1/3 cup salted butter, softened

- 2 tbsp maple syrup

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- Dash of cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

2. Mix dry ingredients:

In a mixing bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, and a dash of cinnamon. Mix well to ensure even distribution of ingredients.

3. Add wet ingredients:

Add the softened butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and the egg to the dry ingredients. Mix until a dough forms. If the dough seems too dry, you can add a tablespoon of milk to help bring it together.

4. Chill dough:

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Chilling the dough will make it easier to roll out and cut into shapes.

5. Roll out dough:

After chilling, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness.

6. Cut out shapes:

Use animal-shaped cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the dough. Place the cut-out shapes onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between each one.

7. Bake:

Bake the animal crackers in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes, or until they are lightly golden around the edges.

8. Cool:

Allow the animal crackers to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

9. Enjoy:

Once cooled, store the whole wheat animal crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Enjoy them as a wholesome snack or with your favorite dip!