Make your own dinosaur footprint cookies! They’re perfect for a dinosaur themed birthday party or just because your kiddo loves dinos.
How to Make Dinosaur Footprint Cookies
- Whisk the flour: Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder together using a whisk.
- Make the dough: Mix the sugar with the butter until creamy. Beat the vanilla essence and egg into the creamed mixture. Add the flour mixture and mix well. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- Form the cookies: Use a rounded tablespoon to dollop lumps of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Lightly flatten each lump into a cookie. Dip the foot of the dinosaur figurine into water, then into ground cinnamon. Carefully press the foot into each dough disk, creating a fossil footprint.
- Bake: Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
To Store: Dinosaur footprint cookies can be stored at room temperature for five days or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Make sure the container seals properly to keep out excess moisture. You can also add a tortilla or slice of bread to keep your cookies chewy for longer.
To Freeze: Cookies can also be frozen for up to three months. Just put the sealed container in the freezer or transfer them to a freezer-safe ziplock bag. To defrost, leave them on the counter or reheat them in the oven to make them nice and crispy again.
Recipe Variations for Dinosaur Footprint Cookies
Lemon twist: Add one tablespoon of freshly grated lemon zest to the dough for a zesty kick. Mix it in with the flour mixture before refrigerating.
Coconut cookies: Replace a quarter cup of flour with a quarter cup of shredded coconut. Add it to the flour mixture before combining it with the wet ingredients.
Chocolate chip cookies: Fold half a cup of chocolate chips into the dough for gooey chocolatey goodness. Mix the chips into the dough before refrigerating.
Caramel drizzle: After baking, drizzle warm caramel sauce over the cooled cookies. You can use store-bought caramel or make your own.
Peanut butter swirl: Swirl a quarter cup of creamy peanut butter into the dough before refrigerating. Drop small dollops of peanut butter onto the dough and gently swirl with a knife.
Almond coconut cookies: Mix a quarter cup of chopped almonds and a quarter cup of shredded coconut into the dough. Fold them in with the flour mixture.
Oatmeal raisin twist: Replace half a cup of flour with half a cup of rolled oats and mix in a quarter cup of raisins for a classic oatmeal raisin flavor. Combine the oats with the flour mixture.
Maple pecan cookies: Stir in a quarter cup of chopped pecans and two tablespoons of maple syrup into the dough. Mix them in with the wet ingredients.
Orange spice cookies: Add one tablespoon of orange zest and half a teaspoon of ground nutmeg to the dough for a warm, citrusy flavor. Mix them in with the flour mixture.
Double chocolate: For an extra chocolatey treat, mix half a cup of chocolate chips and a quarter cup of cocoa powder into the dough. Combine the cocoa powder with the flour mixture and fold in the chocolate chips afterward.
Dinosaur Footprint Cookies
Equipment
- Dinosaur figures
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ground cinnamon for footprints
Instructions
- Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a bowl and whisk to combine.
- In another bowl, cream the butter with sugar.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine.
- Add the flour mixture and mix well.
- Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Lightly flatten each cookie.
- Dip the foot of dinosaur figurine into water then into ground cinnamon.
- Carefully press the foot into each dough disk, creating a fossil footprint.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
Notes
- Cookie forming tip: If the dough feels too sticky, lightly flour your hands before shaping the cookies to prevent sticking.
- Uniform size tip: Use a measuring spoon or scoop to ensure equal-sized cookies for even baking.
- Proper spacing tip: Leave at least two inches of space between each cookie on the baking sheet to allow for spreading during baking.
- Cooling instruction: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for at least five minutes before scooping them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Storage recommendation: For optimal freshness, store cooled cookies in a resealable container at room temperature for up to five days.
