Totoro cookies

I wanted to make Totoro cookies this weekend as I have been introducing them to all the studio Ghibli movies in the last couple of weeks. Highly recommend them all.

 Totoro cookie cutters are almost impossible to find. There are some at warpzoneprints which I may have to get along with the super cute adipose Dr Who cutter.

However I wanted to make them today so I followed the tutorial at annathered to make my own. I used a slightly bigger wilton cutter the 4" as my starting circle. All you need is pipe cleaners, pliers and sharpies.
 
 I also used a small oval cutter the wrong way round to make the impression for the belly. Straw and a pick for eyes and a star cutter to make triangles for nose and stomach.

The recipe I used was from warpzoneprintsadapted from cookiecraze this works really well for cookies with stamped details

1 cup butter, softened this is 2 sticks of land o lakes
1 1/2 cups super-fine sugar (or use granulated sugar blend for 30 seconds)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (don’t use fat free) I used oikos
3 3/4 cups all purpose flour(plain)
1/2 tsp baking soda(bicarbonate of soda)
1/2 tsp salt
 Cream butter and sugar.
 Beat in egg, vanilla, and Greek yogurt.
 Blend in dry ingredients.

 Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

 Roll dough on floured surface to about 1/2" thick
Cut into shapes.
Place cookies on un-greased cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper
This recipe yields made 25 medium cookies.
Bake approximately 16-20 minutes, depending on cookie size. Mine took 16 min
 

I also made some cutezcute animal cookies and Clover ones for St Patricks day and a couple of others using playdoh cutters I raided from kids stash.
 

I want to figure out a chocolate version of this recipe and cut out the belly and use plain dough I will see if I can find one.
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