With Kiwi Cookie Cutters in the shop, I just had to try making some cookies with them.  The cookies would be perfect for serving up on Waitangi Day, or giving to new arrivals into New Zealand.  Or just send the cookie cutter and this recipe to friends and family overseas to try.

I used a food processor to make the cookies.  If you don't have a food processor or blender to process the flour and butter, you'll need to use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour.

Kiwi Bird Sugar Cookies

2 c plain flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
125g butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 tsp grated orange rind
1 Tbsp orange juice
1 egg
2 Tbsp water

Set oven temp to 180C (350F).

Add flour and baking powder to food processor and pulse or blend briefly.
Chop up butter into small cubes and add to flour and BP.  Process until like fine breadcrumbs.  
Add sugar, orange rind and juice.  Pulse to mix.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg.  Whilst running the food processor, slowly add the egg. Process until the ingredients start to clump.  Check the feel of the dough.  It should be holding together without crumbling, but not feel moist.  If too dry, slowly add some of the water, until it clumps well but again, isn't moist.
Turn dough out onto a baking paper lined board.  Shape to a flat disc.  Lay another piece of baking paper on top, and roll out to about a 4mm thickness.
Use the large kiwi cutter to cut out the kiwis.  You should get about 9 large kiwi. 
Bake in the centre of the oven for 15 -20 minutes (check them at 15 minutes).  They should be golden brown.  Keep an eye on the beaks, you don't want them to go really brown).  Cool on a wire rack, then ice.

Icing
There are no doubt many ways to ice the kiwi, but I'm no expert at icing so I made a basic butter icing (icing sugar, butter, vanilla essence, cocoa powder) and iced the kiwi.
Then I pushed DollarSweets gold sprinkles into the icing at the beak and legs, and pushed chocolate sprinkles into the rest of the body.

Tip: If you use the small kiwi cookie cutter, you may need to reduce your baking time so the beaks don't get too brown, or alternatively, roll the dough a bit thicker.

Enjoy!

With Kiwi Cookie Cutters in the shop, I just had to try making some cookies with them.  The cookies would be perfect for serving up on Waitangi Day, or giving to new arrivals into New Zealand.  Or just send the cookie cutter and this recipe to friends and family overseas to try.

I used a food processor to make the cookies.  If you don't have a food processor or blender to process the flour and butter, you'll need to use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour.

Kiwi Bird Sugar Cookies

2 c plain flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
125g butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 tsp grated orange rind
1 Tbsp orange juice
1 egg
2 Tbsp water

Set oven temp to 180C (350F).

Add flour and baking powder to food processor and pulse or blend briefly.
Chop up butter into small cubes and add to flour and BP.  Process until like fine breadcrumbs.  
Add sugar, orange rind and juice.  Pulse to mix.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg.  Whilst running the food processor, slowly add the egg. Process until the ingredients start to clump.  Check the feel of the dough.  It should be holding together without crumbling, but not feel moist.  If too dry, slowly add some of the water, until it clumps well but again, isn't moist.
Turn dough out onto a baking paper lined board.  Shape to a flat disc.  Lay another piece of baking paper on top, and roll out to about a 4mm thickness.
Use the large kiwi cutter to cut out the kiwis.  You should get about 9 large kiwi. 
Bake in the centre of the oven for 15 -20 minutes (check them at 15 minutes).  They should be golden brown.  Keep an eye on the beaks, you don't want them to go really brown).  Cool on a wire rack, then ice.

Icing
There are no doubt many ways to ice the kiwi, but I'm no expert at icing so I made a basic butter icing (icing sugar, butter, vanilla essence, cocoa powder) and iced the kiwi.
Then I pushed DollarSweets gold sprinkles into the icing at the beak and legs, and pushed chocolate sprinkles into the rest of the body.

Tip: If you use the small kiwi cookie cutter, you may need to reduce your baking time so the beaks don't get too brown, or alternatively, roll the dough a bit thicker.

Enjoy!