• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Make the Cookie Dough:

• In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and white chocolate chips.
• In another mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and softened cream cheese until the ingredients are combined and the mixture is light and fluffy.
• Mix in the vanilla extract and the egg and then the instant vanilla pudding mix, using a hand mixer.
• Add the flour mixture in 2 or 3 increments, using a hand mixer or Danish dough whisk.
• Keep mixing until all ingredients are combined and you have a thick batter.
• Carefully, fold in the finely chopped animal cookies and the sprinkles.
• With a spatula or Danish dough whisk, mix until all ingredients are evenly spread throughout the batter. I wouldn’t recommend using the hand mixer here.
• Use a medium cookie scoop (1½-tablespoon) to scoop the batter into balls.
• Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet leaving 1½ to 2 inches in between each.
• Press the dough balls down into disks.

Bake the Cookies:

• Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to10 minutes or until the edges are golden and the center is set.
• Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack.

Frost the Cookies (Optional):

• Combine the buttercream frosting ingredients to make the frosting and pipe or spread it over the top of each cookie.
• Add an animal cracker (or pieces) on top to decorate.