In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flours, wheat bran (see note below), baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt until combined. Add the butter, shortening, and brown sugar; pulse until combined. Add the half-and-half and vanilla; pulse until combined. Press dough into a ball and wrap well with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.

To bake, preheat oven to 350ºF. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness between 2 sheets of wax paper (use 1/8-inch dowels as a guide). Cut cookies using a 2 1/2-inch cutter. Prick the cookie cutouts evenly with a fork or skewer. Slide the wax paper onto a sheet pan and chill for a few minutes before transferring the cutouts to a silicone or parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

Note: Ground bran cereal, wheat germ, oat bran, ground flax seeds, or any combination thereof, can be used as a substitution for the wheat bran.

Recipe adapted from Serena Weber.