Homemade Animal Crackers.
A funny thing happened on Monday night. As we were climbing into bed, Mr. How Sweet was detailing his intense craving for sweets. He was begging for cookies and brownies and cake, none of which we had. Then he talked about animal crackers for a good 10 minutes. It was like our roles had reversed. I just wanted to sleep, and he wouldn’t shut up about food. Now I know how he feels every night.
Then he asked if I could make animal crackers. I’m always up for a challenge.
Plus, are these not the most adorable things you’ve ever seen?
There was something fun about making the cookies slash crackers. I’m not sure if it was because it was a new-to-me recipe, or because I was using teeny, tiny cookie cutters, or because I ate so much dough that I tricked myself into thinking it was fun.
And I had no idea that animal crackers were made with oats. Well, I have no clue if the boxed variety are made with oats, but every homemade recipe I found was.
I also used half whole wheat flour in an effort to make them a bit healthier. Not that it really mattered since I knew Mr. How Sweet would eat the entire batch. As much as I love mini food, I’m pretty sure eating 68 animal crackers cancels out any attempt at portion control.
The mini animal cookie cutters are a Noah’s Arc set by Wilton. If you couldn’t already tell, I’m basically obsessed with them. They are so tiny.
Hello, Mr. Elephant. You are just so cute that I could eat you.
And eat you I did. About 10 times over. I’m sorry.
We loved the cookies, but there are a few things to note.
- They are not sweet. If you are looking for a sweet animal cracker, this is not for you.
- They are not exactly crunchy either. Crunchy on the outside and just a little soft on the inside. Perfect.
- The are best when covered in something extremely sugary. But just a little dollop.
Mr. How Sweet made himself a plate piled high with animal crackers, dipped them in frosting, and had a diet Coke on the side. But for once, he didn’t eat them over the sink.
Homemade Animal Crackers
slightly changed from allrecipes
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 tablespoons buttermilk
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Grind oats (I used a food processor, you can use a blender) and add flours, salt and baking soda. Add butter and pulse until small crumbles remain. Add honey, vanilla and buttermilk, and mix until a dough forms.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Once chilled, flour surface and roll out dough. Cut cookies and place on a baking sheet.
Baking times will depend on the size of the cutter you are using and the thickness of the cookie. I baked these mini crackers for 4-5 minutes each.
I decorated a few for myself. Well, initially I decorated them for both of us. But I ate them all before he got home. Â And then I had an issue with the frosting. Oh well. All I really want is to recreate that pink glazed frosting that comes on the bagged iced animal crackers. Anyone have a recipe *exactly* like that? My 2 hour search came up short.
134 Comments on “Homemade Animal Crackers.”
Phew! I was hoping you wouldn’t leave out the icing. Iced animal crackers are the best! :-)
So that’s when the frosting issue came into play :)
These look fantastic – they remind me of being a kid!
OMG!
These are so cute! :)
I do have a lot of cookie cutters at home as most of the traditional Swiss or German Christmas cookies need to be cut out, but that’s the part I like at least… That’s why I prefer making American cookies! ;)
Ahhhh, I’m dying from the cuteness!!! The other day, I bought a box of animal crackers (the kind that comes in the little totable box with the string) because I was feeling nostalgic. But I’m pretty sure they had transfat in them :-)
I actually didn’t like them when I was younger. No idea why!
I think I’d like those better than the boxed kind! I always thought the boxed kind had a weird aftertaste.
So cute!!!!!!
Cute, cute, cute! I love the decorated ones.
Those are the cutest cookies I’ve ever seen!
How cute are you??
I’ll answer that…
VERY!
Love that you guys came up with the idea to make animal crackers! They are so stinkin cute!
THEY ARE SOOO CUTE! Where did you find the animal cracker cookie cutters?!
Joanne Fabrics! I’m sure you could find them at a Michael’s too.
These cookies a totally adorable! It must have been really fun cutting them out! I don’t have that pink frosting recipe, but maybe it is royal icing?
I would be surprised if it is because it seems to be more of a clear glaze?
Gah adorable! We adore adore adore animal crackers! Um and that frosting…divine…
These are SO cute! I loveeee it! I think these would make such a cute gift in a little holiday tin too!
Adorable! I was so, so tempted to buy those cookie cutters the other day when I saw them, but couldn’t justify the purchase. Now I can… ;)
Those are THE cutest things! They’d make fabulous Christmas gifts.
SO cute!! i never thought to make homemade animal crackers. they were never my favorite cookie, and this might be weird, but i always preferred them slightly stale… probably more like the texture of your version
Awww so cute!! I LOVED animal crackers as a kid and still do. My mum used to buy them from Costco (I think) and I haven’t a clue what brand they were – probably because I ate them too fast to read the package. Your cutters are adorable! :)
What an adorable idea!! This would be super fun to do with kids :)
Those are some of the cutest cookies I have seen! love it :)
xo
Oh my gosh these are SO adorable!! I love that you actually have animal cookie cutters!!
Animal crackers with frosting seem so much more fun than the store bought kind. They look super delish!
Adorable! This is the kind of recipe I see myself making for my future children. Or maybe just for my husband and me to enjoy now ;).
My head might implode from cute… you say you searched for two hours for a frosting recipe? If you’re like me, you searched for something for two hours, didn’t find what you were looking for, but found about 30 OTHER recipes to try.
Oh my gosh- these are so cute. How fun would these be at a kids party?
So cute! The chocolate frosting and sprinkles are just adorable :) I’ve never made animal crackers before, but you’ve given me a great idea for a stocking-stuffer for my husband. Every year I get him a box of the Barnum animal crackers for his stocking because he LOVED them as a kid–I have no doubt he’ll love a homemade version even better. Thanks so much for the great idea!
These are too cute!!!
These are adorable!
These are pretty epic. I foresee a soup recipe to follow…
How stinkin’ cute! Loove them!
so cute! i think the icing/frosting you’re looking for is royal icing… found this website with a recipe for it:
http://dessertfirst.typepad.com/dessert_first/2008/10/goodbye-mothers-cookies.html
i didn’t really like the barnum’s animal crackers either, but “mother’s cookies” is another kind of animal cracker/cookie i remember from my childhood! yum! :)
Nope, I’m not looking for the frosted animal cooking icing, I’m looking for the ones with the glaze, like these: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/emailme_store.do?itemId=11045789&storeId=-1&originURL=/catalog/emailme_store.do%3FitemId%3D11045789%26storeId%3D-1%26originURL%3Dhttp%253A//www.walmart.com/ip/Keebler-Animal-Cookies-Iced-13-oz/11045789
But thank you!
Those are so cute and I bet very delicious!! I like the chocolate icing with the sprinkles!! I don’t even think you need that pink icing!
Diet Coke, sweet cravings, Mr. How Sweet is such a girl! Haha, I mean that in the best way possible :) Love the cookies…they are beyond adorbs.
Animal crackers!! I’m afraid these wouldn’t last for 5 minutes in my house, I have no self control when it comes to tiny little foods that I can eat handfuls of.
Teeny, tiny…. and very cute! I love the fact that there’s some whole grains in there!
i havent ever seen homemade animal crackers!! these are so freakin cute! i want one! I used to love animal crackers right out of the fun box! great idea :)
You just can’t help but smile when you see animal crackers. Yours are so fun. Love the cookie cutter photo.
I’m always amazed at the things you create! I want those cookie cutters. Too cute!
Get them! They were seriously like $3.50.
These are so fun! They turned out great!
Cutest things EVER!!
I was just wanting animal crackers the other day. :)
Jessica, you are so creative.
I heart animal crackers! And they’re SO flippin cute!! Def going to have to give these a try ;)
Oh my gosh, why haven’t I ever thought of making my own animal crackers!? Brilliant!
AHh!! I love these! They are absolutely precious little cookies :) And the icing you made looks delish!
So cute! and a lot healthier than regular animal crackers :)
Ok I once again never thought that you could actually make animal crackers. It’s just something you buy at the store in those HUGE bags. I love animal crackers and these actually look like a healthier version!
I think you could do all whole wheat flour, but to be safe (plus I didn’t have much time) I used a mix. I will try them with all wheat and let you guys know – then they’ll be super healthy!
aww these cookies are adorable!
I have those cutters!! a couple years ago when the Mother’s brand animal cookies said they were going away (tragic!) I bought those and made them myself! :D
I made my pink and white icings with meringue powder (found in baker supply store), powdered sugar + water. shiny + runny, you can just dip the cookie in, sprinkle and place on a rack to dry.
reading comments I’m realizing you want a different type, but I think this would still work… you could try just powdered sugar + water…
That’s what I initially tried, a powdered sugar glaze, but it didn’t taste the same! Oh well, I’m sure the glaze on those ones is made with 47 chemicals I can’t pronounce. Thank you though. :)
Powdered sugar, milk, vanilla powder. Maybe?
ah, so cute! I love those little cookie cutters.
These are the cutest! I must get the tiny cutters because, like you, we love everything tiny in our house. I still can’t figure out why everything tiny tastes SO much better! Once again, this is something a 1950’s house wife would spend all day doing! Which is why I must try it! :)
There was also a Wilton set of hearts and flower petals in mini cutters. I was so tempted to buy them too!
I will have to look them up too! I am sure I will be suckered into buying the whole lot of them!
As if you didn’t know this already, you are my hero. I LOVE animal crackers, but their ingredients list is pretty gross. Frosting just makes them that much more appealing.
You are awesome. :)