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Hi Bold Bakers!
Consider this Homemade Animal Crackers Recipe my homage to store-bought animal crackers—a long-time favorite for a lot of families, including my own! But this recipe is particularly special for me because it was my first time baking in the kitchen with George lending a helping hand!
George (and I!) adore our Sprout’s Sous Chef Toddler Tower—I’m honestly sorry I didn’t get it sooner! He is climbing up and down the tower from morning to night to help his parents at the counter. I’ll sacrifice a banana, orange, or carrot and let him stand with us and chop it up. It’s really given us all hours of entertainment, and he loves having a job to do.
These homemade animal crackers taste similar to a graham cracker because I include whole wheat and cinnamon, and George loves them! He gets them as a potty training reward—and I get them as a reward for helping potty train!
What Are Homemade Animal Crackers?
Animal crackers are a classic staple in plenty of households with young children. They’re cutely shaped as circus or zoo animals, taste delicious, and are easy for little hands to hold onto. But if you check out the ingredients on the back, you may pause before giving them to your little one.
Making homemade means you know exactly what goes into your crackers—I use a combination of sugar, honey, vanilla, AP flour, whole wheat flour, and cinnamon. Plus, you get the experience of making a wonderful treat together! Oh, and did I mention that these are BIGGER Animal Crackers than normal?
Tools You Need
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Animal Cookie Cutters or any cookie cutters
- Mixing bowls
- Cling wrap
- Parchment paper
- 2 baking sheets
How To Make Homemade Animal Crackers
Making these easy-to-buy crackers are actually extremely easy-to-make at home too! Here is how you make homemade animal crackers (get the full, printable recipe with measurements below):
- Cream the butter, sugar, and honey in a large bowl until they are well combined. Then, beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Next, add the dry ingredients and mix to form a dough.
- Wrap the dough in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. You can use the dough straight away, but I find it is a little easier to roll when it has chilled for a bit.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll half of your dough out on a floured surface until it is about 1/4-inch thick.
- Using Animal Cookie Cutters or any cookie cutters, cut out the dough into shapes. Place your crackers onto your prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown around the edges. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before enjoying!
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For Making Homemade Animal Crackers
- Make Ahead Tip: make the dough, cut the shapes and freeze the cookies on a parchment-lined tray. Once frozen, transfer to an airtight container for up to 2 months. Then, you can bake off fresh crackers whenever you want them!
- I like the addition of whole wheat, but I don’t recommend using 100% whole wheat and no white flour as it will make for heavy dough.
- Be sure that your butter is very soft or it may be difficult to cream.
- You can also mix this dough in a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, on medium speed.
- Instead of using cling wrap, you can chill this dough in a reusable airtight container.
- You can gather and reroll your dough scraps to get more cookies. If the dough gets too soft, refrigerate for 15 minutes before rerolling.
- If you enjoyed this recipe, try my Homemade Goldfish Crackers next!
- Here are the Animal Cookie Cutters that I used.
How Do I Store Homemade Animal Crackers?
Homemade animal crackers will keep fresh in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to a week! See my note about always having some ready-to-bake by freezing the dough above!
Try These Other Recipes!
- Homemade Chips Ahoy! Cookies Recipe
- Homemade Graham Crackers
- Homemade OREO Cookies Recipe
- Homemade Biscoff Cookies
- Homemade Digestive Biscuits
And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!
Full (and printable) recipe below!
Try These Recipes!
Watch The Recipe Video!
Homemade Animal Crackers Recipe
Ingredients
- 9 tablespoons (4 ½ oz/129 g) butter, softened
- ¼ cup (2 oz/57 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (5 oz/142 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (5 oz/142 g) whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and honey until well combined.
- Add the egg and vanilla, and continue to whisk until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder and cinnamon, then mix this into your butter mixture. You might need to get in there with your hands and knead it just until it comes together.
- Shape the dough into a flattened disc, wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. (You can use it straight away but it's a little easier to roll when it has chilled for a bit.)
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough to a ¼-inch (6 mm) thickness. (Keep the remaining dough covered and in the refrigerator to stay cold until you are ready to roll it.)
- Using Animal Cookie Cutters (or any cookie cutters of your choice) cut out the dough into shapes. Place the crackers 1-inch (3 cm) apart onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown around the edges.
- Let cool for at least 5 minutes on the baking sheets before enjoying. Stored cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
Recipe Notes
- Make Ahead Tip: make the dough, cut the shapes and freeze the cookies on a parchment-lined tray. Once frozen, transfer to an airtight container for up to 2 months. Then, you can bake off fresh crackers whenever you want them!
- I like the addition of whole wheat, but I don't recommend using 100% whole wheat and no white flour as it will make for heavy dough.
- Be sure that your butter is very soft or it may be difficult to cream.
- You can also mix this dough in a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, on medium speed.
- Instead of using cling wrap, you can chill this dough in a reusable airtight container.
- You can gather and reroll your dough scraps to get more cookies. If the dough gets too soft, refrigerate for 15 minutes before rerolling.
- If you enjoyed this recipe, try my Homemade Goldfish Crackers next!
- Here are the Animal Cookie Cutters that I used.
Can the whole wheat flour be substituted for oat flour? If so is it a 1:1 substitution?
Most fun I’ve had baking in awhile! Recipe was super simple to put together. The dough formed nicely and these baked off just right. Can’t wait to share with my favorite toddler, but these are a fave for the adults in the house too.
These look lovely! Cookie cutting stamps, as you said, are adorable (just like your little sous chef😉)! I’m thinking of getting some stamps for my 1yr cousin, should be great🤩
This is such a precious video. Georgie is such a cutie. He reminds me of my blond blue-eyed son. ❤️
He is adorable. Applause to you!
Awesome video .. Georgie is too cute. Hey maybe with the extra vanilla he created a new animal cracker recipe.
he is beautiful!, and so big already.
Gemma,
I made these crackers with my 3-year-old grandson yesterday, and OH what fun we had. I love that these are not too sweet and the addition of the whole wheat flour, adds a bit of nuttiness and texture that even grownups can enjoy.
This cookies came out so delicious and sooo easy to make. I suggest using high quality ingredients for superb flavor and results. On some added Dutch cocoa, sprinkles, and
Are these cookies more soft, or do they have a crunchy texture ?