Homemade Animal Crackers (Chocolate & Cinnamon)
If your child likes to snack on animal crackers, they'll love this homemade version of the classic. These chocolate and cinnamon animal crackers are kid-approved, refined sugar-free and totally adorable!
Servings: 40 crackers
Calories: 52kcal
Equipment
- 1 electric hand mixer
- 1 medium mixing bowl
- 1 small mixing bowl
- 1 whisk
- plastic wrap as needed
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 2 large baking sheets
- parchment paper (or silicone baking mat)
Ingredients
Cinnamon Animal Crackers
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Chocolate Animal Crackers
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup + 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup + 3 tbsp whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup cocoa powder Dutch-processed or natural
Instructions
- Add the butter, coconut sugar and honey (along with the cinnamon, if making cinnamon crackers) to a medium mixing bowl and beat them with an electric hand mixer until combined. Add the egg and the vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
- Pour the baking powder and both types of flour (along with the cocoa powder, if making chocolate crackers) into a small mixing bowl and whisk them together until combined.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, beating with an electric hand mixer until they have been fully incorporated.
- Divide the dough in two and use your hands to shape it into flattened disks. Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. (The dough can stay in the fridge for up to 24 hours, but you may need to let it soften a bit before using if it has been chilled for more than 4 hours.)
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Place one disk of dough on a floured surface (the other disk should stay in the fridge) and use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough to between ⅛ and ¼ of an inch in thickness. Cut the dough into shapes using cookie cutters, and place them about 1 inch apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Re-roll any remaining dough to create more shapes.
- Place the animal crackers in the oven and bake for about 12 minutes, until the edges have just started to brown. While the first batch is baking, take the second disk out of the fridge and repeat the previous step with the remainder of the dough. Remove the first batch from the oven (once adequately cooked) and bake the second batch. Allow the crackers to cool for at least 5 minutes before enjoying.
Notes
1. Storage instructions: Store uneaten animal crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
2. Freezing instructions: Uncooked dough and baked crackers can both be frozen for up to 2 months. Freeze uncooked dough after cutting into shapes, and place on a baking sheet to thaw for a few minutes before cooking.
3. Getting the right consistency: Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to make it sturdier and less sticky. If the dough becomes hard to roll after chilling, dust with flour and re-roll.
4. Helpful tips:
- Don't skip the flour: Make sure to spread flour on both your work surface and your rolling pin to prevent sticking.
- Avoid re-rolling too much: Try to cut as many shapes as possible from the dough to avoid re-rolling it too many times.
- Press on the stamps: If using cookie cutters with stamps, press down firmly to create imprints that won't fade during baking.
- Test the baking time: When making these for the first time, start with a batch of cinnamon crackers so you can see the edges brown more easily and determine how long to bake them.
Nutrition
Calories: 52kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 77IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.3mg