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Homemade Animal Crackers

February 28, 2014 by Cara

So I have been reminiscing through some old recipes and became all nostalgic when I came across my Copycat Treats recipe section which inevitably began the thought process of all the recipes that I still had on my list of things to recreate and just never got around to it. Until today, that is. Homemade Animal Crackers, to name just one the of many recipes that was created. Eeeeeee.

Homemade Animal Crackers (gluten, egg, and dairy-free) - Fork & Beans

 

Yeah I said it, it’s one of many. Well, three to be exact–is that still considered “many”? It sure felt like it today in my kitchen.  But these homemade animal crackers, friends! It’s blowing my mind right now and making me all sorts of crazy because they taste just like the real deal. These gluten, egg, and dairy-free animal crackers taste like you just brought them home from the store. If I could do a cartwheel right now I would…

Homemade Animal Crackers (gluten, egg, and dairy-free) - Fork & Beans

I know what you are thinking, “She can’t even do a cartwheel?” (look, it’s a balance issue one of which I lack and it’s besides the point–I’m sensitive about that issue <I’m not really>) You heard me though, when I just confessed that I made for YOU the most tastiest homemade gluten, egg, and dairy-free Animal Crackers recipes right?? Listen to me, I’m so ecstatic that even my grammar is suffering.

Homemade Animal Crackers (gluten, egg, and dairy-free) - Fork & Beans

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Homemade Animal Crackers (gluten, egg, and dairy-free) - Fork & Beans

Homemade Gluten-Free Vegan Animal Crackers

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
  • Yield: 90 1x
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Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

  • 1/4 c. vegan butter, room temp
  • 3 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce, room temp
  • 1/3 c. granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. flaxseed meal + 2 Tbsp. warm water – thickened for 5 minutes)
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 c. Cara’s Gluten-Free Flour Blend (see below)
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • generous pinch of nutmeg (this is what makes these cookies utter perfection) and a less generous pinch of cinnamon

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, vigorously whip the butter with the back of your fork until fluffy (2 minutes). Add the applesauce and sugar and fluff until well-combined (another minute). Add the flax “egg” and vanilla and whisk until blended in.
  3. Add the dry ingredients slowly into the wet ingredients as you constantly stir it in until you create a nice cookie dough.
  4. Divide the dough into 3 smooth balls and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
  5. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  6. Between 2 more pieces of parchment paper, roll one ball of dough out to 1/4″ thickness. Using mini animal cookie cutters, cut out your cookies. If you’d like to make them a little more realistic, simply use a toothpick to create an eye for each animal.
  7. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, just until the edges begin to lightly brown.
  8. Allow to cool on a wire rack and devour.

Notes

Makes 90 animal crackers
Store in an air-tight container–will keep fresh for up to 1 week (yeah, like you are going to have them around that long).


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 10 cookies
  • Calories: 220
  • Sugar: 7g
  • Sodium: 120mg
  • Fat: 4g
  • Carbohydrates: 20g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 3g

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @forkandbeans on Instagram and hashtag it #forkandbeans

Here is my all-purpose flour blend that I love and used for this recipe (I keep a big ol’ batch of this in a container in my pantry):

Your Guide To Gluten Free Flours: Fork & Beans' All Purpose Flour Blend

It’s the best blend I have experimented with, honest to the big G. I spent six months figuring it out so you know it’s good. Now if you want to you use your own blend or mix up the flours, feel free to do so–always understand that your results might be different. Nothing is guaranteed in this crazy world of gluten-free vegan baking. Need help with substitutions? Check out this Guide to Gluten Free Flours. Oh and I also used these adorable cookie cutters if you feel so inclined to use the same!

Homemade Animal Crackers (gluten, egg, and dairy-free) - Fork & Beans

Surprise your little ones (or the little one who still remains within you) with these homemade animal crackers today! Oh, and do a cartwheel in my honor, would ya?

 

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YOU ALSO MIGHT LIKE:

  • Cinnamon Teddy GrahamsCinnamon Teddy Grahams
  • Homemade Circus Animal CookiesHomemade Circus Animal Cookies
  • Gluten-free Vegan Nutter Butter BitesGluten-free Vegan Nutter Butter Bites
  • Homemade Chocolate Teddy GrahamsHomemade Chocolate Teddy Grahams

Filed Under: Cookies/Bars, Copycat Treats, Dairy-Free, Desserts, Gluten-Free, Kid-Friendly, Nut Free, Snacks for Kids, Vegan

About Cara

Based in Chicago with her husband and son, Cara is the creator behind the site Fork and Beans: A place where kids can have fun with their food.

Previous Post: « Gluten free Vegan Oatmeal Cream Pies
Next Post: Gluten free Vegan Nutter Butter Bites »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Katherine Hong

    August 27, 2017 at 10:56 pm

    Desperately want to try this recipe for my little guy who is soy gluten and dairy intolerant, but he is allergic to flax… anything I can substitute for it? Thanks!

    • Cara

      August 28, 2017 at 7:56 am

      Try chia seed meal in its place or even aquafaba might work!

  2. TRISA

    February 23, 2017 at 5:04 am

    I need to sub cassava flour and olive oil? Can it be done? Thanks!

  3. Kelsey

    August 5, 2016 at 5:58 am

    Can I make these with regular flour?

    • Cara

      August 5, 2016 at 2:26 pm

      You definitely can but you just might need to decrease the amount of flour by a little bit.

      • Kelsey

        August 10, 2016 at 12:15 pm

        Okay, sorry…one more question, I’m about to make these now but I am out of vegan butter, can I use coconut oil instead? Thanks!

        • Cara

          August 10, 2016 at 1:43 pm

          Definitely should not be a problem! Might be a little crisper but still good none-the-less 🙂

  4. Jenny

    May 26, 2016 at 12:16 pm

    Amazing!! We are new to the dairy free and gluten free diet and we are struggling to find replacement snacks for my kids. I don’t want them to feel left out at snack time at school and these animal crackers are a perfect substitute! We devoured them! Thank you so much!

    ★★★★★

    • Cara

      May 31, 2016 at 9:50 am

      That is exactly why I created them! So happy to you devoured them 🙂

  5. JUliana

    May 27, 2015 at 10:19 pm

    Am I able to substitute vegan butter with coconut oil? Love the recipe btw!!

  6. lila

    June 23, 2014 at 7:16 am

    just made them, amazing. you are rocking my 3 year old gluten free, dairy free, soy free, vegetarian world. thank you!

  7. Lara

    June 9, 2014 at 5:26 am

    Whoops. Left out the link…http://www.sweetsugarbelle.com/2011/05/cheap-and-easy-diy-cookie-cutters/

  8. Lara

    June 9, 2014 at 5:25 am

    A search for homemade cookie cutters will bring up some great ideas if you don’t want to wait for special ones. I think I’ll try this one next. Instead of Super Glue I think I’ll try either punching holes & sewing them shut or a riviter. Good luck. Thanks for the recipe. “Can’t wait to try it”!

    • Cara

      June 9, 2014 at 7:40 am

      Great suggestion Lara, thank you so much!

  9. laura

    March 24, 2014 at 1:14 pm

    Help!! I’m trying to make these and they are sticking horribly to my parchment paper. Also, I used an egg instead of the egg replacement. Does that make a difference?
    -Laura

    • Cara

      March 24, 2014 at 1:18 pm

      Hi Laura! Yes, the egg has added more liquid to your crackers which is why you are having troubles with stickiness. Anytime you make a change to a gf/vegan recipe your results can/will alter greatly. So fickle! Simply form back into a ball, place in the fridge to chill for 10 min and sprinkle flour liberally on the bottom of the parchment paper and the top of the dough once you are ready to roll it out again. That should fix the problem.

  10. Beth @ Tasty Yummies

    March 5, 2014 at 7:45 am

    Stop it. You are insanely brilliant, you! I love these. Great recipe.

    • Cara

      March 5, 2014 at 1:59 pm

      I will NOT stop 🙂 No really, I can’t. I’m obsessed. I need help… ha! Thank you for the comment Beth! xo

  11. Gemma

    March 2, 2014 at 2:02 pm

    These look adorable Cara! 🙂 I’m sure they are pretty addictive because of their size, hee hee.

    xo

    • Cara

      March 2, 2014 at 4:45 pm

      Thank you so much Gemma! You are right–anything small and mini = addictive. xo

  12. Camie

    March 1, 2014 at 10:06 pm

    I just did a cartwheel. Thanks for the amazing recipe!

    • Cara

      March 2, 2014 at 4:44 pm

      Thank you! At least one of us can do some sort of gymnastics 🙂

  13. Kat

    March 1, 2014 at 2:23 pm

    Thank you for the sweet shout out, Cara!! It has been an absolute pleasure working together and I’m excited about our future collaborations! 😉

    As for the animal crackers… I will definitely be making these! A true classic! Also curious to know where you got these adorb cookie cutters!!

    • Cara

      March 2, 2014 at 4:44 pm

      Uh you are SO welcome!! I just adore you. Here is the link for the cutters too: http://www.amazon.com/Wilton-Noahs-Metal-Cookie-Cutters/dp/B00076TPN0
      xo

  14. lymie

    March 1, 2014 at 11:17 am

    Maybe you did and I’m not seeing it but where did you get the cutters? I would love to make these but I don’t have any that small. Thanks.

    • Cara

      March 1, 2014 at 4:51 pm

      I didn’t included it, Lymie but I just did. Here is a link as to which ones I used: http://www.amazon.com/Wilton-Noahs-Metal-Cookie-Cutters/dp/B00076TPN0 xo!

  15. Randi (laughfrodisiac)

    February 28, 2014 at 7:10 pm

    I adore animal crackers and can go through entire bags of those crappy kinds from the drugstore…I obviously need to make these!

    • Cara

      March 2, 2014 at 4:43 pm

      These are a better version of those store-bought crackers so yes, you NEED to make these! xo

  16. Beth

    February 28, 2014 at 6:40 pm

    I am so excited about these! I had made your circus animal cookies before a few times but that’s how I discovered I don’t do so well with the xantham gum. 🙂 Can’t wait to try these and the chocolate bears! I finally got the cookie cutter, now just need the time to make them!

    • Cara

      March 2, 2014 at 4:42 pm

      You have your to-do list growing 😉 Can’t wait to hear what you think…

  17. Laurel

    February 28, 2014 at 6:30 pm

    I just now cancelled my safari, no heat, no guns just the huge bonus of edible. c’mer l’il cracker, I’M gonna eat you.

    • Cara

      March 2, 2014 at 4:42 pm

      BAHA, I love the “C’mer lil cracker”!! You so funny L.

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