Homemade Animal Crackers are a classic, fun snack for kids. Cute little animals and a soft crunch, kids love having fun with these! These animal crackers (which are more like a cookie) are gluten-free, as they use an oat flour base and egg-free - AND they still taste amazing.
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These Animal Crackers are part of my Homemade Snacks: Copycat Favourites Made At Home Series. They also are the perfect pairing with my easy whipped coconut dip to make Homemade Dunkaroos. My little one has not stopped requesting these - "DipDip! DipDip!" she calls out every snack time!
And if you love these copycat store-bought favourites, you'll want to check out my easy Baked Apple Chips and Chia Seed Fruit Roll-Ups!
Why You’ll Love These Animal Crackers
- Great for baking together - Kids love cutting out the shapes, and it’s a fun way to spend time in the kitchen together (although if I'm being totally honest, cutting out animal shapes is my least favourite part of making these BUT it's fun seeing how much my daughter enjoys it).
- Allergy-friendly – Made without eggs, gluten, milk (although they do have butter), so more little ones can enjoy them and are school-friendly. They can easily be nut-free by swapping out almond milk for a different plant-based beverage or dairy-free by swapping coconut oil for butter.
- Made with ground flax - A simple way to add some fibre and healthy fats
- Perfect for toddlers – Soft, fun to hold, and just the right size for dipping.
Ingredients for Gluten-Free Animal Crackers
Here is what you'll need to make these easy and healthy animal crackers.
- Oat flour
- Butter
- Unsweetened almond milk (or other plant-based alternative beverage, or regular milk)
- Maple syrup
- Vanilla
- Cinnamon
- Ground flaxseed
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Here's an overview on how to make these animal crackers, or you can scroll down to the recipe card.
In a mixing bowl, stir together the ground flax and almond milk. Let it sit for a couple of minutes to thicken.
Add the softened butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon to the bowl. Stir well to combine.
Mix in the oat flour until a dough forms. Use your hands to bring it together into a ball.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a flat rectangle, about ¼ inch thick.
Use animal-shaped cookie cutters to cut out your crackers. I really like these ones with a spring back.
Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes, until the edges are just lightly golden.
Hint: If the dough feels a little wet or sticky when you're rolling it out, just sprinkle a bit more oat flour on the surface or your rolling pin. A light dusting goes a long way to keep things from sticking without drying out the dough.
Substitutions
- Oat flour: You can use store-bought oat flour or blend rolled oats in a food processor until fine. If you prefer to use regular flour, use 1 ½ cups regular all purpose flour.
- Almond milk: Any non-dairy beverage or regular milk works here. So feel free to swap in oat milk, soy milk, or regular milk.
- Butter: Use a dairy-free butter or solid coconut oil if you prefer. If using coconut oil, make sure it's slightly softened for easier mixing.
- Maple syrup: You can swap with honey (for kids over 1).
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Animal cookie cutters - We love the ones with a push-spring mechanism, they make it so much easier to release the dough without losing the shape. Super helpful for sticky dough and little hands! We've been using these ones and love them!
Storage
Let the crackers cool completely before storing. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze them in a sealed bag or container for up to 1 month. Just let them thaw at room temp for a few minutes before serving, no need to reheat.
These also pack well in lunchboxes or snack bags for on-the-go snacks!
And if you're looking for more snacks, be sure to check out the rest of my Homemade Snacks - Copycat Favourites Series and my Ultimate Snack Guide for Toddlers with over 30 easy snacks for daycare and school!
Toddler Tip
Let your toddler help cut out the animal shapes, this is a great fine motor activity, and they’ll love getting hands-on in the kitchen. Pair these homemade animal crackers with this easy whipped coconut dip for Homemade Dunkaroos!
Here is my daughter dunking the animal crackers!
FAQ
Yes! You can make the dough and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Let it sit out for a few minutes before rolling if it feels too firm.
They have a light crunch on the outside with a slightly soft bite in the middle, perfect for toddlers. For slightly crispier, you can bake them a minute or two longer - but be careful they don't burn!
Recipe
Homemade Animal Crackers (Gluten-Free & Egg-Free)
Equipment
- 1 Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 2 tsps ground flaxseed
- 2 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk or any plant-based alternative beverage or regular milk
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup oat flour plus 2 tbsps for rolling out the dough
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the ground flax and almond milk. Let it sit for a couple of minutes to thicken.
- Add the softened butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon. Stir well to combine.
- Mix in the oat flour until a dough forms. Use your hands to bring it together into a ball. It may be a little sticky.
- On a lightly floured surface, or on parchment paper, roll the dough into a flat rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Lightly flour your rolling pin to help with rolling.
- Cut into shapes with cookie cutters, then place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just turning golden. Let cool before serving.
Notes
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