These grain-free animal crackers are a fun and simple recipe to make on the homestead! They use a unique grain-free flour blend that gives them a mild sweet flavor that is delicious and will be loved by modern pioneers of all ages. The dough is super easy to work with and practically fool-proof. Instead of buying animal crackers at the grocery store, give these homemade animal crackers a try! I was surprised with how easy homemade animal crackers are to make and how authentic they taste!

homemade vanilla animal cookies in a tin pie plate

Modern Pioneer Recipe

Animal crackers are a modern pioneer recipe since I’m pretty sure the early pioneers didn’t make animal crackers! But, this recipe fits right in on the modern pioneer homestead. It is a simple recipe that you can easily make from scratch using wholesome, healthy ingredients.

Make, Don’t Buy– These homemade animal crackers are the perfect substitute for store-bought animal crackers! I have tried many gluten-free animal cracker options, including Glutino and Kinninnick animal crackers. They tasted fine, but each one contained at least a few trash ingredients. So, I set about making my own and that’s how these grain-free animal crackers came about! You can easily make them right in your homestead kitchen when you want a delicious, simple, healthy snack. Don’t add animal crackers to your shopping list anymore since you can make them right at home!

Allergy-Friendly– These homemade animal crackers are also allergy-friendly! This animal cracker recipe is:

gluten-free
grain-free
nut free
refined sugar free
corn free

Healthy Snack– Being allergy-friendly and healthy don’t always go hand in hand. A snack can be allergy-friendly but still contain corn, refined sugars, unhealthy oils, ‘natural flavors’, and other hidden ingredients that are coded into the ingredient list to make them seem ‘healthy’. When you make your homemade animal crackers, you can avoid all those unhealthy ingredients!

These animal crackers are made with a grain-free flour blend that doesn’t contain corn, gluten, or rice flours. Grass-fed, organic butter is used as a healthy fat/oil and natural sugars, like maple sugar, are used to sweeten these homemade animal crackers.

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homemade frosted animal cookies spilling out of a paper bag

How to Make Frosted Animal Crackers

I love animal crackers, which is one reason why I really wanted to make my own from-scratch. That way I could enjoy a snack I love without feeling guilty for buying gluten-free animal crackers that still weren’t healthy for me. Many store-bought animal crackers come in different flavor options, one of which always tempted me: the frosted animal crackers. I never tried them since they were loaded with sugar, but as soon as I created my own animal cracker recipe, I knew I had to try a frosted version!

I’ll admit, even my homemade frosted animal crackers aren’t the healthiest version of this homemade snack. The frosting is basically a sugary-glaze, but since they do require a little more time and effort, I don’t make the frosted version all the time and I feel okay splurging on the frosted version every once in awhile.

Here’s the simple frosting glaze recipe I use for my animal crackers:

Homemade Animal Cracker Frosting

2 cups organic powdered cane sugar
2.5 T. dairy-free milk
1/4 tsp. beet powder (for pink frosting)

Whisk the frosting ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl. A hand-held whisk or a fork works well for getting a smooth, clump-free frosting. You can also sift the powered sugar before making the frosting to further prevent clumping.

The frosting should be thick but spreadable. If it seems too thin, add more powdered sugar, if it seems too thick, add a tiny bit more milk. Once your homemade animal crackers have cooled completely, you can frost them. Dip each cracker upside down into the frosting. Pull the cracker out and use a butter spreader to tidy up the frosting glaze around the animal cracker shape.

Place each frosted animal cracker on parchment paper or a cooling rack and allow the frosting to set before storing the animal crackers in an airtight container.

If you don’t feel like frosting your animal crackers but still are craving a sweet way to enjoy them, I find them delicious when served with a dairy-free frosting dip! You can pair some homemade graham crackers with a pile of homemade animal crackers alongside a frosting dip for a fun and sweet party snack!

homemade gluten-free animal crackers spilled on a wooden table

Recipe Questions

Can I make these animal crackers with a different grain-free flour?

I created this recipe using gfJules NADA flour, which is a blend of cassava flour, tigernut flour, arrowroot flour, green banana flour, and psyllium husk powder. If you want to use a different grain-free flour, these crackers can be made using just straight cassava flour.

I recommend Otto’s Naturals cassava flour or Anthony’s cassava flour for the best results. Substitute in 1 cup + 1/4 cup of cassava flour instead of the NADA flour in the recipe.

Can I make these animal crackers dairy-free or egg free?

I have not tried a dairy-free or egg free version of these animal crackers yet. However, the recipe is pretty flexible and I think make the appropriate substitutions wouldn’t effect the recipe too much. I would recommend using coconut oil in place of the butter and a flax egg in place of the egg. The only change you might need to make is adding a tablespoon or two more of flour if the coconut oil makes the dough a little too soft.

Where can I find animal cracker cookie cutters?

I bought my mini animal cookie cutters are a local craft store that had a wide selection of cookie cutters. However, not all craft stores carry cookie cutters, so you may need to shop online. Amazon.com sells several different animal cracker cookie cutters. If you want to get cookie cutters similar to the ones I use, look on thecookiecuttershop.com.

What other natural sugars can be used in place of maple sugar and maple syrup?

You can use coconut sugar in place of maple sugar in these animal crackers, however, the animal crackers will be darker in color. In place of maple syrup in this recipe, you can use raw honey or blackstrap molasses. Blackstrap molasses will alter the flavor a little and give you more of a graham-flavored animal cracker.

How thick should I make the animal crackers?

For crunchy animal crackers roll the dough out to a little over an 1/8 inch thick. For thicker, softer animal crackers, don’t roll the dough out any thinner than 1/4 inch thick. Thinner animal crackers will require less bake time than thicker animal crackers.

How long do homemade animal crackers last?

Homemade animal crackers should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Make sure they are completely cool before putting them in a container. Homemade animal crackers will last for 4-5 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature. If you frosted your animal crackers, the homemade frosting glaze will stay fine for 1-2 days, then it will get a little mottled and wrinkly. Still perfectly fine to eat, just not as pretty looking!

grain-free frosted animal crackers in a tin pie plate and brown paper bag

These homemade animal crackers are a fun and healthy recipe to make on the homestead! They are the perfect alternative to store-bought animal crackers and they make a delicious snack, ice cream topper, or snack mix ingredient!

Grain-free Animal Crackers

Recipe by The Pioneer Chicks

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 10

Total Time 50

Author Alexa Lehr

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup gfJules NADA flour*
1/2 cup maple sugar
1 T. pure vanilla extract
2 T. pure maple syrup
3 T. organic, grass-fed butter melted
1 large pasture-raised, organic egg room temperature
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper. Cut two additional pieces of parchment paper for rolling out the dough.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, maple sugar, and egg. Stir until creamy. Add the maple syrup and vanilla. Stir to combine.
Add the NADA flour, baking soda, and sea salt. Stir until a smooth dough forms. It should be soft and easy to work with your hands. If the dough seems too sticky, knead in a little more flour until the dough is smooth and soft.
Lightly dust one piece of parchment paper with some NADA flour and place the dough ball on the parchment paper. Flatten the ball slightly with your palm, then place the other piece of parchment paper on top and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough.
For thin and crunchy animal crackers, roll out the dough until it is just over ⅛ inch thick. For soft animal crackers, don't roll the dough out any thinner than ¼ inch thick.
Use animal cracker cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the dough. Transfer the animal cookies to the baking trays using a spatula if necessary. You can place the crackers fairly close together since they won't puff or spread very much.
Bake for 10-15 minutes. The animal crackers should be just starting to brown on the bottoms. Allow the animal crackers to cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting or storing.

Notes

*You can use 1 cup + 1/4 cup of cassava flour in place of NADA flour.

Where to Find the Ingredients:

Making your own homemade animal crackers has never been easier! This recipe yields an easy-to-work dough that creates reliable results every time. Soft or crunchy, make your animal crackers however you like them! And if you want to put a little extra time in and make a super fun snack, whip up a batch of homemade animal cracker frosting to decorate your animal crackers with. I love snacking on these homemade animal crackers and they make a perfect snack for packing on camping trips and outdoor adventures!

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