As summer winds down there’s nothing like a cool, refreshing dish of vanilla ice cream.
This sweet dessert is made even better when cute homemade animal crackers are added to the mix.
Who doesn’t love animal crackers? When I was little, my brother, sister and I always looked forward to this occasional treat. My parents would give each of us our own container of animal crackers in that little red box, with the carnival train picture on the front and the small rope-like handle.
These days, you can still buy a box of animal crackers but it’s just as easy (and a lot more fun) to make your own.
Before I get to the nuts and bolts of this blog post, allow me to share the inspiration behind it. My animal cracker baking expedition was inspired by our summer trip to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
It was a fun visit for Cameron and Jordy’s who really enjoyed this perch outside the zoo’s aviary exhibit.
OK, let’s get back to the animal crackers. Throughout this post, I’ll not only walk you through how to make these cute cookies but I’ll also share a really cute packaging idea that you’re going to absolutely flip over.
At the end of this post you can read details about the cookie cutter giveaway. I’m giving away a brand new box of Williams Sonoma animal cracker cookie cutters. These are really cute and come in a container that is in the shape of one of those old fashioned circus train cars.
NOTE: Many Williams-Sonoma stores no longer carry these particular cookie cutters. If you can’t find them at your local WS, you may be able to find a set on-line.
There are 5-cookie cutter shapes including a seal, lion, elephant, giraffe and a lion.
These have a special spring-loaded action which creates the authentic-looking impressions in the cookie dough once the cookie is cut out.
You can use a favorite recipe for your cookies or try the one within this post which is a tad sweeter than the biscuit-like cookie on store shelves.
Meanwhile, I drafted Jordy to help in the kitchen.
No problem with that request. Jordy was perfectly OK with helping out, especially after considering what awaited him on the other side of the oven.
I think these particular cookie cutters work much better if you dip them in a little bit of flour before each use.
Just press down on the spring a bit to get full flour coverage and then proceed to cut out the cookie dough.
After you cut the cookie out, gently push on the spring-loaded lever while the cutter is still flat on the cutting surface. This will create the authentic impressions in the top of the cookie. This part of the spring action requires a very light tough so make sure you don’t push too hard at this point.
Lift cookie cutter off surface and then push the spring lever all the way down and the cookie shape will pop out of the cutter.
One of the nice things about this particular recipe is that the animal crackers don’t expand much during the baking process so you can really load up the baking tray with cutouts.
You’ll get about 60-animal cracker cookies using the recipe included in this post.
You loved Animal Crackers as a kid, now make these traditional treat for your own kiddos.
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp mace
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
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Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and mace. Set aside.
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In a stand mixer, beat the butter until cream.
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Reduce the speed to medium and slowly add the sugar. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat until combined.
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Add half the flour mixture and beat on low until combined.
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Add remaining flour until dough starts to pull away from the side of the bowl.
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Turn the dough onto a work surface and divide into 2 equal balls.
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Wrap separately in plastic, press dough into oval shape and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
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Let dough stand at room temperature before rolling it out to 1/2-inch thickness.
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Dip each cookie cutter into flour before creating shapes.
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Refrigerate cookies on sheet for about 30 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes.
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Bake cookies until light golden brown. About 14-16 minutes.
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Makes about 20 cookies of each shape.
Talk about a circus parade. How cute are these all lined up as if they’re actually marching along? I want to take a quick bite just looking at this photo.
Trust me when I say, everyone in your household will go crazy for these.
Once all the cookies are baked and cooled they’re ready to be devoured by your eager beavers.
I don’t have a photo of my kids gobbling up these cute cookies but let’s just put it this way… after one bite they looked something like this photo below.
Let’s move on to the super-adorable packaging for this that fits in perfectly for our animal theme.
First, bag the cookies up in little plastic baggies and tie them off with a twist tie to keep them nice and fresh. I put 5-6 cookies in each baggie.
You’ll need some ribbon for this. Plain is OK, but if you can find animal print ribbon that’s so much better for this project.
I found this assorted animal print ribbon at my local JoAnn fabric shop.
Grab a handful of regular brown paper lunch bags, the ribbon, a pair of scissors and some double-sided tape.
Cut the several strips of the animal print ribbon so that it’s long enough to wrap around a folded-down brown lunch bag.
Fill each brown lunch bag with a few of the cookie-filled baggies.
Turn the top down about 1/2 inch and then fold the top of the bag again so that it’s the desired size.
Place the ribbon in the front of the bag and then wrap it around the bottom.
Bring both ends of the ribbon together so they practically meet in the center of the bag. Carefully press the ribbon so that the double-sided tape adheres to the brown bag as you go.
Leave a 1-inch space between the two ends so that a small area of the brown bag is exposed.
You’ll see why this is important in just a bit but we’re going to begin with labeling the back of the brown bag first.
It’s a good idea to label the contents bag just to make sure recipients know what’s actually inside the bag. This is especially important if you’re making these for a bake sale or fund-raiser
Use a large circle punch to punch out each title. You can add a little extra touch if you like by adding trim around the circle using a gold leafing pen.
Leafing pens can be found at most craft stores.
Staple the circle tag to the back of the brown bag making sure the position of the staple falls in that blank area in the front of the bag. Even though you’ve taped the ribbon to the bag, this staple also helps hold it firmly in place.
You won’t be able to see the staple in the front of the bag because it will be concealed by the die cut that will be added next.
Now let’s turn our attention to the front of the bag. The blank space in the ribbon will be filled with an adorable, raised die-cut image. There are loads of die cuts on the market and I love to use them for a touch of whimsy.
You’ll also need some sticky foam lifts, which you can find at most craft stores.
You can see how I used die cuts on a few other projects I featured on this blog if you click here and here and here.
Die cuts are generally pretty flat looking. However, you can give them more dimension and definition by adding a little bit of chalk around the edges.
Chalk-shading like this really helps bring the die cuts alive.
After you’ve constructed the die cuts (if there are multiple pieces), adhere the sticky foam to the back of the die cut and then push firmly in place in the center of the bag front to conceal that break in the ribbon.
The sticky foam-lifts definitely adhere much better to the brown paper bag than they do the ribbon.
Pretty cool looking tusks on this elephant, don’t you think?
I think these completed animal cracker bags are just too adorable for words.
Jordy likes them too.
These animal cracker sacks would make perfect party favors. Of course, they’d also be great as bake sale items.
Make these for your next school or organization fund-raiser and I think you’ll have a big hit on your hands. Don’t forget the circle tag on the back will let bake sale buyers know what goodies are inside the bag.
Meanwhile, since I kicked off this animal cracker blog post with a mention about the National Zoo, I thought I’d leave you with one last photo from our trip.
I love this photo of the Cameron and Jordy because it shows how much they really like each other.
I must say, while I think my animal cracker cookie bags were cute-I think these two kiddos were even more adorable as they wandered around the zoo hand-in-hand, in search of real lions and tigers and bears, oh my. ♥
GIVEAWAY DETAILS
To enter the ANIMAL CRACKER COOKIE CUTTER GIVEAWAY, post a comment here between now and Monday-September 13th, 2010 at midnight EST.
Increase your chances of winning by posting a SEPARATE entry for any of the following:
1. Tweet about this contest.
2. Post about this contest on your blog.
3. Add an I follow celebrate-CREATIVITY button to your blog.
Those cookie cutters are adorable Lisa! You’re always so clever — your packaging is super cute too. And then there’s Jordy and Cameron — a perfect post!!!
I appreciate your detail, detail, detail. Thanks for another great idea. Looking forward the cookie cutters…
Genius! I never thought about making my own animal crackers and these cookie cutters are obviously perfect.
Karla
I love those cookie cutters! Yes, please include me in this great give away – thank you!
Lisa, YOU are such an INSPIRATION!! I love all of your attention to details!! Please add me to your giveaway!! XXOO, Damaris
Oh do I remember my granddad always bringing me these treats (I think I liked the box more than the crackers). These cookie cutters are awesome!! And so is your packaging. Thanks for always sharing your projects in such detail and thanks “BUNCHES” for the give-a-way.
As always a very cute idea! Love the die-cut packaging – makes them special.
I LOVE these animal cracker cookies. My grandkids wouuld FLIP over htem…. I hope I win
I love how your packaging ideas are just as cute as the cookies themselves! Beautiful!
I started following you on Facebook… woo hooo
Those are too cute!
Great giveaway; I’m leaving a comment here to be entered!
I tweeted this!
I blogged about this!
I “like” this on Facebook!
I’ve added this button to my blog!
Oh my word, those cookies & cookie cutters are the CUTEST!!! My daughter would love them because she loves helping me in the kitchen. Thanks for the giveaway!
(And your packaging idea is adorable too so creative!)
I just proudly added your blinkie to my blog!
OMG! GIRL! I just love this post thanks for sharing!! 🙂
You. are. amazing. My grandma always brought me a box of those animal crackers when she came to visit – oh how I loved them! This is the darlingest project, Lisa! Love the pics of Cameron and Jordy, looks like they had great fun at the zoo!
K. Can my jaw drop any lower to the floor. How oh my goodness cute are these?!?! Such a lovely idea. Thank you for sharing and hosting a giveaway to boot! ^_~
I love these – edible art… Yum!!!
(And you have some pretty adorable helpers too!)
Lisa, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this. Timely, too. My youngest will have his 2nd b’day in a month and he is really into zoo animals right now (giraffes, especially). I have got to get some of these cutters — may have to make a trip to Leesburg! Really beautiful and inspirational as always. Thanks.
Can’t believe it took me this long to LIKE you on FB! Glad to have found you.
Too darn adorable Lisa! Love the photos of your kids making the cookies! Thanks for sharing! Great job! xoxo Valerie
These are too cute! I’d love to have some to make cookies for my young nieces and nephews.
I tweeted about this giveaway. I couldn’t find you to follow though 🙁
My userid on Twitter is dlk3265.
I just became a fan of celebrate creativity on facebook. 🙂
Oh my …they are soooo cute!!!
ADORABLE!!!! I haven’t been able to have animal crackers since I found out I am allergic to dairy and eggs, but now that I have the recipe, I’ll be able to make my own with replacements! Now all I need are the cookie cutters! 😉
Thank you Lisa for such an inspiring cookie post! I would love to win the set – the cookies come out so beautifully.
Wow..those are the best animal cookie cutters I have ever seen! Thanks for the giveaway!
Those are wonderful- and how awesome that so many can be baked at once!
I tweeted your post, and of course I like your page, I was the first person to join it on FB!
I’m so glad you created a button- I’ll add it to my blog tonight- and I’m looking forward to linking back to you in one of my blog posts for this week.
LOVE those bags too!
Michaele
This is the cutest! My 1 1/2 year old grandbaby Madison would LOVE these homemade cookies! Thanks for the chance to win! Suzie
I tweeted at http://twitter.com/SuzieButtons
I joined your Facebook too!
I added your blog button on my sidebar.
I added your giveaway and a link to it info on the sidebar of my blog too! Suzie
Hi Lisa. I’ve written a piece on my blog about your post and your site. Thanks for all of the inspiration.
This is a wonderful idea. I do not know what I love more the crackers or the decorative bag.
I don’t know which I love the best:
A) Baking
B) Eating the results of said baking
C) WS, I stalk their website and bookmark all the tools I MUST own!
D) Cute pkging ideas
E) Your blog which is really a combo of A,C, D and then some! 😉
Step aside Martha Stewart! Lisa’s in the house! Girl do you ever sleep? How cute are the bags and cookies?!! Can’t wait to see you in Minneapolis at The Creative Connection!
So adorable Lisa! I am definitely going to make these for our next Bake Sale.
hi there! i am so excited to have found your blog, what an amazing inspiration you are! i am going to peruse your back posts and see what i have missed! please count me in for your giveaway – i have 4 kiddos who would love these authentic yet homemade animal cookies – love them! thank you so much for sharing – peace and love, chella
Those cookies look yummy and I’m sure I’ll be making some of those with the cute cookie cutters!
Lisa these cookie cutters are so cute! And I am amazed at how quickly your children are growing up! Great pictures.
Jocelyn
Oh my goodness… these are so adorable! I have never seen anyone make homemade animal crackers… that is fantastic! 🙂
Thanks for your sweet visit today!
~Jennifer – Fellow BYWer
The packaging for these animal cookies are adorable. I love all the details and effort you put into them. (A girl after my own heart!)
Anyone, child or not, would be delighted to receive a bag.
By the way, I am a fellow Flyer, which is where I first saw your blog. At the time I did not have a blog of my own but have since started one. What a lovely coincidence now to have found you here on Holly Becker’s e-course BYW. I have added you as a blog I now follow and look forward to future posts.
I must also add, that your step-by-step photos of your projects are very helpful, especially when you show us the products you use. Living in Europe, knowing these names makes it easier to locate and find similar items.
Hi Lisa, I really enjoy your blog. You are SO creative in so many ways. I wonder do you dream these ideas when you sleep? or do you ever sleep? ha. ha. Your kids are so darn cute. I have enjoyed watching them grow up. I really like to see that they like each other!! I love the animal cookies. I used to eat those same cookies in the red box when I was a child too. I love the packaging as well. I liked the monkey business blog too.
I would love to win the cookie cutters. It would be fun to bring them to the doctors’ office where I work. thanks 🙂
I am so glad I found your blog! I no longer have younger kids…but we still love animal crackers! I can’t wait to try this…and I would love to win the set of cookie cutters. Thanks so much for doing this!
denise
http://www.dancinglydenise.typepad.com
http://www.dancinglyddenise.typepad.com/mepursenalities
Hi Lisa,
I’m always inspired after reading your blog.
I bake almost every weekend. We have many food allergies in my home so I make most treats from scratch. I’ll try out your recipe soon w/ some tweaking of course. I can’t have all purpose flour & my son can’t have the butter. Thanks for the positive creative inspiration.
My goodness Lisa you have a wonderful blog! Lots of fun ideas and your children are so cute!!! These cookies look awesome.
Take care,
Leslie
Hi Lisa! I may have to make these cookies for a class math lesson! I’m adding your following button to my site.
Your little animal cookie packaging is adorable and perfect for the cookies! Great tutorial!
Wow, I can’t believe how cute and delicious these cookies look!!
love these and your blog!
Hi Lisa, It’s my first time here…I stopped by way of The Creative Connection…I must say that these look adorable and the recipe sounds delicious. I’ll definitely be trying it. Have a great weekend. I’ll be back ~ Rebecca
These cookie cutters are so cute!
What a great idea … wish I saw this before my son’s first day of school, but I will use this idea for another occasion. Thanks for sharing!
I “Like” you on Facebook 🙂
Share your giveaway on my tweet page 🙂
This is an awesome giveaway!
THanks for the idea, recipe, everything. This is my first visit to your site. You were recommended by SharonK of Australia
Have a great day and thanks for the chance
Demetria
Who doesn’t love Animal Crackers and now I can make my own. Perfect!!! Your presentation never ceases to amaze me!
YUM YUM!! Super clever packaging for some very yummy animal cookies. This is such a fun post and great photos of the young peeps. Happy and Safe Labor Day Holiday…
You never cease to amaze me how you go the extra mileS in your crafts…here, the packaging…thought the ribbon was cute, but then you did the label and THEN you did the animal cutouts and THEN the shading so they looked so real…I’d have never thought beyond the ribbon 🙂
so darn cute- i love it!
Oh, I love animal cookies. What fun this would be. Thanks for sharing.
What a great tutorial and fun give away. I just found your blog and now I “like” you on FB.
Hi Lisa! So happy to find your lovely blog by way of SharonK’s blog in Australia. Your work is truly wonderful and inspiring. I can’t wait to make the animal-cracker cookies with my 6-year old granddaughter. She loves cooking and baking with me. We will be sure to look for the cookie cutters since we are just a short distance from the William Sonoma Outlet in Leesburg.
What a fun idea! Thanks for sharing!
Ooooo, i love those cookie cutters! What a fun family project!
Oh wow, my son would love to make these, he’s very keen on giraffes (and so am I!). bellgirlsblog [at] gmail [dot] com
…and I posted about the giveaway here: http://quarterinchfeet.blogspot.com/2010/09/celebrate-creativity-with-animal.html
bellgirlsblog [at] gmail [dot] com
..and your button is on my sidebar here too! http://quarterinchfeet.blogspot.com/2010/09/celebrate-creativity-with-animal.html
bellgirlsblog [at] gmail [dot] com
This is a fabulous idea!! Those cookie cutters are perfect.
P.S. I love the ice cream dish photo, now I’m craving desert. Yum!
I LOVE the pictures and craft/gift ideas here! I would LOVE to wim this “Oh so cute” cookie cutter set! Thank you for including me!!!
0h this is a special giveaway- these are amazing and my 4 kiddos would LOVE to make them! thanks 🙂
Oh my, I want to make these crackers for me! But I think Kieran would like them too. Another awesome project!
Wow, another great post! Those cookies sound yummy, even if you just cut them in a circle 🙂 I love the packaging idea also! And it looks like the kids had a great day at the Zoo.
your homemade animal crackers and cute packaging look WAY better than the ones you buy in the store- altho i love those too!
What a great post! I love the way you tell the story and incorporate the pictures. Your blog posts always leave me wanting more. You have a beautiful family. God bless you all.
How precious!!! I hope I win!! (I like you on FB =)
Thanks for stopping by my blog too!
-Violet
Yeah – enter me please! My Grand daughter would love to make these with me!
Ok, super super adorable. Top to bottom! Love it all!!! xo
Oh wow, Lisa, I have never seen cookie cutters like these in Germany. They are so neat — and I LOVE the packages you made. So very professional — just perfect.
Thanks for the chance to win such great cookie cutters. Our neighbors’ little daughter will be one year old in November. I am sure the little one would LOVE cookies shaped like animals. 🙂
Greetings from Munich,
Birgit
I just put a photo and link to your blog candy on the sidebar of my blog — gotta spread the word! 🙂
— Birgit
You are so creative! I love those little cookie cutters, but the whole package and process is just amazing!
Lisa- you make the simplest ideas super with your special touches. I loved this post and all the yummy photos
Hello from the Washington DC area! What a perfect giveaway! Would love to try them with my 3 year old son and our our family’s glutenfree cookie recipe. If I don’t win these, I might just have to add this to Santa’s wish list for my stocking this Christmas. But I’d rather win, and not have to worry about trying not to be “naughty!”
Thank you again for this creative giveaway!
nsue21702 at gmail dot com
Cutest cookie cutters I’ve ever seen. I will be keeping my eyes open for these!!!
I “liked” on facebook. And I forgot to mention that your clever way of packaging the cookies is amazing.