Experience the magic of childhood with these Frosted Animal Cookies – a delightful fusion of creamy frosting and whimsical animal shapes, crafting moments of joy in every bite!
These bright, colorful Frosted Animal Cracker Cookies are perfect for all ages! If you’ve ever tried the coated animal crackers from the store, these are a lot like them, only made with real ingredients, a lot less sugar, and free from additives like high-fructose corn syrup. Plus they are fun to make with the family and perfect to add to a lunchbox or have at a birthday party!
If you are looking for other classic childhood treats to make at home you have to try my Cosmic Brownies, and Homemade Little Debbie Fudge Brownies.
Table of Contents
Reasons We Love These Cookies
- These animal cracker cookies are easy to personalize with various frosting colors, rainbow nonpareils, and sprinkle choices that kids will surely love.
- It evokes a fond childhood nostalgia with every delightful, frosted bite, taking you down memory lane.
- This Iced Animal Cookies recipe only needs simple ingredients that you likely already have in your kitchen.
Recipe Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter: Adds a rich, creamy texture, essential for a tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookie.
- Almond Extract: Organic Pure Almond Extract offers a subtle, nutty taste, adding depth and a distinct aroma to the cookies.
- White Chocolate Melting Wafers: These wafers give a smooth, creamy texture and that help create the perfect white frosting.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Frosted Animal Cookies
Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter for 1 minute on high until smooth. Add the sugar and cream for 2-3 minutes or until pale in color. Add the extracts and egg, and mix until combined, about 1 minute.
Step 2: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, then mix until combined.
Step 3: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Remove the dough from the plastic wrap and place it on a long piece of parchment paper. Place a similar-sized sheet over the top, then using a rolling pin, roll into a flat, even layer, about 1/4-inch in thickness. If the dough is soft and sticky, transfer it to the freezer for 15-20 minutes.
Step 4: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, and set aside.
Step 5: Working quickly, carefully cut out mini animals using animal cookie cutters and place them on the prepared baking sheets about 1/2-inch apart.
Step 6: Place in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the centers are no longer soft and the edges are pale brown in color. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 7: Meanwhile, in a medium microwave-safe mixing bowl, add white chocolate chips and coconut oil. Heat for 30 seconds on half power, stir, then repeat twice more if needed. Whisk in the vanilla extract until smooth.
Step 8: Turn each animal cookie upside down and dip it in the white chocolate. Swirl to remove excess. Add rainbow sprinkles, then return to the cookie sheet or additional parchment/wax paper to set. Cookies should be set within 20 minutes (refrigerating them will speed up the process).
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! An electric mixer, either a stand or hand mixer, is perfect for creaming the butter and sugar, as well as incorporating the extracts and egg into the dough. It ensures a smooth, well-mixed dough for the best cookie texture.
For a smooth rolled dough, lightly dust your rolling pin with flour. This creates a barrier, preventing the dough from sticking. Alternatively, placing a sheet of parchment paper over the dough before rolling is an effective, mess-free method.
Storage Info
STORE your frosted animal cookies in an airtight container at room temperature; they’ll stay fresh for up to 4 days. You can also place them in an airtight container in your fridge and they will stay good for up to 1 week.
To FREEZE, place them in a freezer-safe container, separating layers with parchment paper, and they’ll last for up to 3 months. To THAW, let them sit at room temperature for a few hours to maintain their quality.
More Treats that You’ll Love
Frosted Animal Cookies Recipe
Recommended Products
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 3/4 c. unsalted butter - room temperature
- 2/3 c. granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. almond extract
- 1 egg
- 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 c. finely ground old fashioned oats**
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. coarse kosher sea salt
For the frosting:
- 10 oz. white chocolate melting wafers
- 1 tbsp. refined coconut oil
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
- Pink gel food coloring - optional
- 1/4 c. rainbow nonpareil sprinkles
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter for 1 minute on high until smooth. Add the sugar and then cream the butter and sugar together for 2-3 minutes or until pale in color. Add the extracts and egg, and mix until combined, about 1 minute.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, then mix until combined.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Remove the dough from the plastic wrap and place it on a long piece of parchment paper. Place a similar-sized sheet over the top, then using a rolling pin, roll into a flat, even layer, about 1/4-inch in thickness. If the dough is soft and sticky, transfer it to the freezer for 15-20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, and set aside.
- Working quickly, carefully cut out mini animals using animal cookie cutters and place them on the prepared baking sheets about 1/2-inch apart.
- Place in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the centers are no longer soft and the edges are pale brown in color. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, in a medium microwave-safe mixing bowl, add white chocolate wafers and coconut oil. Heat for 30 seconds on half power, stir, then repeat twice more if needed. Whisk in the vanilla extract until smooth.
- Turn each animal cookie upside down and dip it in the white chocolate. Swirl to remove excess. Add rainbow sprinkles, then return to the cookie sheet or additional parchment/wax paper to set. Cookies should be set within 20 minutes (refrigerating them will speed up the process). Cookies stay good at room temperature for up to 4 days. They aren't super fragile, which means they're perfect for lunch boxes!
Wow, these cookies are so good! They’re easy to make and the frosting is delicious. My kids loved them. Definitely a new favorite!
Hi, in step 1 it says to add the sugar and “cream”. There’s no mention of cream in the recipe list for the cookies, or even for the frosting. Was this a typo, or is cream in fact something that’s needed to complete the recipe? If so, how much cream do I add? Thanks in advance.
Hi Josie, sorry for the confusion as the wording was not good. Thanks for letting me know. When you mix butter and sugar together, it is known as “creaming”, but the phrasing to add the sugar and cream was definitely confusing. So, that has been fixed. No cream needed for this recipe. Here is more info on “How to Cream Butter and Sugar”: https://handletheheat.com/how-to-cream-butter-and-sugar/
Made these just using the frosting on different cookies, and the flavor was great, but I wondered how you get the cookies to swirl. I measured exactly and microwaved the white chocolate the way the recipe called, and it was smooth, but it wasn’t liquidy enough to allow dipping. I ended up spreading on with a knife instead, and it took forever. Any tips on making this part easier? Also, do you dip both sides?
Hi Tasha, did you add the coconut oil to the frosting? If you did, then perhaps a little more would help make the frosting lighter for dipping. Just dip them a little. We only dip them on one side.
made this recipe loved it they were so good fantistic recioe