Animal Crackers

Steps

1. In a food processor, pulse together the oat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and sea salt. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse 8 to 10 times until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

2. Add the honey, vanilla, and milk. Pulse just until the dough comes together into a ball. Turn it out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, flatten into a disc, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Roll the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment to about 1/8-inch thickness. Use small animal-shaped cookie cutters to cut out shapes and transfer them to the prepared pans with a thin spatula. Re-roll scraps once and cut additional shapes.

4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the crackers are lightly golden around the edges and feel firm to the touch. Rotate the pans halfway through for even baking. The crackers will be slightly soft when they come out of the oven but will harden as they cool.

5. Let the crackers cool completely on the pans before handling. They are fragile when warm but become sturdy and snappy once cool.

Why It Works

Oat flour provides a naturally mild, slightly sweet flavor that mimics the taste people associate with animal crackers, while adding soluble fiber that refined wheat flour does not contain. The cold butter technique creates a tender, short crumb rather than a tough, chewy one, which is what gives these crackers their signature light snap. A low oven temperature of 325 degrees bakes the thin shapes gently and evenly, preventing dark edges before the centers are done. Store-bought animal crackers typically contain enriched flour, soybean oil, and artificial flavors, while these use real butter, honey, and whole grains for a cracker that actually tastes like the ingredients it contains.

Tips

• Make your own oat flour. Blend rolled oats in a high-speed blender for 30 seconds until powdery. Sift out any large pieces. One and three-quarter cups of whole oats yields about 1 1/2 cups of flour.
• Dough too sticky. If the dough sticks to the cutters, dip them in oat flour between each cut. Working with chilled dough also helps significantly.
• No animal cutters. Use any small cookie cutter shape, or cut simple squares and circles with a knife and bottle cap. Kids enjoy the shapes regardless.
• Batch baking. This recipe doubles easily. Make a large batch and store them in a jar on the counter for the week.