Homemade Frosted Animal Crackers Recipe
Homemade Frosted Animal Crackers are delightful, buttery cookies dipped in colorful candy melts and decorated with rainbow sprinkles. These charming treats combine the nostalgic fun of animal crackers with a sweet, festive twist, perfect for parties or a playful snack.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 17 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 20-24 cookies depending on cutter size 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 3½ Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon egg white (room temperature)
- ⅔ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/16 teaspoon baking powder
Coating & Decoration
- ½ bag pink candy melts
- ½ bag white candy melts
- Rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Heat your oven to 325℉ (163℃) and line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside for later use.
- Prepare cookie dough: In a medium bowl, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 1-2 minutes. Then, beat in the egg white and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Add dry ingredients: Gradually add the all purpose flour, salt, and baking powder to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed just until the dough comes together and no flour remains visible.
- Roll out dough: Form the dough into a ball, place it onto a piece of parchment paper, then cover it with another piece of parchment. Roll the dough out evenly to about 3/16 inch thickness.
- Cut cookies: Use cookie cutters to cut out your desired shapes. Remove excess dough around the cutouts carefully.
- Arrange for baking: Gently lift the cut cookies from the parchment and place them onto the prepared baking sheets. Gather scraps, re-roll, and repeat cutting until all dough is used.
- Bake cookies: Bake the cookies at 325℉ for 17 minutes, or until the edges just begin to turn golden.
- Cool cookies: Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking pans before decorating.
- Melt candy melts: Place the pink and white candy melts in separate microwave-safe bowls. Follow the package instructions to melt them until smooth.
- Dip cookies: Dip the cooled cookies into the melted candy melts, coating them evenly.
- Decorate: Place the dipped cookies on parchment-lined sheet pans and immediately top with rainbow sprinkles before the coating sets.
- Set coating: Allow the coating to harden completely at room temperature before serving or storing.
Notes
- Ensure butter and egg white are at room temperature for easier mixing and better dough texture.
- Use a thin rolling pin or guide sticks to evenly roll dough to the specified thickness.
- If candy melts are too thick, add a small amount of shortening to achieve a smooth consistency.
- Store finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- Customize decorations with different colored candy melts and sprinkles for seasonal or themed variations.
Keywords: animal crackers, homemade cookies, frosted animal crackers, candy coated cookies, sprinkles, easy dessert
