Delicious Gluten Free Circus Animal Cookies Recipe

Jonh Luke4 hours ago

0 0 7 minutes read

Missing those classic animal crackers after going gluten-free? You’re in luck! This easy Gluten Free Circus Animal Cookies recipe lets you recreate that nostalgic treat at home. Whether you enjoy them plain or dipped in vibrant chocolate and covered in sprinkles, these cookies offer a perfectly crisp edge and a soft center, remarkably similar to the original.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This recipe stands out for several reasons, making it a favorite for anyone seeking delicious gluten-free treats:

Simple Ingredients: It uses readily available, common ingredients found in most grocery stores.
Customizable Size: While mini cutters give that authentic look, you can use any size animal cookie cutters.
Versatile Enjoyment: Enjoy them as plain animal cookies or transform them into colorful circus cookies by dipping them in white or pink chocolate and adding sprinkles.
Freezer-Friendly: These cookies freeze exceptionally well, making them perfect for meal prep or having a quick snack on hand.

Gluten free circus cookies on a plate. They are coated in white and pink chocolate with sprinkles.

Allergen Information

These homemade animal cookies are designed to be gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and oat-free. For a dairy-free version, simply substitute the regular butter with a good quality dairy-free butter alternative.

Gluten-Free Flour Blends Tested

The success of gluten-free baking often depends on the flour blend used. This recipe has been tested with two popular blends:

King Arthur Measure for Measure: This blend performed well without requiring resting time for the dough.
Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Blend: This blend also works effectively, but allowing the dough to rest for about 15 minutes before baking can help soften the rice flour component, preventing a gritty texture.

Remember that different gluten-free flour blends have varying starch-to-grain ratios, which can impact the dough’s moisture. If your dough seems too wet, add a little more flour; if it’s too dry, a splash more liquid (like milk or dairy-free milk) might be needed.

Ingredient Breakdown

For best results, pay attention to the details of your ingredients:

Gluten-Free Flour Blend: Use one of the tested blends or your preferred blend. Ensure your blend contains xanthan gum or guar gum. If it doesn’t, add 3/4 teaspoon per cup of flour used (so, about 1 teaspoon for this recipe).
Butter: Unsalted butter is recommended. Ensure it is softened to room temperature.
Eggs: Large-sized eggs were used in testing.
Salt: Sea salt or kosher salt works fine.
Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract provides the best flavor.
White Chocolate: Ghirardelli White Chocolate Melting Wafers were used, but other gluten-free white chocolate options will work. Always check labels for “gluten-free” certification, as some brands (like Wilton melting wafers) may be made on shared equipment. For a dairy-free option, Enjoy Life white chocolate chips are a good choice.
Sprinkles: Not all sprinkles are gluten-free, especially regarding cross-contamination from shared equipment. It’s crucial to use certified gluten free frosted animal cookies sprinkles.

How to Make Gluten Free Animal Cookies

Follow these steps for delicious results:

Prepare Dry Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour blend, brown sugar, powdered sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and sea salt until thoroughly combined.

Prepare Wet Ingredients

In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the softened unsalted butter, large egg, and pure vanilla extract.

The animal cookies steps 1 and 2 photos.

Combine Ingredients

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix until a cohesive cookie dough forms. This can be done by hand or using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (add wet first, then gradually add dry on low speed).

Chill the Dough

Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. Chilling makes the dough easier to handle and cut.

Roll and Cut

Place the chilled dough on wax paper or a silicone baking mat. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use mini or standard animal cookie cutters to cut out shapes.

Photos of steps 5 and 6.

Bake

Carefully transfer the cut-out animal cookies to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Bake in a preheated oven at 350º F (175º C) for 7-8 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.

Prepare Chocolate Icing (for Circus Cookies)

While the cookies cool slightly, melt the white chocolate in a microwave-safe dish in short 15-20 second intervals, stirring between each interval to prevent burning. For pink icing, place half of the melted chocolate into another bowl and stir in 1-3 drops of red food coloring until you achieve a bright pink color. This icing is perfect for creating gluten free frosted animal crackers.

Dip and Decorate

Once the cookies have cooled on a wire rack, dip each one into either the white or pink melted chocolate. While the chocolate is still wet, quickly add sprinkles. Place them back on the wire rack or parchment paper to allow the chocolate to harden completely before serving.

The animal cookies on a rack.

Expert Baking Tips

Cool Baking Sheets: Always place dough on cool baking sheets. Using a hot sheet will cause the cookies to spread and lose their shape prematurely. If baking multiple batches, rotate between two baking sheets.
Transfer Time: Let baked cookies rest on the hot baking sheet for no more than 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The residual heat on the pan can continue to bake them.
Crispier Cookies: For a crispier cookie, roll the dough out slightly thinner than 1/4 inch.

Storage and Freezing

These Gluten Free Circus Animal Cookies stay fresh for up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For longer storage, they can be frozen for up to 4 months. To freeze, place the cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet to flash freeze, then transfer them to a zipper-top freezer bag or airtight container.

The gluten free circus cookies on a board.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ingredients are typically in animal cookies?
Traditional animal cookies are made with ingredients like flour, sugar, butter, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, eggs, and vanilla extract. This gluten-free version swaps the wheat flour for a gluten-free blend while keeping the other core components.

How can I make these cookies crisper?
To achieve a crisper texture, simply roll the dough out to a thinner consistency before cutting and baking.

Recipe Card

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups gluten-free flour blend (see notes)
⅓ cup brown sugar
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 large egg
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (see notes)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Icing (Optional)

4 ounces gluten-free white chocolate (see notes)
1-3 drops red food coloring (for pink)
1 tablespoon gluten-free sprinkles (see notes)

Equipment

Large mixing bowl
Small mixing bowl
Wire whisk
Plastic wrap
Rolling pin
Silicone baking mat or wax paper
Animal cookie cutters (mini or standard)
Baking sheets
Parchment paper or silicone baking mats for baking sheets
Wire cooling rack
Microwave-safe dish (for melting chocolate)
Small bowls (for colored chocolate)

Method

Preheat the oven to 350º F (175º C).
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 1 ¾ cups gluten-free flour blend, ⅓ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon sea salt until thoroughly blended.
In a smaller bowl, whisk together the 1 large egg, softened 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract until well mixed.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until a cohesive cookie dough forms.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to chill.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator. On a silicone mat or wax paper, use a rolling pin to roll the dough to about ¼ inch thickness.
Use animal cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Place the cutouts onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Bake for 7-8 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove to a wire cooling rack.
While the cookies cool, melt the 4 ounces gluten-free white chocolate in a microwave-safe dish in 15-20 second intervals, stirring between each interval until smooth.
Place half of the melted chocolate in a separate bowl and stir in 1-3 drops of red food coloring for pink icing.
Once the cookies are cool, dip each cookie into either the white or pink chocolate. Quickly top with gluten-free sprinkles before the chocolate sets.
Place dipped cookies back on the wire rack or parchment paper until the chocolate has hardened.

Nutrition

Notes

This recipe was tested with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF blend. Other blends may work, but results can vary.
If your gluten-free flour blend does not contain xanthan gum or guar gum, add 1 teaspoon to the dry ingredients.
Use unsalted butter for best results.
Ensure your sprinkles are certified gluten-free.
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 4 months.
For accurate measurement of gluten-free flour, use either the spoon method (lightly spoon flour into the measuring cup and level with a knife) or the leveling method (scoop flour with the measuring cup without packing, then level with a knife).