Crunchy, sweet animal crackers coated in a delicious chocolate shell, chocolate-covered animal crackers are quick and easy to make and fun for the whole family. Made with simple ingredients, you can make as few or as many as you like. They make a great snack any time of day, and they also make a great gift.
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What are Chocolate Covered Animal Crackers?
Quite simply, chocolate-covered animal crackers are just store-bought animal crackers that have been dipped in chocolate. They are super easy to make and require only two ingredients: animal crackers and chocolate.
If you want to get fancy, you can add some candy sprinkles or flaked sea salt, but this is optional.
While they are called a cracker, animal crackers are actually a cookie. They are made with wheat flour, and a bit sweet. They are crunchy and slightly flaky, and have a neutral flavour that lends itself well to dressing up with other flavours.
The sweet, crunchy animal cracker and creamy milk chocolate is a delicious and classic combination. But you can use dark or white chocolate if you prefer.
And if you want to make them look more like the popular circus animal cookies, you can use coloured candy melts.
Chocolate-dipped animal crackers are a fun treat for the whole family, and they also make a great homemade gift. Because they are so easy to make you can make a large batch quickly, and they are simple enough that kids can help.
To give them as a gift add a few to a cellophane bag and tie them with a pretty ribbon, present them in a mason jar, or add them to a tin of mixed baking.
Ingredients
For a full list of ingredients and measurements, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Chocolate melting wafers – You will want a good quality chocolate melting wafer to coat the cookies. Melting wafers, or candy melts, melt easily and smoothly, creating a nice coating on anything you are dipping. You can use milk, white or dark chocolate. For the best flavour, make sure cocoa butter is listed as one of the ingredients, as some candy melts are only flavoured like chocolate.
You will want approximately one and a half cups of chocolate to each one cup of animal crackers, but it will depend on how large the cookies are and how thick you want the chocolate shell.
Animal Crackers – You should be able to find original animal crackers at almost any grocery store. However, if you can’t find animal crackers, you can use graham crackers, teddy grahams, Nilla wafers, or other similar cookies.
Toppings – While these are delicious to eat with just the chocolate and cookie, add a bit of fun by adding some colourful candy sprinkles. Or if you like the salty-sweet combo, add a sprinkle of sea salt flakes.
Step by Step Instructions
Place the melting wafers in a microwave-safe bow. Heat for 20-second intervals, at half-power, stirring between intervals until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
Drop an animal cracker into the melted chocolate.
Use the dipping tool to turn the cookie a few times, ensuring it is fully enrobed in chocolate. Then, lift it out of the chocolate. Tap the tool on the side of the bowl a couple of times to allow the excess chocolate to drip off the cookie.
Place the chocolate-covered cookie on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Pro-Tip: If you want to add candy sprinkles or sea salt, allow the chocolate to set for a minute or two, then add your topping when the chocolate is still slightly tacky. This will ensure the sprinkles adhere to the chocolate without sinking in.
Repeat until the desired amount of cookies are coated in chocolate.
Allow the chocolate to set, then move them to an airtight container for storage.
Pro-Tip: If you want an extra thick layer of chocolate on your animal crackers, wait until the first coat is fully set, then dip them in the chocolate again. Allow the second coating of chocolate to set before moving them to a container for storage.
Heating Chocolate for Dipping
There are several methods you can use to melt chocolate depending on the equipment you have available and how much chocolate you need.
Double-boiler method – The double boiler method involves simmering a pot of water and placing a second pot, or heat-safe bowl, over the water-filled pot. The water should reach the bottom of the top pot or bowl.
Simmer the water over medium-low heat and place the chocolate in the top bowl. Stir the chocolate as it heats to help it melt smoothly and prevent the chocolate on the bottom from getting too hot. With this method, you must be careful not to let any water enter the bowl of chocolate. Water will cause the chocolate to seize and harden, making it unsuitable for dipping.
Remove the pot from the stove before dipping. However, keep the pot assembled as the warm water below the melted chocolate will help keep it warm giving you more time to work.
Microwave method – With the microwave method, place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat the chocolate on half-power for 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval until the chocolate is smooth. The length of time it takes to melt fully will depend on the wattage of your microwave, the type of chocolate, and how much you are melting.
It is important not to overheat the chocolate or it will burn and solidify, rather than melting smoothly. Less heat is better than more.
Instant pot method – One of my favourite ways to melt chocolate if I need a lot of it is using the instant pot. If your instant pot has a yogurt setting, melting chocolate is super easy, and it it a great way to keep it smooth and silky throughout the process.
Place the chocolate in the pot and turn it on to the yogurt setting. While the chocolate is heating, stir it several times to help it melt smoothly. Once it is fully melted and smooth, it is ready to use.
Because the pot will hold a consistent temperature, you do not have to worry about overheating or burning the chocolate. There is no worry about accidentally adding water to the chocolate, which causes it to seize and harden.
Substitutions & Variations
Chocolate melting wafers – If you don’t have melting wafers, you can use a good quality chocolate chip or chocolate bark instead. To get the chocolate to melt smoothly, you may need to add 1 or 2 teaspoons of vegetable shortening or coconut oil.
If you want colourful circus animal-style cookies, use coloured candy melts instead. They come in many colours, like pink, orange, and green, and will melt in the same way as chocolate melting wafers.
Animal Crackers – If you want to experiment with different cookies, there are endless treats you can try. Try using:
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Equipment
Three-pronged dipping tool – You will need a tool to dip the cookies and remove them from the chocolate. The best tool I’ve found is a three pronged tool. It is shaped like a fork, but the tinges are thinner and the head of the tool is flat.
You could use a small fork instead if you don’t have a dipping tool.
Parchment paper – It is important to line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner otherwise, the chocolate will adhere to the baking sheet and you will have to pry them off.
Storage
Chocolate-covered animal crackers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature, and they should keep well for several months.
If you live in a warm climate and find the chocolate melts at room temperature, you can store them in the refrigerator. After chilling, the chocolate may sweat when it comes to room temperature, but it is still perfectly delicious and edible.
Top Tips & FAQS
Unless you live in a hot climate, will be fine at room temperature in an air-tight container.
Chocolate-covered animal crackers should keep for several months as long as they are stored in an air-tight container.
More Chocolate Covered Treats
Printable Recipe
Chocolate Covered Animal Crackers
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Animal crackers
- 1 ½ Cups Chocolate melting wafers
Optional Decorations
- Candy sprinkles
- Sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Place the melting wafers in a microwave-safe bowl—heat for 20-second intervals, stirring between intervals until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Drop an animal cracker into the melted chocolate.
- Use the dipping tool to turn the cookie a few times, ensuring it is fully enrobed in chocolate. Then, lift it out of the chocolate.
- Tap the tool on the side of the bowl a couple of times to allow the excess chocolate to drip off the cookie, then place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- If you want to decorate with candy sprinkles or sea salt, allow the chocolate to set for a few minutes, then sprinkle with your chosen decoration. You want the chocolate to still be tacky, so the decoration will stick, but not sink.
- Repeat until the desired amount of animal crackers are coated in chocolate
- Allow the chocolate to be fully set, then move the candy to an airtight container for storage
Notes
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.