Animal cracker

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For other uses, see Animal crackers.

Animal crackers are sweet crackers in the shapes of animals. These are usually animals one would see at the zoo or circus, including lions, tigers, bears, and elephants. There is debate about whether or not Animal Crackers are actually crackers or cookies. They are like crackers due to the way they are made, with layered dough, however the use of sweetened dough gives them the cookie taste and consistency. Traditionally they come in a box with a handle on the top.

Nabisco makes Barnum's Animal Crackers, arguably the most famous commercially produced version of the snack, due to the distinctive package art of a circus cage full of animals. Austin, a division of the Keebler Company, also makes a variety of animal crackers. Although not nearly as popular, the Austin-variety has similar nutritional content and animal shapes.

In total there have been 37 different animals since 1902. The current crackers are tiger, cougar, camel, rhinoceros, kangaroo, hippopotamus, bison, lion, hyena, zebra, elephant, sheep, bear, gorilla, monkey, seal and giraffe.

Another brand of animal crackers is Stauffer's, which makes other varieties of crackers too.