Carrot Animal Crackers

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Ingredients

1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon Xantham gum (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon Baking powder (low sodium)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup shredded carrots
3 tablespoons cold butter (organic)
1 tablespoon flaxseed (ground)
1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons milk (cows, goats, soy, almond, rice)
*extra tapioca for rolling out the dough

Rated: (5/5), based on 3 reviews

Here is a healthier spin on a kid-friendly classic that is sure to please the whole family.

Submitted by:
Kristin O'Connor Kristin O’Connor is the founder of Nourish This, LLC, a website dedicated to inspiring people to eat well and be well.

Visit original web site

Make It:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Stir dry ingredients until well combined. Cut cold butter into the dry ingredients using two butter knives or a pastry cutter until the butter and flour resemble coarse corn meal.

3. Peel and shred carrots (I use my food processor with both the shredding attachment and the blade at the bottom so that the carrots shred and get minced at the same time).

4. Add carrots and flax seed to the flour and butter mixture.

5. Finally, add the milk, stirring to incorporate it into the flour mixture. Once the milk is fully combined, sprinkle tapioca flour onto parchment paper and roll the dough out on the parchment. You will use about 1/4 cup extra tapioca, just make sure it does not stick. I find the best method is to pat it out gently with your hands, adding more tapioca flour as you go and then go in gently with a rolling pin to smooth and even it out.

6. Dip your cookie cutters into extra flour and cut out animal shapes!

7. If the animal crackers are small (should be about 1/4” thick and about 1” wide) they will cook for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

8. Store in a cool dry place for one to two days or freeze for one month.

Clean It:

Purchase your flours in bulk so you help to save on packaging. Also, storing your flours in glass or ceramic sealable containers keeps them fresh and eliminates exposure to plastic.

Green It:

When you can, buy carrots (and other produce) at your local farmers market, supporting local farms and helping to reduce biofuel used to transport produce from other areas of the country or world!

Make It Fun:

This is a perfect recipe to encourage kids to help out! As you can see in the video, they love the texture of flour, rolling and pressing out their own shapes. It is magical for them to see something like a few ingredients turn into homemade animal crackers!