National Animal Crackers Day

Do you remember eating animal crackers when you were a child? For a lot of people, these sweet animal-shaped crackers bring back memories of their childhood.

Below, we will reveal everything that you need to know about National Animal Crackers Day!

Late 1800s
English Animal Biscuits Gain Popularity
Sweet, lightly spiced “animal biscuits” shaped like lions, tigers, and other creatures become a popular novelty snack in Victorian Britain, produced by biscuit makers such as Huntley & Palmers and exported abroad.
1871
National Biscuit Company’s Roots Are Established
Several regional American bakery firms begin consolidating, a process that culminates in the formation of the National Biscuit Company (later Nabisco), which will go on to mass‑produce animal-shaped crackers for the U.S. market.
Late 1800s
Animal Crackers Arrive in the United States
Importers bring English-style animal-shaped biscuits to the United States, where they are adapted to local tastes and baking methods and begin to be sold as “animal crackers” in American grocery stores.
1902
Barnum’s Animals Brand Is Introduced
The National Biscuit Company develops Barnum’s Animals, a line of animal-shaped crackers packaged in circus-themed boxes that quickly become one of the company’s best-known snack products.
1904
Package With String Becomes a Holiday Tradition
Barnum’s Animals crackers are sold in small boxes with a string handle, designed so they can be hung on Christmas trees, helping cement the crackers as both a children’s snack and a seasonal ornament.
1914
Standards for Crackers and Biscuits Emerge
With the implementation of the U.S. Food and Drugs Act and growing food regulation, trade definitions begin to distinguish between crackers, biscuits, and cookies, shaping how products such as animal crackers are labeled and marketed.
2018
Barnum’s Animals Box Art Frees the Animals
After pressure from animal-welfare advocates and changing public attitudes about circuses, Nabisco redesigns the Barnum’s Animals box so that the illustrated animals roam freely instead of appearing in circus boxcars.

Learn About National Animal Crackers Day

A lot of people remember eating animal crackers when they were younger, sharing them with our friends and siblings (or keeping them all for ourselves!).

You may even feed your children animal crackers for a snack now. They have become a classic because they taste great and they have a fun appearance too.

For those who are reading this and have no idea what we are talking about, don’t worry, we will explain. Animal crackers refer to a sweet and small type of cookie that is baked in the shape of a zoo or circus animal, be it an elephant, bear, tiger, or lion.

They tend to be sweet and light in color, yet there are different varieties available as well, for example, frosted animal crackers and chocolate crackers.

How to Celebrate National Animal Crackers Day

Enjoy Some Animal Crackers

Of course, the best way to celebrate National Animal Crackers Day is by eating some animal crackers. Get yourself down to a nearby store and buy some animal crackers.

You may even want to try your hand at making your own animal crackers. There are recipes online for this, so you could give it a try if you are feeling brave?

Another way to celebrate National Animal Crackers Day is by sharing some of these snacks with your friends or co-workers.

Why not buy a multi-pack and share it with your nearest and dearest? If you are still close with your childhood friends, having a packet of animal crackers together can bring back memories from when you were both young.

Play Animal Cracker Games

Did you know that you can even play games with your animal crackers? If you do a quick search online, you will see that there are different games that have been designed so that you can play them with your animal crackers.

Of course, you will need to have plenty of crackers on hand; you will want some for people to eat while playing and some for the game itself, right?

Get Creative with Animal Crackers

You may even want to get creative and bake some sweet treats that incorporate animal crackers. For example, why not make your own cookies and adorn them with animal crackers?

History of National Animal Crackers Day

Animal crackers first came to the United States throughout the late 1800s. This is when they are imported from England.

A lot of people are shocked to learn that these animal-shaped cookies have been enjoyed for so long in the United States, but yes, they were a big hit then and they still are now!

They became known as Barnum’s Animals in 1902. There have been some big changes, for example, in 2018, the maker of Barnum’s Animal Crackers, Nabisco, changed the imagery so that the animals were freely roaming in nature, rather than being inside the cage of a train.

Facts About National Animal Crackers Day

Circus Origins of Animal-Shaped Biscuits

Animal-shaped biscuits began as part of a broader fascination with traveling menageries and circuses in 19th-century Europe, especially in Britain and Germany, where bakers produced “zoological” biscuits that echoed popular animal shows of the time.

These novelty shapes were marketed as a premium treat, capitalizing on the public’s curiosity about exotic animals long before most people could see such creatures in person.

Barnum’s Box Was Designed as a Christmas Ornament

When animal crackers were first sold under the Barnum’s Animals name in 1902, the small cardboard box was designed with a string so it could be hung as a Christmas ornament.

This packaging decision, tied to the holiday season, helped turn a simple baked good into a highly recognizable, giftable product that children could carry or display.

Why Animal Crackers Are Technically Crackers, Not Cookies

Despite their sweetness, animal crackers are formulated more like crackers than traditional cookies.

They are made from a low-fat dough that is rolled very thin, lightly sweetened, and often pierced with small holes to let steam escape, which keeps them dry, crisp, and shelf-stable, unlike higher-fat, moister cookies that stale more quickly.

Steam Holes Help Keep the Animals Flat

The tiny holes often seen in animal crackers are not decorative; they function as “docking” holes that allow steam to escape while baking.

Without these perforations, the shaped dough would puff unevenly, distort, or bubble, and the details of the animal outline would be lost, which is why industrial crackers and many biscuits share this same feature.

Animal Crackers as Early Mass-Market Child-Friendly Food

By the early 20th century, animal crackers were among the first factory-made baked snacks deliberately marketed to children, using cute animal imagery and small, portable packaging.

This approach foreshadowed modern kids’ food marketing, where shape, character tie-ins, and package design are used alongside flavor to appeal to young consumers and their parents.

Shifting Away From Caged-Animal Imagery

The packaging for Barnum’s Animals historically depicted circus animals in cage-like train cars, reflecting the norms of turn-of-the-century circus culture.

In 2018, after rising public concern about animal welfare and the treatment of wild animals in circuses, the imagery was redesigned to show the animals roaming freely, mirroring a broader cultural shift toward more humane portrayals of wildlife.

National Animal Crackers Day FAQs

Are animal crackers considered cookies or crackers from a baking standpoint?

From a baking standpoint, animal crackers sit somewhere between cookies and crackers.

In the United States they are usually made with a slightly sweet, low-fat dough that is leavened with baking powder and baked until dry and crisp, which makes them closer to a mildly sweet cookie than to a savory cracker.

In the United Kingdom, their predecessors were categorized as “biscuits,” a broad term that can cover both sweet cookies and plain crackers, which reflects their hybrid nature.

How did animal-shaped biscuits become popular in the United States?

Animal-shaped biscuits first became popular in Britain in the 19th century, when bakers produced “animal biscuits” using tin or iron cutters.

American manufacturers later adapted the idea, creating small, inexpensive, animal-shaped cookies that could be mass-produced and packaged for children.

By the early 20th century, companies in the United States were tying these shapes to circus themes and using eye-catching boxes and illustrations, which helped turn animal-shaped biscuits into an enduring children’s snack.

Are animal crackers a healthy snack for children?

Animal crackers are typically lower in fat than many cookies, but they are still a refined-grain, sweet snack that contributes added sugars and calories.

Pediatric nutrition guidelines recommend that foods with added sugars be limited and that most snacks for children come from fruits, vegetables, dairy, nuts, and whole grains instead.

When used as an occasional treat in small portions, animal crackers can fit into an overall balanced diet, but they should not replace more nutrient-dense snacks.

Why are circus and zoo animals such a common theme in children’s snacks and packaging?

Circus and zoo animals became common themes in children’s snacks and packaging during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when traveling circuses and zoological parks were major forms of popular entertainment.

Marketers used elephants, lions, and other exotic animals on boxes and labels to signal excitement, adventure, and family fun.

Over time these images became familiar symbols of childhood treats and were reused across products because they were instantly recognizable and appealing to young children.

How have concerns about animal welfare influenced the design of animal-themed snacks?

Growing public concern about animal welfare has led some food companies to rethink the imagery and stories they use for animal-themed snacks.

For example, advocacy campaigns and shifting attitudes toward wild animals in captivity have encouraged brands to retire images of animals behind bars or performing tricks, and instead depict them in more natural settings.

This change reflects a broader cultural move toward recognizing animals as sentient beings and aligns product marketing with modern views on ethical treatment of animals.

Are animal crackers vegetarian or vegan?

Most traditional animal crackers are vegetarian, since they are usually made with flour, sugar, vegetable oil, and leavening agents rather than meat or gelatin.

However, many brands contain ingredients such as milk, whey, or butter, which makes them unsuitable for a vegan diet.

Some also use confectioner’s glaze or certain colorings that vegans may avoid. Anyone following vegetarian or vegan dietary rules needs to check the ingredient list for dairy products and other animal-derived additives.

What is the difference between animal crackers in the United States and animal biscuits in the United Kingdom?

In the United Kingdom, animal-shaped biscuits are typically a bit less sweet and are clearly categorized as “biscuits,” which can be either plain or lightly sweet.

In the United States, animal crackers are generally marketed as a children’s cookie, are slightly sweeter, and are often associated with circus or zoo imagery on the packaging.

Despite these differences in taste and branding, both are small, crisp baked goods made in animal shapes and eaten as snacks rather than as part of a meal.

Date	Every April 18th
Also known as	National Animal Cracker Day
Tags	Food & Drink
Hashtags	#NationalAnimalCrackersDay #NationalAnimalCrackerDay

When is National Animal Crackers Day?

National Animal Crackers Day Timeline

English Animal Biscuits Gain Popularity

National Biscuit Company’s Roots Are Established

Animal Crackers Arrive in the United States

Barnum’s Animals Brand Is Introduced

Package With String Becomes a Holiday Tradition

Standards for Crackers and Biscuits Emerge

Barnum’s Animals Box Art Frees the Animals

Learn About National Animal Crackers Day