When my four little nieces came for a visit, we armed our supplies with a selection of cookies and crackers to tame their wild side as required. Although I have never cared much for traditional animal crackers, we somehow ended up with a collection of new animal cookies, including KinniKritters. This review includes our taste-testing at that time, but I have since updated this post with their new packaging and current information.
Taste Testing KinniKritters Animal Cookies with My Nieces
Luckily, these were not reminiscent of the old Barnum variety. Modernized in taste, texture, and quality of ingredients, not a one failed to please a single child or adult in our party. Yes, none of the grown-ups could keep their hands out of the cookie jar either.
We started with the Bunny Grahams from Annie’s, moved onto the fun shapes from Eco-Planet (which have since been discontinued), and finished out our kid-sized cookie tour with these KinniKritters from Kinnikinnick. Kinnikinnick differs from the other two brands, in that they only sell 100% gluten-free goodies. To be honest, I wasn’t sure how everyone would respond to a gluten-free cookie, so I chose not to divulge the secret.
The littlest ones, ages 6 and 8, were all about the bunnies from Annie’s. The older kids, aged 10, loved the crunchy Eco-Planet cookies. Finally, the three adults had an affinity for the KinniKritters. Of course, no one complained about a single cookie! Every single one of us continued to go back for more of each until they had all vanished. Although, for some reason the Kinnikinnick Animal Cookies had top appeal to more mature taste buds.
After savoring a few, I think I pinpointed the reason. While not an exact duplicate, and lacking the frosting, the KinniKritters reminded me a good deal of Mother’s Circus Animal Cookies from our childhood.
Soft and forgiving without taking on that “soggy” quality. The KinniKritters had a melt in your mouth sweetness that the adults just loved. Of course, we still had to wrestle them away from the kids, as they were not keen to part with any of the cookies! This is one product that gluten-free kids will be proud to share with all of their friends… as long as their parents don’t get to the box first!
Other Flavors of KinniKritters Animal Cookies
To note, we only tried the Traditional KinniKritters Animal Cookies in our home. They have Chocolate and Graham-Style varieties available, too. My friend Sarena shared her review (and pictures – with older packaging below) of both the Graham-Style and Chocolate KinniKritters:
They are very similar to “traditional” animal crackers in texture and taste, but dare I say better??? I just did. It is amazing how many times I hear my husband say that about gluten free products, because I feel the same way. I think it is because the flours actually have flavor! The flavor is a cross between a graham cracker and an animal cracker. The texture is crisp and slightly powdery, so perfect with a cup of coffee or tea for an afternoon snack. They also come in chocolate, which was gone before I got a picture of it! They are similar in flavor to chocolate Teddy Grahams.
Ingredients and Nutrition for KinniKritters Animal Cookies
Vanilla
Ingredients: cane sugar, pea starch, potato starch*, non-hydrogenated palm oil shortening (palm oil, modified palm oil), white rice flour, tapioca starch, water, tapioca syrup, pea protein, salt, pea fibre, natural flavour, cellulose, inulin, sodium bicarbonate, sunflower lecithin, natural colour. *not a product of genetic engineering. †rspo certified. may contain: eggs.
Nutrition (per 12 cookies): 140 calories, 4.5g fat, 24g carbs, 0g fiber, 7g sugars, 1g protein.*
Graham
Nutrition (per 12 cookies): 140 calories, 5g fat, 23g carbs, 1g fiber, 7g sugars, 1g protein.*
Chocolate
Nutrition (per 12 cookies): 140 calories, 5g fat, 23g carbs, 1g fiber, 7g sugars, 1g protein.*
The Facts on KinniKritters Animal Cookies
Price: $3.99 per 8-ounce box
Availability: KinniKritters Animal Cookies are sold at grocers in the U.S. and Canada, and can usually be found with the cookies or in a gluten-free section. You can also order them online from the company’s website below or on Amazon.
Certifications: KinniKritters Animal Cookies are Certified Kosher Parve.
Dietary Notes: By ingredients, KinniKritters Animal Cookies are dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, vegan (the graham variety does contain honey), and vegetarian.*
For More Product Information: Visit the Kinnikinnick website at www.kinnikinnick.com.
*Always read the ingredient and nutrition statement prior to consumption. Ingredients, processes, and labeling are subject to change at any time for any company or product. Contact the company to discuss their manufacturing processes if potential allergen cross-contamination is an issue for you. No food product can be guaranteed “safe” for every individual’s needs. You should never rely on ingredient and allergen statements alone if dealing with a severe food allergy.
Traditional, Chocolate and Graham-Style
These adorable, allergy-friendly cookies were loved by many kids, but were a surprising top pick among the adults. Something nostalgic about these almost-traditional bites captured our taste buds and made the box disappear in mere minutes. The light crisp flavor and spot on sweetness makes them great for snacking or serving as a special treat with a glass of dairy-free milk beverage or a big mug of tea or coffee.
