# animal crackers in my soup

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-crackers-in-my-soup/129231>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 23, 2002, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-crackers-in-my-soup/129231 "2002-09-23T04:25:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Pulling\_the\_Strings](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@Pulling\_the\_Strings](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pulling_the_Strings)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-crackers-in-my-soup/129231/1 "2002-09-23T04:25:20Z")

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So what’s the answer… are animal crackers actually crackers, or cookies; and what’s the actual difference between a cracker and a cookie?

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**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-crackers-in-my-soup/129231/2 "2002-09-23T06:39:21Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Pulling the Strings \*  
> **So what’s the answer… are animal crackers actually crackers, or cookies;**

This manufacturer’s site refers to them as “animal-shaped cookies”:

[http://www.nabiscoworld.com/barnums/ba\_history.htm](http://www.nabiscoworld.com/barnums/ba_history.htm)

> [@](#):
>
> \*\*and what’s the actual difference between a cracker and a cookie? \*\*

Turns out Barnum’s Animals aren’t the only animal crackers you can buy. The Stauffer’s brand, for example, is available at such outlets as Wal-Mart, Kmart, and CVS drug stores. According to

[http://www.stauffers.net/Service/qa.htm](http://www.stauffers.net/Service/qa.htm)

“A cookie’s dough is higher in shortening and sugar; and contains less flour. The cracker’s dough is flour, some shortening and sugar, and some flavors and dough conditioners.”

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**Author:** ![ratzingersreactionary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@ratzingersreactionary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratzingersreactionary)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2002, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/animal-crackers-in-my-soup/129231/3 "2002-09-23T19:21:23Z")

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Animal crackers in my soup…