If you’re a fan of Mother’s Cookies’ famous pink and white-frosted circus animal cookies, now is the time to stock up. The 92-year old company has just closed its doors and stopped cookie production completely. There was virtually no warning about the company’s closure, so fans of the cookies – not to mention the employees of the company, who were supposed to get a 60-day notice of layoffs – are left in the lurch. Their other cookies will also only be available until supplies at stores run out, so Taffy Sandwiches, Iced Raisin Cookies (which I liked, but no one else seemed to) and Iced Oatmeal Cookies will also be in short supply. Hopefully, if the company can’t get its finances together, another company will consider picking up the recipes for these classics – or all of our childhood favorites will be little more than memories.
To get your fix in other places, you can use some regular sugar cookie dough and a lot of pink and white confectioners’ sugar icing to construct a giant animal cookie, like I did last summer, or you can buy a set of circus animal cookie cutters to make your own small cookies. You can also used melted white chocolate and a lot of rainbow sprinkles to get the finished look on the cookies.
Update:Â The recipes and trademark of the Mother’s brand were purchased by Kellogg’s, which intends to continue production of Mother’s most popular cookies!
Cookienurse
October 10, 2008oh no! I loved the iced raisin cookies too!
food librarian
October 10, 2008oh no!!! i love those animal cookies. oh, those poor bakers. running out now…thanks for the update.
Sarah
October 10, 2008I’m not sure I’ve ever had the original Mother’s ones, but Keebler makes the same frosted animal cookies. Not sure if they’re as good, but I love them!
Lisa
October 10, 2008BUMMER! My husband’s a California boy and turned me on to the Taffy Creams, which are now my three boys’ favorite store-bought cookie. My sweet in-laws kept us supplied by mail, since you couldn’t buy them east of the Mississippi. I’m really bummed…anyone know a Taffy cookie copy recipe?? I feel really sad for all their employees.
Katrina
October 10, 2008Interesting. What a big bummer. My kids love those. (I like them, too!) There are actually several brands that make them, Archway, too, I think. But I’ve always thought the Mother ones were the best.
By the way, just took a look at your giant sea lion cookie, looks great, so cute, fun and HUGE! Great job!
Andi
October 10, 2008Oh man, thanks for the update! My mom loves these; I just sent her the link and told her to stock up. How sad, these are a major childhood memory for me.
Heather P.
October 10, 2008Aldi’s makes some wonderful animal crackers. Their iced oatmeal cookies are wonderful too.
Laura
October 10, 2008Oh, NO! Those animal cookies have been my favorite holiday indulgence for years! No other cookie company comes close in replicating their recipe.
Doris
October 10, 2008I am going to miss those animal cookies!
snookydoodle
October 11, 2008whata pity they re so cute.
peabody
October 12, 2008I’ve made my own, but sadly not the same. I went out and bought 10 bags.
lucy
October 14, 2008It is soooo sad… I will miss them. I have a few bags..But I have found that you can still buy them from ebay. I may try that as I would like to have a few more on hand..
lucy
October 14, 2008So sad.. I have seen them on ebay.. I may have to try that .. As the stores in my town are all sold out.
sreka
October 15, 2008does anyone have a good recipe that would be similar to the “Iced Raisin Cookies” my husband loves these. Such a bummer to hear.
Nicole
October 15, 2008Sreka – I haven’t seen any, but I’m hoping to finish up a homemade version soon. Check back for the recipe in the next couple of weeks!
Ann
October 16, 2008I almost cried at the store last night. My grandmother ALWAYS had Iced Raisin cookies in the house and whenever I buy them I think of her. I can’t find any now and I want just one more bag in memory of grandma. This happened too fast and I just wasn’t prepared. Thanks for reading. I feel better now, but I miss grandma!!!
Cakespy
October 17, 2008No, no, no, no!!!! These cookies have so many happy memories for me. They were seriously the sugary glue that brought my dear Mr. Cakespy and I together! 🙁
Amanda
October 17, 2008Oh that’s so sad 🙁 especially for all those families who have just been thrust into the unemployment line.
jenny demilo
October 18, 2008this makes me so sad. they are my favorite store bought cookie
im going to buy a bag eat them and cry 🙁
sweetbird
October 18, 2008Oh no! I loved those cookies growing up. So sad…even worse what they’re doing to their employees though. That’s really just awful for them.
Ciindy
November 12, 2008I’m sad, too. I grew up next to Oakland (San Leandro). My dad used to deliver cardboard shipping boxes for years to Mother’s Cookies He’d bring us home just made, STILL WARM cookies and crackers in their boxes. Wonderful memories. For those who grew up in the Bay Area, what other kind of cookie is there?
Taylor O.
December 3, 2008MAN THOSE THINGS WERE THE GREATEST COOKIES EVER. I LUVED THOSE AND NOW THEY TRY TO SELL THE CHEAP ONCE THAT LOOK LIKE THEM BUT TASTE NOTHING(WELL SUM)LIKE THEM. I SOOO WANNA START A PROTEST BUT IM JUST A KID. I HOPE SOMEONE STARTS ONE AND THEY START MAKING THE COOKIES
Whittles
January 13, 2009I just bought a bag of keeblers iced animal crackers and they stink,the colour is mutd and they are made messy. Icing is thinner and covers the sprinkles.What a way to ruin a life.
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March 11, 2009Sorry Mother
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October 22, 2009No, no, no, no!!!! These cookies have so many happy memories for me. They were seriously the sugary glue that brought my dear Mr. Cakespy and I together!
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January 6, 2010What a tragedy!! My childhood in the bayarea consisted of many iconic things but one special one was Mothers Cookies. My favorite was the iced oatmeal raisin which was by far and above the best darn milk dipping cookie in existence. Please, Please make them available again!
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May 14, 2010My childhood in the bayarea consisted of many iconic things but one special one was Mothers Cookies. My favorite was the iced oatmeal raisin which was by far and above the best darn milk dipping cookie in existence. Please, Please make them available again!
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C.C.
May 14, 2010That’s not true. I’m eating it right now.
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May 22, 2010I just bought a bag of keeblers iced animal crackers and they stink,the colour is mutd and they are made messy. Icing is thinner and covers the sprinkles.What a way to ruin a life.
friday
October 15, 2010ok, so their website says they are back open, but i can’t fnd the circus animal cookies anywhere! wtf?
Chie
October 18, 2010I’m glad they are still in business! I’m eating it right now.
SGL
November 14, 2010The original circus animal cookies are back on shelves!! Keebler has bought them and now they’re back!! Eating a bag right now, and I’m in Spain, so I KNOW they’ve got to be back in the US!
Lori
June 8, 2011Couple of comments – I’m out here ‘east of the Mississippi’ but grew up in Cali so very familiar with Mother’s cookies. Out here, I have been able to find the iced animal crackers under Stauffer’s brand, but none of the other classics. Quite by accident I discovered a way to create something so close to the iced raisin cookies that I felt like I was three years old again! Simply take a graham cracker, smear a bit of vanilla cake frosting on it and then sprinkle some raisins on top of that. Close your eyes and mmmmmm so good!