graham crackers
Because I’ve spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to figure out what it was, and seeing the wide range of graham cracker — they’re something like digestive biscuits, for those of you across the pond — recipes out there, it’s not just me. There was the one I tried a couple years ago with rye flour, which I can assure you, was not the answer. Graham flour — a coarsely, exactingly ground whole wheat flour — would be the obvious answer, since they originate with one Rev. Sylvester Graham himself, but that doesn’t go far to explain the curious flavor of the cookie-like crackers. Cinnamon is another thing most recipes agree on, but when I tried a version with a lot of cinnamon in it (rather than on it, in a cinnamon-sugar coating), it tasted wrong. Ditto with another that contained an excess of molasses.
Anyway, I stopped searching the first time I made Nancy Silverton’s graham crackers. She’s figured it out so everyone else can stop trying. Her combination of dark brown sugar (which I know is molasses-heavy but somehow less aggressive than straight molasses-sweetened versions), honey and a large amount of vanilla makes perfect, better-than-store-bought graham crackers. Well, better than better-than-store-bought, namely because graham crackers as we’ve come to known them are rather bland and forgettable, and these are too good for a cheesecake crust. I’d say possibly too good to share with your kid, too, but seeing as I am currently at the mercy of one’s aforementioned limbs and wish in no way to draw their ire, I will promise to share. For now.
One year ago: Haricot Vert with Shallots
Two years ago: Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble
Graham Crackers
Adapted from Nancy Silverton’s Pastries from the La Brea Bakery, and 101 Cookbooks, because for some absurd reason that will be immediately rectified, this book is not yet in my collection.
If you’re new to graham crackers, do know that the word “cracker” is misleading. They’re moderately sweet, like a cookie or biscuit, but they do have the snap of a cracker. I can’t say that I’d serve them with cheese, but if you’ve never schmeared them with cream cheese frosting, you’re missing out.
The topping amount will make a heavy coating, like the store-bought ones. Make only half if you just want a light-to-moderate sprinkling.
Makes 10 4 x 4.5-inch graham crackers or 48 2-inch squares
2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (375 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour (a swap of 1/2 cup with whole wheat flour or 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour works well here, too)
1 cup (176 grams) dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon (6 grams) baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt (4 grams)
7 tablespoons (3 1/2 ounces or 100 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen
1/3 cup (114 grams) mild-flavored honey, such as clover
5 tablespoons (77 grams) milk, full-fat is best
2 tablespoons (27 grams) pure vanilla extract
Topping (optional)
3 tablespoons (43 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon (5 grams) ground cinnamon
Make the dough: Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Pulse or mix on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off on and off, or mix on low, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal.
[Alternately, if you don't have a food processor or electric mixer, you can cut the ingredients together with a pastry blender. Just make sure they're very well incorporated.]
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, milk, and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture and pulse on and off a few times or mix on low until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky. Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap and dust it lightly with flour, then turn the dough out onto it and pat it into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Wrap it, then chill it until firm, about 2 hours or overnight. Meanwhile, prepare the topping, if using, by combining the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and setting aside.
Roll out the crackers: Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sift an even layer of flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. The dough will be sticky, so flour as necessary. Trim the edges of the rectangle to 4 inches wide. Working with the shorter side of the rectangle parallel to the work surface, cut the strip every 4 1/2 inches to make 4 crackers. [This makes a traditional graham cracker shape. I rebelled and made mine into 2-inch fluted squares with one of these.]
Place the crackers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets and sprinkle with the topping. Chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes in the fridge or 15 to 20 minutes in the freezer. Repeat with the second batch of dough. Finally, gather any scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and re-roll.
Adjust the oven rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Decorate the crackers: Mark a vertical line down the middle of each cracker, being careful not to cut through the dough (again, this is for the traditional cracker shape). Using a toothpick or skewer (I like to use the blunt end of a wooden skewer for more dramatic dots), prick the dough to form two dotted rows about 1/2 inch for each side of the dividing line.
Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating the sheets halfway through to ensure even baking. [The baking time range is long because the original recipe calls for 25 minutes but my new oven -- which I suspect runs crazy hot but have yet to confirm with the actual purchase of an oven thermometer -- had them done in way less. Be safe, check them sooner. Nobody likes a burnt cracker!]
Boy do I feel silly for purchasing bulk graham crackers yesterday! lol. These are hands down spectacular!!
Mmmm, I’ve always wanted to try graham crackers, thanks! I was wondering if you think it would be workable if I used shortening instead of butter as I am currently breastfeeding and my little guy has a pretty bad sensitivity to diary. (Love means willingly giving up what used to comprise of 90% of what you put in your mouth!) Thanks!
that is impressive. very, very impressive. made s’mores yet??
These look sensational – could I use agave nectar instead of honey though??
It will hurt my heart a little bit to make these delicious crackers and then crush them up for a cheesecake crust…but it is a sacrifice we must make. Yum! These look great!
Adorable! I never even thought of making graham crackers. Like mustard, they are always just something I buy….must reconsider!
Deb, if it weren’t for the fact I’m making your Hostess Cake tomorrow for a friend’s graduation party, I would be making these instead.
Also, have you ever tried them with marscapone cheese? I love the velvety softness of the cheese which just makes the sweetness of the cookie/cracker stand out that much more…
Oh my goodness gravy, just when I was wondering what cookie I was going to make this weekend. My favorite! Thanks for the inspiration, I can’t wait to make these from scratch for the first time!
Deb, it could be more surreal: http://belly-gallery-pregnancy.blogspot.com/2005/10/dont-stop-kicking.html#links
These are impossibly cute. I’m sure to make them soon. I’ve had my eye on a chocolate graham cracker cake that these would work for. Thanks.
One of my favorite snacks while living in Greece were these cinnamon flavored crackers topped with a layer of dark chocolate, and I’m thinking this would produce a really similar flavor. I’ve often wondered about recreating them at home, so I’m going to give it a shot.
These photos are absolutely gorgeous!
i prefer the cute little shapes you made to the bigger crackers… these are SO cute!
My little girl LOVED to lodge her foot in my rib cage. I’d have to slowly massage it down when it started to pinch and got hard to breathe.
Now that she’s 4 months and loves to throw her feet/legs up in the air, I think back to how it all makes sense :)
Enjoy it…I miss being pregnant~ :)
GASP! I’m crying tears of joy that you’ve posted this recipe. I probably won’t stop until I make them. And then I’ll probably cry because they’re so good. I seem to be doing that a lot lately. :)
To clarify, now she’s 4 months old but on the outside!
Can’t get my favorite honeymaid grahams here in London so I’m so glad you posted this, especially because I’ve been desperately craving smores. Now onto the other problem…Londoners sell their marshmallows in packs where many of them are pink and strawberry or peach flavored…
I’ve been fantasizing about homemade graham crackers lately. I remember making them in the 70s as a kid. (Yes, I’m old). Will have to give this a try.
I agree with Dana… never once have I thought about making my own… but I bet s’mores would be ohhhh so good on these tasty little treats! Must make! Thanks as always, you’re such an inspiration!
Hey Deb, it just occurred to me: I was never, ever the type to buy kitchen tools I didn’t really, really need… until I started reading Smitten Kitchen. In the past few months I seem to have collected a tart pan, mini loaf pans, a pastry blender (none of which I have used, mind you)… and now I’m itching to get my hands on a pastry wheel so the graham crackers I (don’t) make will look as beautiful as yours. Thanks for being so inspiring, even if not exactly good for my kitchen-tool-budget.
I love how you post really different recipes! Never seen a graham cracker recipe! thank you!
Oh yum. I craved cinnamon graham crackers something fierce during my first pregnancy. I’m pregnant again and these look like something I will need to eat immediately. Except for the honey thing being a problem. Hmmm.
i am so impressed by this, i feel almost light-headed. homemade graham crackers!
I never thought about how bland the store bought ones are, but you’re right – they’re pretty tasteless. I bet these taste wonderful. And I bet they’d make an amazing cheesecake crust!
I miss that feeling of little feet in my rib cage. Well, everything except the occasional blunt force trauma from those little feet. And the heartburn.
Buying graham crackers at the store is stressful. The “good tasting” kind has hydrogenated fat and corn syrup in them. The healthy kind are “bad tasting” much like chewing a piece of cardboard. Because of that, our house has been devoid of them, much to the dismay of my 5 year old. Now I have a great solution! Thanks!
Awesome! So have you tested this with toasted marshmallow and a chunk of chocolate yet?
my mom makes graham crackers. she uses the recipe from martha stewart’s baking handbook.
Thanks for giving me a reason to want to purchase a pastry cutter! :P I plan on trying to make my own graham crackers after my homemade marshmallows became such a hit on a camping trip last year.
Oh I love this I want to make it someday!
These look so much better than box ones!
What an excellent summer recipe idea. I am going to try this tonight to serve with some homemade maple walnut ice cream. You have one luck bun-in-the-oven to be vicariously eating such delicious food.
That sparkly sugar dusting is luring me in. I’ve never tried homemade graham crackers (odd tasting or not) but it’s something I intend to rectify immediately.
These look heavenly! I had always heard that one could make homemade graham crackers but I just assumed they would be hard to make & the end result not worth it. Now I have to say these pictures definitely make it look worth it! Thanks for the inspiration I needed!
oooh!! our s’mores will be SOOO much better than everyone else’s now!
Sometimes I feel like I should just stop trying, because you’ve already made everything cool.
And then I get hungry looking at your photos, and have to bake something myself.
Deb –
Can the whole wheat flour be replaced with milled (mortar and pestle crushed) bran flakes? Will probably turn out with more fiber? Perhaps?
Gabi @ mamaliga.
Now the next thing to try and figure out is Nilla wafers. I tried an arrowroot cookie the other day and they tasted just like Nilla wafers! What’s in them?
Pretty graham crackers! Imagine making s’mores with those and some homemade marshmallows! Oh boy!
I can sympathize with the foot in the rib cage! Ahh, I’m so jealous that you have the time to not only make wonderful concoctions but take excellent pictures of the process! I’ll make these someday… Meanwhile, I love reading your blog for both culinary inspiration and visual entertainment.
Oh yes! I just made my own graham crackers a few months ago. They were awesome. I need to make some. mhmm.
These look great. I love your well-curated blog. I really makes me want to run to the kitchen and start making a wonderous mess.
These grahams, are they crunchy in the end? Evenly crunchy? I want to lather them wi peanut butter.
YUM! I love graham crackers and have been itching to make my own for a while now. Yours look absolutely perfect! Sounds like baby liked them, too–either that, or baby is just going to be SUPER active. Kicking the ribcage…I didn’t know that was possible either!
You never fail to amaze with all the great things you make. We’d like to request s’mores with these and homemade marshmallows!
I am thoroughly impressed. I adore graham crackers, but always assumed they were one of those things I’d never actually make…thanks for the inspiration as always.
My brother and sister go crazy for smores, so I’ve been planning to surprise them with some homemade marshmallows. Now I can go all the way!
Deb, these look so delicious (and I would definitely make a double batch to use for cheesecake crust)! Do you think these could be made with another kind of flour? Maybe soy or nut flour? I have celiac and I am super tired of all the ‘gluten-free’ crap that I find in stores!
How fascinating – I had always wondered what graham crackers really were. Being English it was all very confusing when I started looking at American recipes, especially for cheesecake, and having these funny cracker things involved. These look lovely, will have to make some and see what the fuss is all about.
Flour substitutions: I’ve mentioned the ones I’ve tried successfully in the recipe. Anything else, please try at home and report back to us. I am sure others will appreciate your experiments!
KatieK — Thinner and darker-baked ones were very crunchy, the rest were moderately crunchy. You can bake them less if you want them softer. After being in an air-tight container overnight, they’re slightly softer but still maintain their crunch.
I am so happy you posted this. Just 2 weeks ago when I was purchasing graham crackers and all the crap the grocery stores put in them I was hoping to find a recipe for them. Yea!
It always gets me down that the distinct flavor of graham crackers comes from GRAHAM flour. It sort of makes me despair of recreating them gluten free. But who knows, maybe these would be awesome as quinoa crackers!
this is amazing – my triplets are addicted to graham crackers, but i’m trying to keep them away from HFCS, which all store-bought versions i’ve seen have. so i was just telling a friend that we need to find a recipe. like, last night i was telling her this. amazing!
the problem is, i have triplets and thus no time to actually bake them. but that’s my own conundrum to deal with.
Sacha – I think soy flour has a really distinct NON-grainy taste that probably wouldn’t be very pleasing in a faux GF graham cracker, and that nut flours probably have the wrong texture and oiliness to get the right kind of crispiness too. I think a combination of rice flours (1/3 white, 1/3 brown, 1/3 sweet), quinoa flour, or sorghum flour would probably make much better substitutes in terms of comperable taste and texture. (sorghum is my least favorite though, it has an almost gummy texture sometimes!).
These look delicious! Too bad I already have a box of store bought in my cupboard, or I’d make these to use up the half-failed marshmallows I made last week.
Yum! A while back I needed vegan graham crackers for a vegan cheesecake I was making for some friends. Turns out they don’t exist, not readily at least, because most have honey in them. I ended up making this recipe and was quite impressed with how well they turned out. I was also surprised at how easy it was to make them. I’ll have to try your non-vegan version sometime — they look delicious!
Molly…honey is only contraindicated for infants under 1 year of age. Adults, including pregnant women and older children, can handle the botulism spores that may be present in honey because they have more mature bacteria in their intestines.
Check out this article: http://www.drgreene.com/21_1476.html
My mouth is watering reading this – I love Graham crackers! I apparently haven’t lived, as I’ve never tried graham crackers schmeared with cream cheese frosting! Mmmm….
Graham crackers are a huge hit at my house (with frosting of any variety) so I’m putting these on my list of things to make this weekend.
Hey Deb!
Gotta say am always amazed by all your baking.
And your a real timesaver for me.
Instead of going at it myself am all pleased sitting here watching your aamazing creations.
I’ve tried to work out my own “dough-masterpieces” but ended up with a shattered heart when masterpieces turned to pieces falling through the grill.
Anyways, now am gonna “masterpiece away” with your oatmeal raisin cookies.
Shame on the one who loses hop, right! =D
I’ve always wanted to try making graham crackers. I like to eat the store-bought kind smeared with butter, like my grandma used to do. Not good for the hips, but it’s yum.
Oh my gosh. THANK YOU. (And aren’t those little feet awesome? I saw the outline of my youngest son’s fingers run across my stomach when I was about eight months along with him. Wow.
I’ve always wanted to make these. I bet they would make amazing s’mores, especially with homemade marshmallows!
I went on a graham cracker recipe hunt about 6 months ago and came up with… zilch. They all sounded icky. But this, this I can work with!
I grew up sitting on a stool at the kitchen counter after school, talking with my mom, smearing my graham crackers with straight up cream cheese. I thought they tasted pretty darn good :)
-Andrea
As if your (future?) child won’t already love you heart and soul..give them a homemade (and even, gasp, store bought) cookie, and you are instantly elevated to their most beloved, forever! If more men understood this, they too could be a bigger hero in their kids eyes! But, oh well, a toss in the air, way up high, works too, and only “he”did that! We’re even.
I just pulled some Molasses Crinkles out of the oven after two days of begging by my 24 yo daughter (who swears I make them better) and am, for the moment, back up on the pedestal. Oh, the power of a cookie! (short lived as it may be)
you are just like me with all the digressing! like it all makes sense in our heads and then comes out like a blahhhhh. LOL! LOVE IT!
I had no idea these could be made from scratch! The store bought ones don’t really have alot of flavor, but I just keep buying them thinking that’s all there is. Thank you for this informative recipe!
I know what I’m packing along on my next camping trip to make some fancy s’mores!
Hmm, your headnotes have (paradoxically) suggested to me that graham crackers and cheese might actually be rather tasty. A good cheddar and some slices of apple maybe? I think it seems worth a try. :-)
Spent last weekend camping and falling in love with s’mores again, and will make these for the next trip! How well do you think they’d hold up over a long weekend? Or should they be eaten right away?
I will have to make double the amount on this recipe so that I won’t feel so bad when I use half of it as crust and half in s’mores. YUM!
I seem to bookmark all your recipes. This is definitely a must make, since my little 3 year old loves graham crackers dipped in peanut butter and honey. Yum!
Love the holes in them! Genius!
i made these from your website begore but they came out a little “puffy” even though i rolled them thin and the fork holes i punched in them totally filled in. Any ideas? is it the baking soda which makes them “rise” a little?
You are my new favorite person at the moment. There are visions of smores dancing in my head. I can’t believe how simple these ingredients are.
I’ve had 4 children, ages now from 2 to 24. Let me tell you, the feeling never gets “old”- a little foot wriggling around inside of you is an incredible, happy feeling. No more kids for me now, so hearing of your experience is so very sweet!
these would make a great cookie sandwich with your buttermilk icecream
Such cute crackers!!!! Love them.
Little Smitten is going to eat so well :)
Lovely! I can’t wait to try them Your sweet baby will adore these someday. :)
Never would have guessed you could make your own graham crackers. Grab some marshmallows and chocolate and you have a party. Or peanut butter. Or ice cream.
These look so wonderful and would be the perfect snack to have at work!
OK, seriously? I didn’t even know this was possible. I thought my choice was the blue box, or the brown box. You know, with the little elves on them. :)
YUM– this looks fabulous, though. I will definitely give it a try!
Graham crackers are one of those things I never even thought about making myself. Until now. They look delicious…break out the marshmallows and chocolate…oh man, break out the homemade marshmallows, even…that would rock! These look gorgeous :D
i don’t know if anyone has already stated this but could you imagine these crackers with homemade marshmallows and a fudgy ganache? Smores for adults!!
Heavenly!!
You MADE graham crackers?! That’s one of those things I thought always had to be bought, like licorice or cold cereal. My girls go thro’ graham crackers like crazy. I’ll bet they’d love ‘em. Thanks for the recipe!
I’ve been making the recipe for homemade graham crackers from food network for a couple years now. They are the best. I can’t buy the crap at the store anymore. Now it is time to compare the two. This one has fewer ingredients. One thing I do different is using turbindo or sanding sugar on top with the cinnamon- it makes them even prettier.
We have that La Brea cookbook, and haven’t tried all our bookmarked recipes yet because we got a little fixated on the brownies and crotin de chocolat (drool). This was one of the “try soon” recipes, but then our town got a Trader Joe’s and my sister clued me into their graham crackers (no HFCS and they don’t taste like cardboard!). TJ’s grahams are yummy, but the store is a 20 minute drive from here. I’d rather heat up the kitchen than drive that far for groceries, so maybe it’s time to finally try these. I even have a pastry wheel somewhere!
You seem to read my mind at times. I’ve been thinking for days that I wanted to make graham crackers but didn’t put forth the effort to try and make them myself. After making ravioli, this will be my next one!
Thanks!
i never thought about making graham crackers. i might just give it a go
To Molly (#21): There is no problem with eating honey during pregnancy. Infants should not be fed honey, but there is absolutely no reason a pregnant woman can’t eat it. Our adult digestive systems kill any bacteria that would be a problem for the unborn babies. Just thought you’d like to know.
Wow, here I have been eating HoneyMaid all week (comfort food, bad work week) and it just hasn’t hit the spot even with the Dove chocolate I coated a few with. Why is it that things just don’t taste the same as when we were growing up? Since the boys are camping I just found my project for this weekend. Cream cheese frosting in the middle with chocolate on top too much? Grownup smores. I’ll try the cinnamon topped ones first. Nothing wrong with just basic with a cold glass of milk. Thank you Deb. And to repeat from above: Nilla wafers next? Isn’t it great to feel all those changes you are going through?
T H A N K Y O U. T H A N K Y O U.
I lived in the US for almost 5 years and became addicted to these crackers. I couldn’t get my hands on them easily back here in Australia. All the recipes I searched included Graham flour. Not something I can get easily, either.
I miss my occasional s’mores extravagance, and these crackers even just plain. But now I can indulge again!
I’ve tried homemade graham crackers twice, and both times were disappointing. They looked so pretty and tasted OK, but the texture was all wrong. Crumbled into pieces at the slightest touch. Growing up my mom always packed little graham cracker and frosting “sandwiches” in our lunches. By lunch time the grahams were a tiny bit soggy and the whole thing was more like a mini cake. Sooo good.
Can’t wait to give these a go!
Would you be able to freeze part of the dough to use over the course of a few weeks to make smaller batches??
Is there nothing you won’t try? Last night Tina said to me, oh, we have oreos, and i said, no thanks. And she said what?! and I said, sorry, don’t like ‘em. Unless you can get me some of Debs! mmmm-m.
I’m linking your site from my facebook page for all my peeps not in the know. Keep bakin that bun, baby.
I always wondered what was in a graham crackers…..lol
Monica2, Fleishmann’s makes a salt free margarine that should work as a substitute for the butter–much better tasting than shortening.
I have never tried to make homemade crakers, but now, I should try this one :)
yours are so purdy.
D.,
What are the chances? I ran out of store bought graham crackers, and so of course my 3y old wants them. He candidly suggested I make some. I loved the idea, mainly because I would be doing without the added preservatives and other junk from the store boughts, and of course the challenge, but I didn’t have a recipe until today! I am so excited! You’re the best!
Yum, I’m so glad you posted this as I’m planning to make them this week to prepare for a cookout. Homemade graham crackers and marshmallows for s’mores, because I am a glutton for both sugar and punishment. :) Small feet in the ribcage.. I cannot fathom. Hope you’re feeling great.
Awesome. That’s something I never would have thought of to make myself. But you’ve got to be careful with that Googling. It can be dangerous. ;)
I bet this are about a million times better than the store bought kind! I will have to give these a try.
Can I be you when I grow up? No, seriously. We (my husband & I) made the goat cheese and asparagus pasta for dinner tonight & the strawberry shortcake on Wednesday. I can’t wait to make these!! I got married last month and am jumping at any chance to use my new food processor… thank you for making it look so easy :)
yeah! perfect for us expats now leaving across the pond!
Do you think the chilling process is required? I wonder what would happen if you made them drop cookie style right away.
These look great. I’ve yet to see anyone making graham crackers and wouldn’t have thought of it either. I certainly have to give this a try.
Monica, there is a vegan margarine that you can use instead of shortening. It even comes in sticks which work better for baking. My grandson also had a sensitivity to dairy even through the breast milk too. He eventually outgrew it, but is allergic to eggs at 3 years old. I think that the brand that I used was Earth Balance.
I”ll have to try these too (sigh.)
I LOVE this blog! I made these last Fourth of July with homemade marshmallows, and nutella for OVER THE TOP S’more’s! They were a hit!
Kelly and others with chilling questions: If you have any hope of the crackers retaining their shape, the chilling process is essential. Which reminds me, I need to add a note that I actually did it for half the time in the freezer (once rolled out). They can’t be too firmed up before you put them in the oven.
Beautiful crackers! I know they are “too good for a cheesecake crust” but can you please use them for a key lime pie crust? I am dying for you to make the “best key lime pie ever” and post it on this blog!
i always wanted to make graham crackers at home…your post makes it easier to try!
thanks
Gretta — You are of course welcome to grind them up for a crust, but you know, it might seem like a lot of extra work. I have a Key Lime Tart recipe here, would be great with a graham crust.
OMG!! THOSE look amazing! I really will have to try these and make them. I love graham crackers!!! Yum!!! Amazing webpage btw!!!!! I love it!!!!
I’ve been following your blog for quite sometime, the food in fabulous but I must say that I come back for the delivery… your writing is fabulous! These will make perfect little ice cream sandwiches… like deconstructed ice cream smore goodness, thanks for recipe!
Oh my! Thanks for the recipe – I’ve been wanting to make graham crackers @ home for quite some time. I hate giving my kids the chemical loaded ones from the grocery store. :)
{sigh} I miss those little limbs poking me all over – amazing how those little ones can take you over, isn’t it? What’s really fun, though, is seeing them make a movement after they’re born and realizing “THAT’S what you were doing when you were inside me!”
These look AMAZING! I will definitely be making these…and how timely with S’more season approaching! :)
Explain it to an alien? Try explaining them to an Englishman. My poor boyfriend thinks they’re some sort of digestive biscuit with cinnamon. I’ve tried to explain, though, I really have! I’ll have to whip up a batch of these to make him understand.
Graham crackers are one of those gluteny foods I never thought I’d miss. I never liked them much before (always my least favorite snack in kindergarten!), but since going gluten-free, it’s one of those surprising foods that seem to be everywhere all the time. (You know…except for in my mouth…) And now I can’t help but wanting some.
I never wanted to waste time making them because all the recipes looked bad, but yours look so beautiful, and you sound so enthusiastic, I feel like if I ever do make them myself, it will absolutely be with this recipe! Thanks!
Love the post. We just named our 3rd child Graham so I had to say hi! It is a wonderful name by the way…
Hahaha great post Deb! Isn’t it lovely to feel those little feet scrambling your insides? Playing soccer with your organs? Trying to demolish your ribcage? The joys of pregnancy ;)
I’ve never made graham crackers, but I have heard from several reputable sources that they are absolutely memorably when home-made. I might have to try them!
Thanks!
Hi, I found a s’mores brownies recipe (http://thecrepesofwrath.wordpress.com/2009/05/18/smores-brownies/#more-751) lately which uses graham crackers. I have no clue what s’mores are, neither do I know graham crackers (I am from Germany), but the pictures looked great and the recipe sounded yummy. Anyway, I was asking the author for a graham cracker substitution and she gave me some really good hints, but now that I’ve read your recipe I can actually make the graham crackers I need for the s’mores. This is so cool! Thanks a lot for posting it!
You know, I had to set up a whole separate directory in the recipes area on my computer just to save all your wonderful posts. I usually print them off to a pdf file so I can save your amazing pictures along with the recipe and commentary all in one file. Just looking at those mouth-watering pictures is enough to spur me into having a bake-a-thon :-)
Trader Joes sells a smiliar “biscuit” that is awesome with brie.
Thanks for another great recipe, I’ll be trying this one out this week.
This looks delicious! I am so going to make them gluten-free. Thanks for another great recipe.
That’s so cool that you made your own “graham crackers!”
I love your blog, your photos and your recipes! Never would have thought to make a graham cracker- but wouldn’t these be excellent with butter pecan ice cream in the middle?
These look so incredible and perfect!
I love you. Oh my gosh. Do you realise how frustrating it is living over here in NZ and reading lots of American recipes that use ‘graham crackers’ and you don’t know what the HECK they are. It seems rather defeatest to make cookies for the purpose of crushing them to make a cheesecake base or something, but I’m going to try it one day. I suspect they will be yummy on their own though, and I’ll have to fend my father off in order to keep them.
Made these today– wonderful! I think I’ll roll them out thinner next time, since mine puffed up quite a bit and weren’t very crunchy, but the grahaminess, O the grahaminess. Irresistable.
I made these yesterday, along with Ina Garten’s homemade marshmallows, and then covered the bottoms of the graham crackers in a dark chocolate ganache – my roommates were so weirded out by the idea that I’d spend so much time making “gourmet s’mores” but after one each, they saw why! And then wanted seconds.
looks great! i gave birth 4 weeks ago and it’s definitely more fun having her on the outside and when I see those limbs flaring about i wonder how they ever fit in there :)
I can’t believe you have 130 posts! Well, yeah, I can because you have the most amazing blog. I was feeling nostalgic for the graham crackers last winter, and oh yes, they were the pits! (remember your mother saying things were the pits?)
I must try these soon.
Do you ever get batter and flour all over the camera?
We made these (same recipe) on New Year’s Eve for a fondue dinner. With homemade marshmallows provided by our guests, and the chocolate fondue, they made fabulous s’mores!
We’re preparing for camping season and these will make a wonderful addition to our annual smores party….thank you.
I love graham crackers but they don’t have them here in Italy. I can’t wait to try your recipe!
Wondering if you could use this dough to make a summertime gingerbread house for a childrens’ party….say, a beach house decorated with shells and such? Would be fun, and extra-special since the bounty of holiday cookies in December always seems to dim the uniqueness of a gingerbread house. I’m going to try this sometime for the grandkids I hope to have in the future!
You should definitely get Nancy Silverton’s book – it’s really wonderful. Her pumpkin pie recipe is amazing. There is also a really nice recipe for graham crackers in Better Than Storebought – it’s out of print, but really worth tracking down a copy.
These look so unbelieveably good, I want to rush home early and make them tonight (!).
One quick question, Deb – how did you get that shape when you cut them? Is there a cookie cutter knife with that shape on it? Do you use the same knife to cut the edge of pie crusts, pasta, and the like?
Thanks,
made these today & extremely happy with how forgiving they are. I used white whole wheat flour & light brown sugar with a good dollop of molasses added in. they were devoured by kids of all ages!
“Digestive biscuits”?? Um, I don’t even want to know what that could possibly be. Is that what you eat after you’re done with your meal of blood pudding and shepherd’s pie? These crackers, however, now that’s where it’s at….
Shilpa — I use a fluted ravioli/pastry wheel, and a ruler.
I’m so excited to see you made graham crackers! I’ve been contemplating such an attempt since I stopped buying food items with high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils… and found that graham crackers is now off limits. I can’t wait to try these! Thank you, thank you!
I saw this post on friday and immediately ran home to try these out. and I must say, they were fantastic! so easy and a big hit with my 4 year old and a bunch of non-4 year olds too. :) I’m going to try making marshmallows next to pair with these for s’mores!
Fan-tastic photos. Never before have I wanted to try making graham crackers…but now I kinda’ do!
yum! looks great. i actually havethe cookbook but haven’t used for much but coffee cake and rasp. breakfast bars (awesome)
I can relate to the little feet pressing into the ribcage! I was there, not long ago. good luck and enjoy! they’re sweet and precious and seriously cut into your baking time…
these look incredible! Yumm… and I’m not even pregnant ;)
Just made these last night – AWESOME. I even remembered that I had printed out the 101 Cookbooks recipe years ago, but never got around to making them…why??? They are SO scrumptious. I didn’t have dark brown sugar, so I subbed about 2 tbsp of the honey for molasses. Thanks again for reminding me to make this treat!
oh these look amazing! my stomach is suddenly rumbling…i think i’ll be making these soon!
i’ve always wanted to try making homemade grahams… now that you’ve done all of the research and worked it all out, i have no excuse. thank you!
Well I’m gonna try these. Just this morning I was eating one and wondering if I could make it. I’m wheat intolerant which is a big reason I want to make them. Which flour? Does anyone have a suggestion?
I LOVE THIS! We love graham crackers at our house, but they ARE so bland sometimes – and these look delightful! I think I have all but one of these ingredients on hand, too – making for an easy recipe to try with my girls!
Oh I’m so making these! They’re too cute and I bet they taste fantastic too.
thank you thank you thank you…i have been looking for grahams made a bit healthier than the ones in the markets and just had not taken the time to look for any recipes on my own. you did the work for me and i appreciate it. can’t wait to make my chocolate covered grahams, maybe i wil use small cookie cutters for extra fun. thanks again for all the great recipes you share
i saw thr photo of these beautiful graham crackers on slashfood’s blog this morning and i CAN’T STOP reading (and drooling over) your blog. cannot wait to try all the recipies. i look forward to reading about and tasting the upcoming adventures. my tastebuds thank you!
Oh, these crackers look so warm and homey. I can’t wait to make a batch of my own. And then, I will make ice cream sandwiches with them. Homemade vanilla, of course! Thanks for sharing.
this is perfect for a all-out smores. i was thinking about making some marshmallows to go with these too. Everyone will be happy with the chocolate covered grahams also..
so deb, how do you guys digest all that baking? to you hand them out to friends, or do they come over? i don’t think you two eat it all, do you? I recently am in a baking rampage and my pants are not happy… maybe i’ll pass it out on the train to work?
just made a batch of these– they are every bit as delicious as they look in these pictures. and really easy to make, too. thanks for the great recipe!
These look so tasty and way better than anything you could find in the store!
A friend sent me a link to your site, and what wonderful timing! I am allergic/intolerant to wheat, and there seems to be no decent substitute for graham crackers! I feared I’d never eat one again…
I’ll be trying some with Spelt flour, and will report back.
Oh my gosh, thank you so much.
I moved to Australia from Canada five years ago and one of the things I really miss is graham crackers, going to get on these first thing tomorrow!
I have always loved graham crackers. Never tried making them but will soon.
Ok, I went ahead and made these today. I have to say that my stuff NEVER comes out as cute and good looking as yours. But they passed the taste test which is the most important thing. The chilling step is very important, as is the baking on parchment I forgot on the first tray. They came off, but not near as easy as the others.
Love homemade graham crackers. This past Christmas I made dark chocolate covered cinnamon graham crackers to give out to friends. They were a huge hit.
Husband’s been deployed for several months, so I haven’t visited the Smitten Kitchen recently. What a wonderful surprise to come back and find out you’re having a BABY! Congratulations! I love, love, love making homemade baby food. Can’t wait to see what you come up with. :) P.S. “Slaw rage?” Seriously? Love that.
LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog… and i will definitely be trying this recipe… congratulations on all of your success and new bebe arrival…. sincerely, pam
I would have never thought to make these myself. We live in a country that has never heard of Graham Crackers, and we are always bringing them back from the States for pie crusts. Thanks for the wonderful posts!
I was so impressed how amazing there turned out. Like the “real” version I grew up but so much better! We don’t have graham crackers where I live (NZ) and I’ve been longing for them. I used half the recipe to make a graham cracker crust for cheesecake. On their own and with the cake, they were delicious! Thank you for sharing.
Just made these last week and I am SO impressed. They were perfect. I followed the recipe exactly, making smaller crackers just as you did. I rolled a batch thicker and a batch thinner. I liked the thinner, crispier version but those I had taste test also liked the thicker ones. I made a cinnamon/brown sugar cream cheese to smear on top and it was the perfect snack to accompany a cup of coffee.
Hey, these sound wonderful. A wise choice for our health and that of our loved ones, to begin making our own graham crackers since the latest list that is out of foods that have GMO ingredients in them includes our beloved HoneyMaid Graham Crackers. What a sad day in which we live!
Thank-you so much for publishing this post about graham crackers. I am an Aussie who gets your E-zine and just love your recipes. I also subscribe to E-mails from Martha Stewart, Rachel Ray and other good US recipe E-zines and have always meant to find out what exactly graham crackers are as they are included as an ingredient in many recipes. As we do not have them in Australia, I never thought to Google the name but found a good definition on Wikipedia. We do not have anything quite like this in Australia although Arnotts’ Nice biscuits (cookies in US terms) are used for most of the same sort of recipes that graham crackers seem to be used in. As you say, the term cracker is a bit misleading, as crackers to us over here, are things that one would eat with cheese and processed meats like ham and salami or for eating with dips.
Thank-you do much for all of your wonderful posts. I am a big fan of smitten kitchen. Have you any good “tried and true” recipes for using butterscotch chips? Again, this is not an item that is used in Australian cooking but I do want to buy some (from an online US food supply company here in Australia, called http://www.USFoods.com.au from memory) and would appreciate some recipes that I can rely on.
hi! these crackers look DEEELISH. i was just wondering if it was possible to form the dough into logs, refrigerate, then slice them up, like your chocolate wafers.. which by the way are fantastic too, i used them in the crust for a cheesecake. i’m not such a big fan of rolling out dough.
I know this seems awfully goofy, but I made these for my dad and his dog. They absolutely love them! I do have to say though that I will try next time to roll the crackers out between sheets of parchment paper so that I won’t have to transport them from the floured counter to the pan. Oh, and I will also use a fork to make my holes instead of poking them lots with a skewer. :D
Sara — I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Would be great if you could report back if you try it, so others will know. Thanks.
the dough is being chilled right as i type! i’ve divided it in two and rolled half of it into a log and the other, floured and rectangled. will keep you updated (:
hullo again! i baked the cookies and the rolled out ones turned out better. i rolled the dough out between two sheets of parchment paper for minimal mess. they came out lovely and had a nice snap to them. somehow for the ones i cut from a log, i couldnt seem to get the thickness right they were either too thin or too thick. so i think i’ll stick to rolling out the dough the next time round. oh and i love that the recipe has honey in it!
So, has anyone tried these substituting some version of gluten-free flour? I’m dying to try them after all the great comments, but I need a GF version!
I used malt syrup instead of honey, and I can’t imagine it could taste any better. The strange bitter sweet taste of the malt syrup goes so well with the brown sugar it’s hard to describe. Malt syrup is a good, healthy alternative (and vegan/gluten free). The dough’s still chilling – I haven’t baked them yet – but I have high hopes!
Some tips for new cracker bakers that I forgot since I last made crackers; 1. place crackers a small distance apart – if not they will puff up and grow together and will be unevenly done favoring the edges. You can still break them but they won’t look as nice. 2. If they do not seem crispy but are starting to burn, take them out and let them sit on the pan over the vent for the oven. This crisps them up well.
A great recipe all in all! Thanks so much!
How long did these keep for? I would like to make them for 4th of July but we are traveling a long distance. How many days will they still be tasty if I make them and keep them air tight?
Marshmallows are currently firming up in the fridge.
Thanks AS ALWAYS for a spectacular blog!
They should be fine for the 4th; I’d say they keep a week or two (but are better the first week). Make sure your container is truly airtight.
Did I miss the oven temperature in the recipe? I’m making them right now so I guess I’ll just set it at 350 and keep my eye on it.
Hey Deb, the in the last para “firm to the tough”, shouldn’t it be touch? thought i’d bring it to your notice. :)
Yes, thank you — fixed!
Hi Deb-
I made this recipe yesterday and the end result was another SK success for me. Having said that, it didn’t come together completely perfectly for me. Have you ever tried this with a standing mixer? I see from the pics you used a food processor but I used a standing mixer and I would advise against it. Since the butter is frozen it doesn’t get cut into the flour by the paddle attachment in same way I imagine it would from a blade. So when my dough was pulled together and going into the fridge to chill overnight, I saw pretty large chunks of solid butter. Also, this dough required more flour on the rolling surface than, say, your brownie roll out cookies (loved those!), but the baked cookies hold shape and turn out really nicely.
I have more notes on my blog which I’ve linked from my name. I’ll post pics there.
Thanks very much!
I made the graham crackers and the marshmallows and took them camping. They were blown away. Yummy! Now I have been told I can only come camping if I make them again:)
These look wonderful and I plan to make them next week, but I’m wondering if it is possible to use graham flour, which I happen to have on hand. And if I do, should I make any other adjustments? Thank you so much for this and so many other amazing recipes!
These sound great! My kids have conflicting food allergies (what one can eat, the other can’t…), and I have to make virtually everything from scratch. I haven’t found any store-bought graham crackers they can have, and I sometimes feel like they’re deprived by not having any! So glad to find a recipe for homemade graham crackers! I’m going to try them today if the boys cooperate.
I did make these, substituting the graham flour for the whole wheat. I made them with your marshmallow recipe (which is PERFECT!) and they came out great. My only mistake was to not realize how much they would crisp up as they cooled, so I baked them a bit too long and they ended up quite crunchy. But the flavor was wonderful and I will definitely make them again, just taking them out a little early. Thought my experience might be helpful to others too, though it’s probably pretty obvious…
Oh thank you!! This recipe is exactly what I was looking for! I’m going to try them this weekend with some homemade marshmallows and chocolate!
I am doing a table for a charity luncheon and my theme is ‘vintage school’. For a get to know each other snack I plan on milk in bottles with paper straws and homemade graham crackers. So, do I need to make these the morning of the luncheon or would the day before work? I am just not sure how well they keep in perfect condition. Thank you so much.
Amber
I’m making these as I type this…well. Not AS I TYPE THIS…but, the dough is in the fridge now. I’ve never made graham crackers before, so I really had/have no idea what to expect. I’ll admit I was a little worried pouring so much vanilla extract in… But as SOON as I handled the dough and the smell of it wafted up, I knew this was right. I haven’t even baked them yet and I KNOW these will be ‘the ones’. I just feel mildly sad that I intend to use them as a crust for my pumpkin pie… :<
Thank you for sharing this recipe. *skitters off to find a different crust*
Great recipe! However, they definitely need to be cooked for less than 25 minutes… For me, even the 15 minutes was a bit long…
Ok..I’ve never been a fan of graham crackers, ever. Which is why I’ve never cared for s’mores. Chocolate? Abso-friggin-lutely. Marshmallows? meh(always seemed…chalky? to me). BUT, then I found a recipe for homemade marshmallows. THEN I found this recipe. My kids like s’mores, I like cooking, baking. :) So I made both in one night. I’m apparently a glutton for punishment, and live in a kitchen that’s a constant disaster. The crackers are awesome! (marshmallows too, btw) I too wonder why they are called crackers, and not ‘cookies’. My husband–whom doesn’t eat sweets, came in and tried one out of sheer curiosity, and perhaps the glare in my eye that insinuated a horrible night for him if he didn’t–wouldn’t stop stuffing them in his face. But alas, my question is this: If I were to make a graham cracker crust for my inadvertant purchase of some cute pumpkins–that I thought were just small, and turned out to be for pies–how do you recommend I go about doing so? Should I just crush? And do I add the butter and sugar like others say to do for store bought, or no sugar? (I’m worried it would be too sweet). OR should I just make the recipe and instead of cutting, line the pie pan with it? Poke holes and blind bake, or fill and bake? Sorry if this is a bit overwhelming, but I’ve only ever made one pumpkin type pie, and that was actually a pumpkin cheesecake with shortbread crust. My thinking is that I should line the pie pan with the recipe as is, and perhaps partially bake it, then fill and finish. Please advise! Thanks.
You can make a graham cracker crust with these according to any graham cracker crust recipe — same as you would with store-bought. I wouldn’t advise rolling this out and making a crust of it. It wouldn’t work the same.
ok, thank you!!
I finally made these! THANK YOU!!!! As someone who hasn’t been able to eat a graham cracker in over 10 years, YAY! I used spelt flour, using the same proportions of white & whole grain as your suggestion, plus a scant tsp of xanthan gum.
I did have a question, though: I’m learning to bake by using your site, so I’m a little clueless. I kept thinking they were done, pulling them out, and finding that the ones in the middle of the tray were soggy (uneven oven). Put em back in, try again… Suddenly, the cooling rack occurred to me. When I decided they couldn’t possibly need to cook longer, I threw em on. The problem: Not burnt at all, in fact delish, but some cooled to be really really hard. What level of stiffness are we looking for when they’re still hot?
I’ll definitely be making these again, though I think I’ll cut back on the sugar just a tad. BTW the salt–brilliant.
First of all, thanks Deb for sharing this as I’m an American living in Australia and am always frustrated by not being able to buy certain American staples, particularly graham crackers as they are called for by a number of classic recipes (thanks to Bern for posting the website for an online US shopping site, the correct address is http://www.usafoods.com.au but at $10.99 – can you believe that! – for a single box of very ordinary crackers, I am more apt to make my own). Most recently when we went camping and my husband was unable to bring home a box of graham crackers for the s’mores I had planned on introducing to our Australian friends as well as our dear half aussie children, the last time he was in the US for business (he being an Australian didn’t really give it the priority it deserved!). So this year, I’m planning to put together s’mores kits to give for the holidays with home made graham crackers and marshmallows (as written in SK with egg whites – why is everyone afraid of using egg whites these days?) and a bar of gourmet dark chocolate complete with skewers and written instructions of how to assemble them, to our Australian friends and family and to homesick expats like me. As it is summer during the holidays and high BBQ and camping season, I thought it would much more appropriate than giving home made marshmallows and cocoa mix!
Secondly, just wondering if anyone has tried the Graham Cracker recipe from French Laundry found in the epicurious website: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/reviews/Campfire-Smores-15300?pg=2. There seems to be significant variations in terms of amount of butter (far more, almost twice) and sugar (far less, almost half) used for the cracker. Deb, do you find the graham cracker a tad sweet, particularly when used to make s’mores? Could the amount of sugar be decreased without altering texture? Also, would you recommend to increase the amount of butter if substituting 1/2 cup pastry flour? Please advise!
Jung Yoon — I have not tried the French Laundry recipe, but now I must. I would say that these graham crackers are sweet, but not more so than the ones you buy; they have a slight chewy density to them that the originals don’t have. I am not sure if you can decrease the sugar because I have not tried. Do let us know if you do.
I find the comments on that recipe hilarious, btw. People are appalled that the magazine suggests they may be interested in making a version of their favorite junk food at home. Like, many commenters are actually angry. I guess times have changed a bit in the last decade.
These were real nice. Mine aren’t as pretty as featured above, but they’re tasty. I might wrap a few in a lil ribbon and give them to friends.
These and Martha’s homemade vanilla marshmallows were the surprise hit at the office pot luck today. No mere Hershey bar would do, but chocolate ganache with peppermint schnappes was out of control delicious!
I don’t usually comment on these things, but I just made these and they are fantastic! They are “reminicent” of store-bought graham crackers, but they certainly have a much more intense flavor. Thanks!
Thank you! I am so happy you listed this cookie/cracker here. My youngest daughter LOVES Graham Crackers and believe it or not I never even thought of making them, even though I LOVE to bake at the holidays. How goofy of me… I wonder if it’s because it’s called Cracker if that’s why I never thought of baking them. Weird.. anyway, thank you very much I know my daughter will love it. I’ll have to surprise her. :)
These crackers combined with your marshmallows make for perfect homemade s’mores! The flavor is perfectly ‘graham,’ and they have a great snap to them. I did end up cooking them almost the full 25 minutes, btw, and they came out perfectly (though not nearly as pretty as uniform as yours!).
I added a teaspoon of ginger and turned this already amazing recipe into a ginger graham cracker… As Rachel Ray would say YUMMO
Hmm, I expected to love these, as Honey Maids with peanut butter is one of my FAVORITE late night snacks! The dough stayed in the fridge for 2 days, which may have had an effect on the result. I did need quite a lot of flour to roll it out, but every batch seemed to bake strangely. Batch 1 I didn’t pre-freeze (time constraints) and the dough stuck to my Silpat, so rather than scrape them off for freezing, I baked them in place, pre-scored, as one gigundous cookie. The edges ended up crispy and the middles more like semi-soft gingers. Batch 2 and 3 that were frozen for 10 minutes or so kept overbaking, even with fewer than 13 minutes of bake time. I’m eating them now after them being in Tupperware overnight, and they’re just not very good. The soft ones feel stale (batch 1, and they are the best of the bunch) and the crispy ones are way too crunchy for me. The flavor is nice, but I can’t imagine making these again. Did anyone else get these results; did I do something wrong?
I have recently subscribe to your blog and I have to say I love it and use a lot of recipes off your site often. I would like to THANK YOU for posting on “Graham Cracker…” I wanted to do a simple valentine’s day project. Where I take the homemade graham cracker and cut into Hearts… cooled down and dipped into semi sweet chocolate. harden with a vanilla marshmallow center. =)
They are BEAUTIFUL! Thanks so much for all the recipes! I ended up cooking them even shorter (using a convection oven here, and it tends to have that effect). I think the total time was 8 minutes. One thing I would note for others, though, is that you have to wait for them to cool to get crispy. I tried one when warm and was slightly disappointed because it was just soft and chewy. About 5 minutes later, however, they were fantastic.
Hi Deb.
I made this Graham Crackers with a little twist, Merlot Grapeseed Flour from Apres Vin. They turned out phenomenal, Thank You so much! I love you’re blog! Check out mine to see the Grapeseed Grahams!
This is a life saver! I forgot to get graham crackers from the store and I needed it for my dessert. Thank you!
2 Tablespoons of Vanilla Extract?! Is that correct? I like vanilla extract in my cookies and cakes but that seems excessive.
Mike — It is correct but there’s no reason you cannot dial it back if it seems excessive to you.
I made these today — a rainy day in Ohio — with only one modification: agave syrup instead of honey. The dry dough resisted being rolled out and easily tore apart. So, I made some in the traditional cracker form and othes as round cutouts. Nevertheless, I am thrilled with the result — the kosher salt is a fantastic addition! The results are worth the wait!
delightful. ditto the advice about letting them cool to achieve crispiness. Now onto homemade marshmallows- I’m 33% closer to homemade smores!
The dough is now chilling, and boy, does it taste good. I’ll be crushing these crackers to use as the crust for your New York cheesecake — a treat for a family gathering soon. Thanks, Deb.
I just made these for a bonfire and I received so many compliments! Everyone was thoroughly impressed. Thanks for the recipe, we had the best smores ever!
I forgot to mention, we spread nutella on our graham crackers before sandwiching in our marshmallows. I love melted chocolate in my smores and this was a perfect solution.
These are awesome!! I made a batch for a camping trip this weekend, and I think they’ll make the best s’mores ever.
These were wonderful! My daughter went on her first overnight with a friend today, and they are going camping. I made graham crackers and marshmallows for them to take, her friend’s family is providing the chocolate. Mostly homemade s’mores! I think they’ll be amazing.
These are more sturdy and slightly sweeter than boxed grahams. I microwaved one cracker and one marshmallow for 15 seconds and the sweetness balance was just like the s’mores I remember. I do not have any chocolate in the house right now though (what an awful statement that is!), so I am not sure how milk chocolate would affect the balance. I think it will be fine.
Also, I chilled the dough in the freezer and everything rolled out wonderfully. Do flour very liberally, the excess is absorbed right into the cracker as it bakes. On the few that had a little flour dust when they came out of the oven, it brushed right off when they were cool.
These came out awesome! Can’t wait to use them this weekend for s’mores :D
Lowered the temperature and shortened baking time to fit my high altitude needs.
I am patiently waiting for the recipe Dori
My first batch just came out of the oven. These are soooo good! Perfectly sweet and crunchy. I almost over baked mine b/c they were still soft. They crunch up when the cool so if they LOOK done, take them out. I’m in Italy and they don’t know what brown sugar is unfortunately. I used organic demerara cane sugar instead. I was worried about crunchy sugar bits in the crackers but they are cruchy enough that you don’t notice and the flavor is way better than subing white sugar. Thanks! I’ve been wanting to make graham crackers for a while!
Interesting recipe, although for it to truly be called graham cracker it should be made with graham flour, not white flour.
If you were planing on making a “graham cracker” crust from this recipe, why not cut a “cracker the size of your spring form pan and back it in there, then when it cools, just add the filling, no need to crush any crackers, plus you can cut back a bit on the butter and feel less guilty about having a second slice.
on a side note: I’ve never seen graham crackers at the store with any sort of sugar coating, but I live in a small town, so that may be why.
Graham flour is mentioned in the post… However, my goal was to approximate the graham cracker flavor we know and love without sending people on a treasure hunt for an ingredient not sold at most grocery stores.
A few people have suggested just using this dough as a crust, but I’m not sure I agree it is the answer. Crumb crusts have different textures, a finely ground, tender thing going on that you wouldn’t get from a large cookie. That said, I don’t think anyone would complain, either way you made it.
Just wanted to say thank you. I have a batch out of the oven and another in the oven. And that’s just half of the dough! It is yummy. I wound up using just white flour and light brown sugar, because it’s what I had at home. Cut it into 1.5 inch squares, because I’m feeing it to my kids, no need to break cookies, like store bought ones. TAs you stated, the dough is really sticky, had to apply a lot of dustings of sugar. But mainly, thank you to you for all the research that you do. I can’t just buy graham crackers at the store because of the corn syrup, as my son is allergic to it. So this is wonderful. More snack options available to him with homemade goodies.