I love graham crackers, so I’ve been wanting to make these for a long time. Graham crackers are just about the only packaged “cookie” that I buy because they’re the only ones that I don’t totally lose control around. I can eat a couple of graham crackers and be totally satisfied, unlike Oreos where I want to eat about 20 of them at a time. Graham crackers are in that perfect spot between healthy and indulgent and you can do so much with them like make smores or dress them up by slathering on something delicious. These days, I’m very partial to a graham cracker sandwich with nutella on one side and marshmallow cream on the other. So simple, so good!
But laziness has always stopped me from making graham crackers at home. It’s just easier to pick up a box at the grocery store. But when I saw this recipe in my favorite cookbook all my excuses went out the window because you can’t buy these graham crackers in the grocery store. They’re made with whole grain flours so they’re healthier and more flavorful that any store bought version. In the past, I’ve posted several recipes for snacks that are “just like” the store bought version but these are definitely not “just like” any kind of graham cracker you can buy. These graham crackers stand on their own.
If I had to name a cookie that these are similar to, I’d say gingersnaps. It’s weird, because this recipe has no ginger in it at all, but it does have molasses and honey and cinnamon and a few other spices so the taste is similar. I always find the ginger in gingersnaps to be a bit overpowering so these grahams are the perfect alternative for me. They’re not overly sweet either, which I like because it lets the earthiness of the whole grain flours really shine through.
This recipe isn’t difficult to make, it’s like any other rolled cookie dough. The only thing that’s a little finicky is having to cut the dough into rectangles and make all the holes. This is a fun thing to do the first time so everyone will be impressed by how much they look like the store bought version, but it’s really not necessary. In fact, next time I will definitely be using a simple cookie cutter instead of bothering with all that.
The recipe calls for two kinds of whole grain flour: Teff Flour and Graham Flour. I hadn’t heard of teff until I made these, but it’s easy enough to get from Bob’s Red Mill or Whole Foods or some other organic specialty food shops. Teff is key for the crispness of the graham crackers and it also gives them that lovely mahogany color.
If you’re worried about buying flour that you won’t use up, the Bob’s Red Mill website is a great resource because they list related recipes with all of their flours. And of course, I highly recommend that you buy the cookbook this recipe is from, Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce
And because of that, I’ve decided to put my money where my mouth is and do a giveaway! I’ll buy the winner a copy of Good to the Grain, 1 (24 oz.) bag of Teff Flour and 1 (24 oz.) bag of Graham Flour so that you can make your own graham crackers! (Note: If you happen to already own the cookbook, I’ll send a Amazon gift certificate for the same amount.)
Update: the giveaway is now closed. The winner, chosen at random, is G.g. Cesternino Baird:
I love graham crackers with creamy peanut butter. I ate it in the hospital after the birth of my 4th child and have loved it ever since!!
Thanks to everyone who commented!
All you have to do to enter is leave a comment on this post. For instance, I’d love to know your favorite way to eat a graham cracker. By itself? With peanut butter or nutella? I need new snacking ideas! Next Tuesday, September 20th, I will pick a winner at random and announce it on this post as well as on the Back to the Cutting Board Facebook page.
To get extra entries for the giveaway:
“Like” Back to the Cutting Board on Facebook (it counts if you’re already a fan, too).Tweet a link to this post about the giveaway or the recipe in this post.
Just come back here and add a new comment after you’ve “liked” Back to the Cutting Board to get another entry. If you tweet a link to this post, it should appear here as a comment within the hour, but if not, then add a comment with a link to your tweet. Good Luck!
Whole Grain Graham Crackers
adapted from Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce
Cookies | Servings: 16 (5×2.5″) rectangles
Prep time: 45 min | Cook time: 30 min | Total time: 2 hour 15 min
Ingredients
- 1 cup graham flour*
- 1/2 cup teff flour*
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. ground allspice
- 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
- 3/4 stick (3 oz.) butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tbsp. unsulphured molasses
- 1/3 cup milk**
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
*I usually order specialty baking ingredients from King Arthur Flour, but their graham flour is also labeled as whole wheat pastry flour. Since Boyce specifically calls for graham flour AND whole wheat pastry flour in several recipes in her book, I’m going to have assume that King Arthur is wrong and that these flours are not interchangeable. Instead I ordered all of my flours from Bob’s Red Mill since they have a bigger variety of whole grain flours. You may also be able to find these flours if you have a Whole Foods in your town.
**Boyce recommends full fat ingredients in all of her recipes so use whole milk if you have it, but I used 1% and the crackers came out fine.
Process
- In a large bowl, sift together the flours, dark brown sugar, baking soda, salt and the spices. Make sure re-incorporate any of the leftover bits from the sifter.
- In another bowl, whisk together the melted (and slightly cooled) butter, honey, molasses and milk.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients, stir well. Divide the the moist cookie dough and press into two disks; wrap both in plastic. Chill for at least an hour or up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Lightly grease or spray two baking sheets.
-
Remove one disk of cookie dough from the fridge, unwrap it and place on a work surface dusted with flour. Flatten the dough with your hands until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Flip the dough over a few times until both side are dusted with flour, add more flour to the counter. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough until it is 1/8 inch thick. Move the dough around frequently to make sure it’s not sticking. If it is, slide a pastry scraper under the dough and add more flour to the counter or dough.
-
Use a sharp floured knife to cut the dough into 5-by-2 1/2-inch rectangles or use a cookie cutter to cut into whatever shape you like. Transfer to the baking sheet, about an inch apart (they spread out a bit, but not much). To make them look like real graham crackers, slice the rectangles in half length and cross-wise, but do not separate the pieces. Use a fork to press holes into the surface of the cookies.
- Stir the sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle each rectangles with a few pinches of the mixture.
- Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, turning the pans 180 degrees halfway through. They are ready when the edge is a darker shade of brown than the rest of the cookie. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a rack so the grahams become crisp. (If the cookies are not quite crisp enough, next time they either need to bake longer or be rolled out thinner.)
- Repeat steps 5 through 8 with the other half of the dough.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Your graham crackers look even better than the originals! I really need to try these.
A figure-friendly snack that has flavor! What’s not to love about it? 🙂
Thanks for the recipe!
Love s’mores and I’m pretty sure these grams would make the best!
I feel like I could have written your entire first paragraph. Yes, love graham crackers. Yes, I’ve been wanting to make them but I’ve been lazy. Yes, I even eat my grahams with nutella and marshmallow creme. Yours turned out so beautifully. I think it’s time for me to try making some of my own!
I love the cinnamon graham crackers from trader joe’s – sooo much better than the honey maid or keebler ones! I imagine homemade graham crackers would be even more amazing – and yet I’ve never gotten around to making them. Definitely need to work on that… these look so yummy!
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I’d love to win
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mmmm, they look beautiful and yummy =)
I love mine with almond butter and choc chips.
I love them with just plain ole butter. My great-grandfather and I used to sit on his back porch with a jug of milk, a package of crackers and a stick of butter. He would do the buttering for us both. It really brings back fond memories for me. I’ve had some “graham cracker” moments with my own kids now, so the tradition lives on! Thanks for the chance.
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Homemade graham crackers have been on my to-do list, I would love to try this recipe and yours came out beautifully!!
I am CRAZY for smores, I will even make them in the microwave when I get desperate. So that is my main use for graham crackers, although I keep a pack at work in case I need a sweet treat 🙂
graham crackers are meant to be made into s’mores! 🙂
i also love graham crackers though i have never made them myself. your recipe might just be the thing that pushes me to do just that. favorite way to eat them – as if there was a wrong way – is w/ pb. and while i know this sounds werid – sometimes a slice of cheese also. really it is good – you should try it.
I like to eat them with nutella or jam. yummy!
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Ooooh, drooling over these. Especially since you mentioned my Achilles heel: Nutella.
Liked ya on FB, too.
Whole Grain Graham Crackers (A Giveaway!) Recipe – Back to the Cutting Board https://t.co/bDIlUsW via @Emiline220
I got sidetracked for a few hours, but I wanted to let you know I already like you on Facebook.
Ive never had a graham cracker would you believe! The UK needs to get its act together 🙂 These look absolutely brilliant though, i love gingersnaps so im sure would love these too!
I love graham crackers with cinnamon sugar on top. So plain is great! but i bet creamcheese frosting would be amazing!
Just liked ya on facebook 🙂
Graham Crackers with homemade fruit salsa is the best! Mmmm :)These sound delicious!
My favorite graham cracker snack are definitely s’mores. 🙂
I made graham cracker last year and they didn’t turn out very well, I’ll be interested to see how these are!
Is there any substitution for the teff flour? I love graham crackers and would love to try these.
Hi Karen,
This graham cracker recipe is in the teff flour section of the cookbook, so I think the teff is pretty essential. She specifically says that the teff flour is what makes the grahams crisp. I googled but there doesn’t seem to be any other flours that give the same kind of texture that teff does. If you can’t find it in a store near you, it’s easy to order on the internet. That’s what I did. Maybe you’ll win the giveaway and I can send you some!
My favorite way to eat a graham cracker is by dipping it a nice glas of cold skim milk!!! YUM
With marshmallow cream and bananas!!!!!!
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Your grahams are beautiful!! I love trying out new flours, so much fun. My favorite way to eat grahams is with homemade applesauce 🙂
I love graham crackers with creamy peanut butter. I ate it in the hospital after the birth of my 4th child and have loved it ever since!!
Liked on facebook!
I love graham crackers dipped in milk till soggy!
When my sister and I get together we love eating graham crackers with creamy peanut butter and whipped marshmallow frosting on top…sometimes with a drizzling of melted chocolate. Not exactly healthy, but incredibly good!
(p.s – Liked on Facebook! Can’t wait to try the recipe!)
I like graham crackers best (other than as a crust or some other delicious baking use) in S’MORES of course! Gimme some chocolate, roasted marshmallows, and graham crackers and I’m the happiest, messiest person you’ve ever met!
I like Back to the Cutting Board on facebook!
Yummy whole Grain Graham Crackers (A Giveaway!) https://t.co/x8Ctn43p
I would definitely have these with either peanut butter or nutella or a mix of both! Maybe as a side with a little serving of ice cream….posiibilities are endless.
I have another great graham cracker recipe where you avoid the rolling mess by sticking it all in a large ziploc bag and refrigerating. Delicious, though not as healthy as this recipe! I love cashew butter and sliced bananas on them!
With mashed banana, cinnamon and nutmeg
Whole Grain Graham Crackers (A Giveaway!) Recipe – Back to the Cutting Board https://t.co/OvWlkv1S via @Emiline220
I like to eat graham crackers with flavored cream cheese, or cream cheese and (well) there are so many options, fruits, any really, fresj or dried herbs, veggies, jalapenos etc. The graham cracker becomes a pizza/pie crust and the toppings are endless
I’m afraid I love my grahams best in good old fashioned s’mores! I also crush mine up for a base to “magic” seven layer bars. I’d love to try homemade grahams. Might inspire me to try some new ways of snacking on them!
I love eating my graham crackers with frosting!
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Do you think you could make these with a milk alternative and get good results. Do you have any experience with using coconut, almond, rice or oat milk. We have soy and milk allergies here. 🙁 But they sound wonderful!
I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work. I used 1% instead of the whole milk the recipe called for and there weren’t any issues with that, so I doubt using a different kind of milk would effect the recipe majorly, especially since it only calls for 1/3 cup. It would probably make it even more healthy! I don’t have much experience with them, but just going by the name it sounds like oat or almond milk would be a good match for this whole grain recipe.
Hi! I absolutely love this recipe. I’ve made it multiple times now.