Did you know you can make homemade graham crackers? That's right! You can make graham crackers from scratch at home! Find out what's in a graham cracker and how they are made, then scroll down to the recipe to make your own graham crackers at home!
I've always been interested in making graham crackers at home and they are actually quite easy to make. You can whip them together just like any other cut-out cookie recipe (like gingerbread and sugar cookies).
What is in graham crackers?
Graham crackers are made with whole wheat flour and wheat germ that many recipes called for. Apparently, graham crackers got their name, not from some dude named Graham who created them, but from the "graham flour" that is used to make them. Graham flour was actually named after a dude named Graham (it figures at some point, there was a Graham involved, somehow!).
What is graham flour?
Graham flour can be replicated with a mix of white flour, whole wheat, and wheat germ. The whole wheat and wheat germ, besides being extra healthy, give the crackers a more granular texture, and definitely add to the "chew" of the cookies. That's a win–win, if you ask me. I'm definitely going to keep a batch on hand at all times, just so that I am ready to make last-minute graham cracker crusts and microwave s'mores whenever I want to. I can't wait to play with them in the kitchen.
How do you make graham crackers?
Graham crackers are made like any cookie cut-out recipe because that's what they are. All you have to do is make a sweet, but not too sweet cookie dough, roll it out, cut out the cookies, chill, and bake!
What to do with graham crackers
Once you've mastered making graham crackers, you can use them as a building block for so many great recipes!
Use them in a graham cracker crust
Graham crackers can be ground into crumbs, then mixed with a little melted butter and sugar to make a very easy graham cracker crust for desserts like:
- tarts, like in this Earl Grey chocolate tart
- bars, like these s'more bars
Use them as a garnish or topping
Crumbled or ground graham crackers make a great garnish for desserts:
- Serve them on top of milk chocolate pots de crème with toasted vanilla marshmallows
- Garnish a lemon mousse with graham cracker crumbs
- Make a crumb topping out of them and then top a cinnamon apple crumb cake with them before baking
Incorporate them into doughs and batters
- Christina Tosi's compost pound cake
- Milk Bar's compost cookies
- These "reversed" Canadian nanaimo bars are made with graham cracker crumbs and coconut incorporated in the crust mixture
Homemade graham crackers
Ingredients
- 205 grams all purpose flour 1 ⅓ cups
- 125 grams whole wheat flour 1 cup
- 43 grams wheat germ
- ½ tsp Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 234 grams unsalted butter room temperature, 1 cup
- 144 grams light brown sugar ¾ cups
- 2 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, wheat germ, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and honey until it is smooth.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients, and continue mixing until the dough comes together. The dough will squeeze together nicely between your fingers when it is ready, though it may still appear slightly crumbly.
- Take half the dough and form it into a rectangle. Roll it on a generously floured surface until it is about ⅛-inch thick. Cut into squares with cookie cutters and place on a parchment- (or Silpat-) lined baking sheet. The cookies do not expand much in the oven, so you can pack them pretty close on each cookie sheet. Continue to roll and cut out cookies with the other half of the dough and the scraps.
- Freeze the cookies for 20 minutes until they are frozen solid, then prick decorative holes through each (I used my metal cake tester for this) and bake for about 10–12 minutes until the edges just begin to turn golden.
- Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely on a cooling rack.
Torviewtoronto says
deliciously done looks wonderful
Lynn @ I'll Have What She's Having says
Did you actually make s'mores? You should do a microwave s'more post if you did! I've also stuck marshmallows on sticks and "roasted" them over a stove burner.
All That's Left Are The Crumbs says
I bet the homemade ones taste much better than those boxed ones. I am going to try these soon.
Erin says
People are making crackers all over the place. Before I started this blog (only 6 weeks ago), I had no idea you could make crackers at home! They look wonderful, and are something I am going to have to try soon!
Jan says
@Lynn @ I'll Have What She's Having
By the time I got done making the graham crackers, I realized I had no marshmallows....
I would totally roast them over a stove burner if I had a gas stove, but over the ceramic cook-top, it might get messy...
The Mom Chef says
I will eat graham crackers by the dozen so I'm sure these will be devoured when I make them. I love the look and know they taste oodles better than anything the stores manufacture.
Megan says
i definitely need to try these!
Spice Sherpa says
I've always wondered how to make graham crackers. I even enjoy the boxed ones but always felt they must be easy! Your post is perfect. And YES on the rain. It's just been raining and raining and raining and raining...
But we have our first forecast of several consecutive days of sunshine. Inspired me to write a BBQ/grilling post. Followed up by what else? S'mores with homemade graham crackers. 🙂
Lindsey @ Gingerbread Bagels says
Your graham crackers look so good. I've always wanted to make my own graham crackers. I'll have to give your recipe a try! 🙂
Joy says
The graham crackers look great.