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Homemade Graham Crackers

Homemade Graham Crackers are popular all year round. And they never last more than a few days in my house. I make them with Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, honey and cinnamon. They are scrumptious on their own but I also like to drizzle chocolate over them or use them to make favorite campfire s’mores.

HOMEMADE GRAHAM CRACKERS

Updated post from 2012.

WHOLE WHEAT PASTRY FLOUR

Bob's Red Mill Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

I make these popular crunchy graham cookies using Whole Wheat Pastry Flour.

What is Whole Wheat Pastry Flour? Whole wheat pastry flour is made from low protein white soft wheat berries. It is also more finely milled than Whole Wheat Flour (made from red hard wheat berries). Whole wheat pastry flour contains less gluten and more carbohydrates than Whole Wheat Flour. Thus resulting in tender, softer cookies, pastries, brownies and cakes. And it’s my choice of flour when making graham crackers, too.

WHOLE GRAIN FLOUR SHELF LIFE AND STORAGE

As you may already know Whole Grain Flours contain wheat germ that contains oil. Over time this healthy oil goes bad. Basically it goes rancid and the smell and taste is unpleasant.

How to tell if flour is rancid?

You can tell when flour is rancid by smelling it. Flour generally has no distinct smell however if flour has turned rancid it has a sour smell. And it tastes a lot more bitter. It is best to toss rancid flour.

Can I make whole grain flour last longer?

To prolong life of Whole Grain Flours it is best to store them in the fridge or a freezer. And flour stored in the freezer can last up to 12 months. Learn more about Whole Grain Baking.

Stacked homemade graham crackers on a tray.

DRY AND WET INGREDIENTS

Dry ingredients in the bowl of food processor and wet ingredients in a small bowl.

Dry Ingredients : in addition to Whole Wheat Pastry Flour I use other dry ingredients such as all purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and let’s not forget Saigon Cinnamon.

Whole grain flours can absorb more liquid than white flours. I like to add these Wet Ingredients : orange juice, honey, milk and Vanilla Extract.

Why Orange Juice?

Orange juice mellows down slightly bitter taste of whole wheat flours. I first read about orange juice and its affects on whole wheat flour in the book King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking years ago.

MAKE THE DOUGH

Coarse graham cracker cookie dough into a bowl.

Combine together dry ingredients then add chilled butter and process it until coarse/cornmeal texture is reached.

Then add all the wet ingredients and process until mixture when pressed between fingers holds together.

Cookie dough wrapped in a food wrap.

Dump the contents into a large bowl and gather the dough into a ball. Flatten it into a disk and wrap in a food wrap.

To hydrate the whole wheat pastry flour properly, refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before using.

ROLL AND CUT THE COOKIES

Roll the graham crackers dough into 1/8 inch and cut out 2.5 x 2.5inch squares.

Cutting cookies with a pastry wheel.

Yes, store bought graham crackers are shaped like squares. And that is what I made today. I used a ruler and divided rolled out dough into 2.5 x 2.5 inch sections. Pastry wheel comes handy for the ease of cutting.

But when you make your own homemade graham crackers there are no shape restrictions. You can cut out homemade graham crackers to any shape you’d like.

PRICK THE COOKIES

Pricking cookie dough with a small decorating comb.

Normally I use a fork to prick the graham cookie dough but then I remembered my small decorating comb I used to make Chocolate Leaves. Look how easy and fast it is to prick the cookie dough with the decorating comb. I love multipurpose tools!

SPRINKLE WITH SUGAR

This step is optional. Just before I put the baking sheets into the oven I used a spray bottle and misted the graham crackers with little bit of water. Then I generously dusted them with granulated sugar.

BAKE GRAHAM CRACKERS

Baked graham crackers on a baking sheets.

Into the oven they went at 350F, for about 12-14 minutes. Bake them until golden brown around the edges. If you make graham crackers thicker you’ll need to bake them a little longer and vice versa.

DECORATE WITH CHOCOLATE

If desired you can drizzle melted chocolate over these honey sweet with a hint of cinnamon homemade graham crackers. Let the chocolate set before layering graham crackers into clear poly bags, or storing them in an airtight container.

TO MAKE HOMEMADE GRAHAM CRACKERS YOU NEED

Homemade Graham Crackers

Homemade Graham Crackers. Use these to make S'mores, enjoy them plain or dipped in chocolate.
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword graham crackers, homemade graham crackers, whole grain baking
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chilling 30 minutes
Servings 30
Author Hani Bacova

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (237grams)
  • 1/3 cup all purpose flour (45grams)
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed (75grams)
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter chilled, cut into cubes (115grams)
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1/4 cup honey (65grams)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl (or use a food processor*)combine Whole wheat pastry flour ( 1cup and 3/4cup), All purpose flour (1/3cup), brown sugar (1/3 cup, packed), baking powder (3/4tsp), baking soda (1/2tsp), cinnamon (1tsand salt (1/2tsp).
    *If using a food processor, pulse to combine.
  • Add chilled butter cut up into cubes (8tbsp/1stick) and work the dough with your hands until it resembles cornmeal, set aside.
    *If using food processor pulse until it resembles cornmeal.
  • In a small bowl combine together milk (2tbsp), orange juice (1tbsp), honey (1/4cup), Vanilla extract (1tsp).
  • Pour all the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir all ingredients together with a wooden spoon then using your hands form the dough into ball, make a disk, wrap it in a plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
    *If using a food processor gradually pour liquid into the dry ingredients, while pulsing, until mixture is thoroughly moisten and when pressed with your fingers it holds together. Don't over mix it.
  • Preheat oven to 350F.
  • Roll the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper or use a Dough EZ Rolling System. Dust the work surface lightly with flour. It's okay to roll it out thinly about 1/8 inch.
  • Either cut out shapes with a cookie cutter or use a ruler and divide rolled dough into even square/ rectangular pieces. Cut straight lines with a pastry wheel.
  • Transfer cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Cookies don’t spread much, it’s okay to space them out closely.
  • Use a fork to poke holes into the cookies. Or if you have a small decorating comb like I have use it instead of the fork.
  • Re-roll scraps.
  • Bake at 350F for 12 -14 minutes, or until golden brown, watch carefully so they don’t burn. Thicker cookies need more baking time, thinned cookie will be done faster.
  • Let the cookies cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 10 days.

Notes

CAN I USE WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR INSTEAD OF WHOLE WHEAT PASTRY FLOUR?
Yes you can, however I prefer to use Whole Wheat Pastry Flour. I find it less bitter than whole wheat flour.
WHY DO YOU USE ORANGE JUICE?
Orange juice helps to cut down on the bitterness of whole wheat flours. 
CAN I USE HOMEMADE GRAHAM CRACKERS TO MAKE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST FOR A PIE?
Sure, follow your favorite recipe for graham cracker crust using baked homemade graham crackers.
CAN I USE THIS RECIPE TO MAKE HOMEMADE S’MORES?
Absolutely. I used to make Heart S’mores.

Graham Crackers stacked with tied with a blue twine.

PIN IT for later

Heart shaped graham crackers drizzled with chocolate.

This recipe was 1st published in 2012, I updated this recipe in 2019 with new step by step photos, written text and a video.

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4 Comments

  1. Recipe looks great!
    Quick question- what brand and size of food processor do you use? Do you have any other food processor recommendations or features to look for in regards to using a good processor for baking?

    Thank you!

    1. Hi Kristina,
      I use kitchen aid food processor. First I had 13 cup for about 10 years before it died. I put it thru a lot. We have a large garden so I used it to process tons of veggies and such but I also used it for baking recipes. Now I have a smaller 9 cup one which I like as it’s more compact and it’s good for baking recipes, but for bigger jobs I miss my bigger one. I also love my chopper. Hope it helps.

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