Home made graham crackers are something simple to make, but so tasty and flavorful. This recipe, made with fresh milled flour, will have you leaving the boxed graham crackers at the store. Crispy and flavorful, this recipe is simple to make. Whether you are using them for smores at your next bonfire, or to create a buttery graham cracker crust, this is a recipe you need in your baking arsenal.
Graham crackers are one of those understated staples of the kitchen. You can eat them plain for a snack (or with Nutella, yum), use them for s’mores, or crush them up for crust in pies or s’more brownies. I knew I wanted to make homemade graham crackers with fresh milled flour, so this recipe was created.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s so easy to make with simple ingredients
- The fresh milled flour gives these graham crackers a slightly nutty and delicious flavor
- Crispy with that perfect snap
- You can make them whatever size you like
- They work perfectly in any recipe that calls for graham crackers
- The taste is much better than those from a box
Ingredients in Homemade Graham Crackers
- Fresh Milled Soft White Wheat: the main component of graham crackers. Using fresh milled flour give the graham crackers a slightly nutty, wholesome taste. Store bought whole wheat can also work.
- Brown and white sugar: use both for taste, sweetness, and “snappiness.” Try making your own brown sugar. I promise you won’t regret it.
- Honey: both for taste and getting that graham cracker snap
- Milk: to help tenderize the dough and hold it together
- baking soda and baking powder: just a touch for a slight rise
- Cinnamon: for a warm taste
- Vanilla extract: adds some warm flavor. Try making your own if you never have
- Salt: for flavor
- Butter: acts as a binder to hold the dough together, and adds flavor
How to Make Graham Crackers
Making graham crackers is very simple. After mixing the dough together, you let it chill for about 30 minutes. Then you roll out the dough, cut and dock it, and bake. After baking, as the graham crackers cool they will harden up.
Note: Before you start, put your butter in the freezer, as frozen butter works best
Mix the dry ingredients
Mix the flour, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Cut in butter
I find using a box grater the easiest way to do this. Use the grater to grate the frozen butter into the dry ingredients. After you have grated the butter cut it in with forks, a pastry cutter, or your hands. You are looking for a coarse sand texture.
Mix in the honey, vanilla, and milk
Mix in the honey, vanilla, and milk. Once the dough comes together, form two rounds. Wrap them in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350℉ while the dough chills.
Roll and cut the dough
Roll the dough thin, about an 1/8 of an inch. Similar to my sourdough discard cheese crackers, if the dough is too thick, the graham crackers won’t crisp up. You will probably have to use flour to prevent the dough from sticking. It will look a little crumbly at first, but as you roll it will come together.
After you have rolled it out use a knife to cut the graham crackers to the size you want them. Then you need dock the graham crackers. I use a lollipop stick, but you can also use a fork.
Bake your graham crackers
Bake your graham crackers at 350℉ for 18-20 minutes. When you take them out of the oven they will still feel soft. Keep them on the tray for about 5 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Don’t worry as they cool they will harden up.
Break apart and enjoy!
After they have cooled break apart and enjoy! While these taste great alone, they are also perfect for smores, s’more brownie cups, bourbon pumpkin pie crust, and salted caramel s’more brownies.
Tips for Crispy Homemade Graham Crackers
- Roll the dough thin, close to 1/8- inch thick
- Be sure to dock the graham cracker. You can use a lollipop stick or skewer for bigger holes. A fork will also work well.
- Be sure to let them cool completely. They will harden up as they cool.
- Store them in an airtight container. You can place parchment paper between layers to help absorb moisture.
- If graham crackers start to soften, simply bake them at 300℉ for ten minutes to recrisp them.
Ingredients
Method
- Mix the flour, sugars, baking soda, baking pepper, salt, and cinnamon.
- Use a box grater to grate the frozen butter into the dry ingredients. After you have grated the butter cut it in with forks, a pastry cutter, or your hands. You are looking for a course sand texture.
- Mix in the honey, vanilla, and milk. Once the dough comes together, form two rounds. Wrap them in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350℉ while the dough chills.
- Roll the dough thin (between a 1/4 and 1/8 of an inch, closer to an 1/8). If the dough is too thick, the graham crackers won't crisp up. You will probably have to use flour to prevent the dough from sticking. It will look a little crumbly at first, but as you roll it will come together.
- After you have rolled it out use a knife to cut the graham crackers to the size you want them. Then you need dock the graham crackers. I use a lollipop stick, but you can also use a fork.
- Bake your graham crackers at 350 for 18-20 minutes. When you take them out of the oven they will still feel soft. Keep them on the tray for about 5 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Don't worry as they cool they will harden up.
Questions about Homemade Graham Crackers
How do I store homemade graham crackers?
You can store graham crackers at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. After they have completely cooled place them in an airtight container. I like to put a few paper towels in with the graham crackers to help absorb moisture.
You can also freeze graham crackers for up to 3 months. Let the crackers cool completely before placing them in a freezer-safe airtight container.
Why frozen butter?
Frozen butter creates tiny pockets of moisture in your dough. When baked, that moisture turns to steam and creates pockets that help keep the crackers light and crispy, instead of dense.
My graham crackers got soft, what can I do?
Thankfully it is easy to crisp up soft homemade graham crackers. Simply place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. As they cool down, they will crisp back up.
Can I use homemade graham crackers for s’mores?
For sure you can! And dare I say they make the smores taste way better? Pair them with homemade marshmallows for a truly amazing campfire treat.
Will this recipe work with all purpose flour?
It will, but you will have to make some adjustments, either increasing the flour a little, or decreasing the milk. If not using fresh milled flour, I suggest whole wheat flour. It will get you the closest taste to graham crackers.