Homemade Graham Crackers
Homemade Graham Crackers are easier to make at home than you’d think. These classic sweet crackers are super fun to make, especially with kids!
What’s more summer-like than fire roasted S’mores? We’ve recently acquired a fire pit for our backyard and after every BBQ or even just when we’re home grilling and lounging outside, we inevitably end up around it roasting marshmallows for s’mores. So of course that sparked me turning to Dan one night while we snacked on some ooey gooey s’mores, “I wonder how you make graham crackers…” Enter these Homemade Graham Crackers From Scratch!
These crackers are crunchy, sweet, and totally reminiscent of your favorites from a little blue box. They’re perfect to make a graham cracker crust from scratch, to make your favorite s’more, or to just eat as a snack (my kid’s favorite).
Ingredients Needed
Most of the ingredients needed, you’ll likely have in your pantry already. Except for maybe Graham Flour, but otherwise, I bet you already have what you need!
- Graham and All purpose Flour
- Brown Sugar – Light is what we usually have on hand, but dark would totally work, too! The difference in just the amount of molasses in them, so using a dark brown sugar will add a deeper molasses flavor.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder
- Cinnamon
- Kosher Salt
- Unsalted Butter – We use unsalted, but if all you have is salted, no problem, just take a pinch of the salt out.
- Whole Milk
- Molasses
- Vanilla Extract – Have you made your own yet?
Step-by-Step Instructions
As with many crackers, this recipe is pretty easy to make – if you have a food processor (This is the one we love!).
I personally haven’t made these graham crackers from scratch without one, but you certainly could. It would just take a bit more work cutting in the butter and you’d definitely want a pastry cutter. This is our favorite:
Step 1: Add all flours, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cinnamon to the food processor and pulse a few times to combine.
Step 2: Add cubed (cooled) butter and pulse until it’s combined and has a texture like cornmeal.
Step 3: Add milk and molasses and then pulse until a dough forms.
Step 4: Once the dough forms, form into a disc and then chilled for 30 minutes before rolling it out.
Step 5: To roll it out, add some parchment paper on top of the dough and then roll out to prevent sticking.
Step 6: With a wheeled dough cutter or knife, cut dough into 2-inch squares and then use a fork to pierce.
This is the wheeled dough cutter that we love – it’s perfect for not only these homemade graham crackers but also pasta!
Step 7: Bake!
Once done, these adorable Homemade Graham Crackers are ready for a preschool snack or s’more! We even love making little ice cream sandwiches out of these – especially with our No-Churn Caramelized White Chocolate and Chocolate Chip Ice Cream!
Our Other Favorite Crackers
- Ritz Crackers From Scratch
- Copycat Chicken in a Biskit Crackers
- Everything Bagel Rye Crackers
- Saltines From Scratch
- Sourdough Sesame Rye Crackers From Scratch
- Wheat Thins From Scratch
Enjoy! As always, if you make this recipe or any of my others, I love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, email me, or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
If you want to see more, be sure to sign up for my 5 Easy Ways to Start Cooking From Scratch!
Homemade Graham Crackers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups graham flour or whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 60 g
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 78 g
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 1/4-inch cubes and chilled
- 3-4 tablespoons molasses
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to combine. Add the cubed butter and pulse until the mixture has a cornmeal like texture.
- Add the molasses, milk and vanilla extract to the food processor and pulse until the dough forms a ball, approximately 1 minute.
- On plastic wrap, press the ball into a 1/2-inch thick disk, wrap in the plastic wrap, and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Unwrap the chilled dough and place it onto a large piece of parchment paper and top with a second piece of parchment paper. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out until it is 1/8-inch thick. Try your best to roll it into a rectangular shape.
- Transfer the parchment paper with the rolled dough onto a large baking sheet. Gently peel away the top sheet of parchment paper and with a pasty cutter or pizza cutter, cut the dough, cut vertical cuts all the way across the dough every 2 inches and then again horizontal cuts all of the way across the dough every 2 inches, making 2-inch square pieces.
- Using a fork, poke 3 rows of holes in each cracker. Leave the crackers on the parchment paper on the pan and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until the edges just start to darken.
- Remove pan from the oven, set the parchment paper with the crackers on a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely. Once completely cool, you can break them into individual crackers. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
That line about swapping salted butter and just pinching out some salt really stood out to me—such a calm, practical way to keep things simple without stressing over one ingredient.
Where can I find Graham flour?
Many major grocery stores will have it in the flour section with the other specialty flours. Bobs Red Mill makes a great one!
Can I use coconut milk instead of the whole milk?
Hi Starlina, unfortunately I have not tried that yet. It would definitely change the taste quite a bit, and also I’m not sure how it would affect the bake on the crackers.
Can regular flour be used? Or gluten free?
Hi Josephine! Thanks so much for stopping by. You can use regular flour, but I haven’t used it with this recipe yet. Here’s one from the trusted Smitten Kitchen which uses just regular all purpose flour 🙂 http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2009/05/graham-crackers/
I love this! And that the recipe uses brown sugar and molasses. I will have to give it a try!
Thank you! I hope you do- they’re so fun!
Love this!
Thank you, Christine 🙂