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Homemade graham crackers with a touch of sweet honey and cinnamon are the perfect snack and so much better than the store-bought variety.
When I would walk home from school as a child, I had one thing on my mind…my afternoon snack. I would burst through the door, throw my bag down and head straight into the kitchen to invade the snack cabinet.
My choice of snack was often some type of cracker or if I was feeling a little sneaky, a cookie or two. Even though our cracker selection wasn’t particularly exciting, I was always happy with a stack of saltines, handful of triscuits or even better, graham crackers.
I’m a sucker for graham crackers in any form: a buttery crust, stacked with gooey marshmallows and melted chocolate or simply on their own with a cold glass of milk. But once I started making graham crackers from scratch, it was like the skies opened up and the heavens shined down. (You will love them in my s’mores dip too!)
Okay, maybe not as dramatic as all that, but homemade graham crackers are crazy good. (And easy!) They are sweetened with honey, molasses and brown sugar, but not overly so. And the combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flours give the crackers a sturdiness and chew that the store-bought kind is lacking.
Let’s make Homemade Graham Crackers
- Gather your ingredients together.
- Combine softened butter with brown sugar, molasses, and honey.
- Cream together until fluffy.
- Add the flours, salt, and cinnamon.
- Beat until just combined.
- Form into a disc and place between sheets of lightly floured wax paper.
- Roll out to about 1/4 inch thickness.
- Cut into squares using a cookie cutter.
- Place on parchment lined sheet trays, about 1 inch apart.
- Bake until golden brown.
Tips for success
- Lightly spray the measuring cup or spoons with cooking spray before pouring in the honey or molasses. The cooking spray allows it to slide right out easily instead of sticking to the measuring tool.
- Floured wax paper makes for easy rolling. Just be sure to turn and flip it as you roll, adding a little more flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Roll the dough evenly so your crackers will bake evenly.
- A love using a cookie cutter with fluted edges for a pretty edge.
- Store the crackers in a bowl or plate covered with aluminum foil. Plastic wrap or tight plastic lids will make the crackers soft instead of crispy.
Graham cracker crumbles make an excellent topping too. This creamy blueberry fool is even better with a homemade graham cracker crushed over the top. Or how about trading in your usual granola for graham crumbles on your yogurt? It never hurts to mix up the morning routine.
The kid in me still loves a couple of graham crackers for my afternoon snack, but these days I usually pair it with coffee instead of milk. It’s just what I need for a little midday pick-me-up. My boys love them too and now it’s their turn to run through the door when they get home from school and make the mad dash for snacks.
And like their mom, a few graham crackers is just what they’re looking for. And even better when they’re fresh out of the oven instead of the boring old box!
More ways to use Homemade Graham Crackers
- 8 oz unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 Tbsp molasses
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 ¾ cups whole-wheat flour
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 sheet trays with parchment.
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Beat the butter with the sugar, molasses, and honey until light and fluffy, about 2 mins.
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Add the cinnamon, salt, and both flours and mix until just combined.
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Roll out the dough between two pieces of wax paper that have been lightly dusted with flour until ¼ inch thick.
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Using the square cookie cutter, cut out 30 graham crackers (re-rolling the scraps as necessary) and place them on the lined sheet trays.
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Use a fork to prick three decorative lines on each cracker.
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Bake for 20 mins, or just until crackers begin to brown at the edges.
Special Equipment: *2 ½ inch square cookie cutter (with or without fluted edges)
- Lightly spray the measuring cup or spoons with cooking spray before pouring in the honey or molasses. The cooking spray allows it to slide right out easily instead of sticking to the measuring tool.
- Floured wax paper makes for easy rolling. Just be sure to turn and flip it as you roll, adding a little more flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Roll the dough evenly so your crackers will bake evenly.
- A love using a cookie cutter with fluted edges for a pretty edge.
- Store the crackers in a bowl or plate covered with aluminum foil. Plastic wrap or tight plastic lids will make the crackers soft instead of crispy.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in April 2016 but was republished with tips and step-by-step photos in July 2019.
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Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I’m a sucker for graham crackers too Cathy! I wish I could grab one of these beauties right off the screen! I agree, they go perfectly with my coffee!
Cathy says
Thanks Mary Ann! Great for breakfast or snack time!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
OMG, I love graham crackers but I’ve never attempted to make my own! Why is that?! Obviously I need to fix that immediately! These look absolutely perfect, Cathy! I can’t wait to try these!! Pinned! Cheers!
Cathy says
Cheyanne – you must get on that girl! Game-changer!
Amy says
Woah, these look amazing and what lovely photographs! I think these would be great to make as little gifts wrapped up with chocolate and marshmallows 🙂 Can’t wait to try the recipe out.
Cathy says
What a fantastic idea Amy! A great party favor too!
rebecca | DisplacedHousewife says
Perfect timing, I’ve already started dreaming about s’mores this summer!! xo
Cathy says
Make these and get an early start!
annie@ciaochowbambina says
Graham crackers were such a treat…most of the time we’d have saltines with butter or PB&J, but when the graham crackers came out – it felt pret-ty special! I’ve never made them from scratch but I’m now very excited to try! Such pretty pictures!
Cathy says
Thanks so much Annie! I definitely had my share of saltines too. Made graham crackers feel like cookies! And you must give these a whirl. Super easy and so good.
Katie says
From beginning to end, it took me 2 hours to make these but MAN it was worth it! Rolling out the dough was really difficult and I ended up flouring my counter and using my fist to flatten it. That being said, it was well worth it! The whole family loved it!
Cathy says
yikes! I’m sorry it took you so long, but glad you enjoyed the results. I’m wondering if the additional flour used for rolling stiffened your dough? If there are ay tips I can offer please let me know!
Crystal says
Can this recipe be made omitting the cinnamon? I am allergic, and I love graham crackers, but there is only 1 brand that makes them completely without. I would love to make my own.
Cathy says
sure, it’s not necessary to the texture or baking, simply to the flavor. let me know how it goes!
Lynn says
This is a really great recipe. I made a batch for s’mores last weekend and everyone ditched the marshmallows and chocolate and ate the crackers alone. I received rave reviews. Thanks so much!
Cathy says
Lynn!!! This made my day! These crackers have just the right amount of salt to make them seriously addictive. I’m so glad they were a hit.
Denise says
Hi Katie –
Thank you so much for posting your “all-in” time. I always go over the posted time for recipes even when I start the timer after all ingredients are measured and ready to go. I’m not a neophyte in the kitchen so I don’t get it. No matter, this recipe looks fabulous so I’m going to give it a shot in the next couple of days (and time myself).
Can’t wait!
Cathy says
Can’t wait to hear how long they took you to make. I try to post as accurate prep and cooking times as possible for every recipe, but it will differ slightly for everyone based on ability and climate. Hope you enjoy the grahams!
Sarah says
How long will these keep? I would love to make and keep for using in other recipes. And for taking camping all summer without having to bake fresh each time.
Cathy says
They’ll keep for several days, but if you store them in plastic bags or tightly sealed containers they will lose their crispness and soften. Still good, just soft. I usually wrap them lightly in foil to preserve crispness…they still last for several days. Enjoy!
Chelsie Penn says
I would love to make these for my 10 month old boys. Could I substitute the honey with molasses?
Cathy says
You can definitely try. It would impart a stronger flavor and since I’ve never tried it, I can’t guarantee the outcome, but worth a try. Let me know how it goes!