So, we shared how to make marshmallows a while back, and even gave some out for our mishloach manot this past year. We loved them (and don’t even like marshmallows) and knew we would have to make a big batch for when we go camping this summer. Oh, you didn’t know? The Kosher Foodies are going camping. And we’re going to make smores. So, of course we needed to make graham crackers.
This has been on my to do list for quite some time (like many other things, I guess), but now that I have a baby, and babies turn into kids, and kids need snacks, I knew I needed to make them. Richie can’t have store bought graham crackers, oh no. And making our lives easier by buying a box while getting ready to go camping would just be too regular. Also not acceptable. So, I opened up by Good Eats 3 cookbook and got to work.
Oh, and graham flour. It’s really just a kind of whole wheat flour. I searched high and low for it a few years ago and couldn’t find it. But this time around I found it very easily. I bought Bob’s Red Mill brand. But I’m sure you can find others.
Oh, and I wish I had a pizza cutter for this recipe. You cut the crackers before baking, and then when they bake, you break them apart.
You definitely need a scale for this recipe. You should really have a scale in your kitchen, because without one you can’t make macarons, more macarons, or pound cake.
I made these dairy, but it would be easy to use coconut oil and almond milk and make it pareve. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
Graham Crackers, adapted from Alton Brown:
Ingredients:
- 8 3/8 ounces graham flour
- 1 7/8 ounces all purpose flour
- 3 ounces dark brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes and chilled
- 2 1/4 ounces molasses
- 1 1/2 ounces whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Place flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon into your food processor and pulse to combine.
2. Add the butter and pulse until mixture looks like cornmeal.
3. Add the molasses, milk, and vanilla and process for about a minute, just until the dough forms a ball.
4. Press the ball into a 1/2 inch thick disc and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (I actually put it in the fridge overnight, but then had to let warm a bit before I could roll it out).
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. Unwrap the dough and place it on a large piece of parchment paper. Top it with another piece of parchment.
7. Roll the dough out until it’s 1/8 inch thick.
8. Slide it onto a half sheet pan and remove the top sheet of parchment.
9. Cut the dough (here’s where the pizza cutter comes in handy. A knife works, too) into 2-inch square pieces.
10. Poke holes all over the top of the dough using a fork. I did two fork pokes on each square, but you can do whatever design/freeform you want.
11. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 minutes, until the edges just start to darken.
12. Remove from the oven, set the entire sheet pan on a cooling rack and cool completely.
13. Once completely cool, break into individual crackers and eat!
Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Or frozen for even longer (they won’t last long, though).
