The Easiest and Tastiest Homemade Graham Crackers

My resolution for the new year—and for life—is the same as always: Make and eat more good food. That usually starts with avoiding store-bought snacks filled with ingredients from questionable sources. Homemade snacks may seem like a hassle, but they’re actually much easier to whip up than you think. And they’re a whole lot tastier. Graham crackers are the perfect example. All you have to do is stir the ingredients together by hand, roll the dough, cut it into crackers, and bake. I created this recipe for Better Baking, my cookbook that makes treats even more delicious with the addition of whole grains, fruits, sweet vegetables, nuts, seeds, and good fats. Here, I use all whole grains so you can really get the nutty, toasty taste of whole wheat, both in the nubby graham flour and the pastry flour, which keeps the crackers snappy and light. Kids will go crazy for these crackers . . . and so will everyone else. Not only are they addictively crunchy, they’re also a snack you can feel good about eating.

Cinnamon-Toast Graham Crackers

Makes about 5 1⁄2 dozen Vegan (dairy-free, no eggs), no nuts Thin and crisp with a cinnamon-sugar sprinkle, these are a cross between Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and supermarket graham crackers. I created them when my older daughters were toddlers. They wanted snack time all the time, so I was determined to make as much as possible from scratch. Store-bought graham crackers, a seemingly healthy choice, had a lot of corn syrup and not very much whole-grain graham flour. When I turned to my trusty cookbooks, most versions had loads of butter and very little whole wheat. Even though these are a hundred percent whole grain, they still taste like a treat.

• 1 cup (149 g) Whole Wheat Graham Flour
• 3/4 cup (101 g) Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• 1/4 cup (30 g) ground Flaxseeds
• 3/4 tsp plus 1/4 tsp ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Salt, plus a pinch
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 cup (54 g) packed Light Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup (56 g) Canola Oil
• 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar

Whisk both flours, the ground flax, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk the brown sugar, oil, vinegar, and 3 tablespoons water in a large bowl until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and gently stir just until all traces of flour disappear. The dry ingredients should be evenly moistened; if they’re not, stir in another tablespoon of water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the sheet of parchment paper to a work surface, place the dough on it, and pat into a 7 x 5-inch rectangle. Place a large sheet of plastic wrap over the dough, then roll the dough into a very thin 14 x 12-inch rectangle. As you roll, you’ll need to occasionally lift off and replace the plastic wrap. Mix the granulated sugar, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and the pinch of salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the dough, brushing it with your hand so it completely coats the surface. Use a pizza wheel or sharp knife to trim the edges evenly; leave the scraps on the parchment. Cut the rectangle into 1 x 2-inch rectangles, leaving them on the parchment. You’re cutting the lines where you’ll break the crackers later. If you’d like, you can poke the crackers with a fork to make graham cracker dots. Slide the dough on the parchment onto the cookie sheet. Bake the grahams until the edges are dark golden brown and the center is dry and set, 17-20 minutes. Cool completely on the sheet on a wire rack, then break into crackers along the cut lines. Make Ahead The crackers will keep at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 2 months. *** GENEVIEVE KO is an author (Better Baking, Sep 2016), food writer, recipe developer, and culinary consultant who creates and collaborates on cookbooks, magazine and digital stories, and epicurean corporate branding. In addition to writing and creating her own cooking, wine, and travel pieces, she also works closely with chefs, restaurateurs, and food companies to tell their stories through narratives and recipes. She also has experience styling food and photographing travel and lifestyle shots for various publications. Find more of her work at GenevieveKo.com.