Homemade Graham Crackers

Never buy Graham Crackers again with this quick and simple Homemade Graham Crackers recipe. Can be enjoyed alone, used for an amazing S’mores, crumbled up to make cheesecakes, or pies.

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Hi friends! How are you all?

As you all are probably aware by now, I live in the UK. Specifically England.

In the UK, there’s no such thing as graham crackers. The closest thing we get is the digestive biscuit. A digestive biscuit is a sweet-meal biscuit (cookie) with wholemeal flour.

I’ve always been curious whether graham crackers are really the same thing as digestive biscuits. Or whether one was in fact better than the other.

One of my daughter’s friends, who left England to live in the US, recently came back for a visit and told me that graham crackers tasted completely different to digestive biscuits.

This peaked my curiosity and I just had to know once and for all. I mean, could I have been missing out on an amazing graham cracker crust for pies and cheesecakes all these years?

Since I couldn’t get my hands on a pack, the best way to go was to make my own using a traditional US recipe.

This recipe is so quick and easy too. I was surprised at how simple graham crackers are to make when I hear digestive biscuits are a pain in the butt to make.

Even if you can buy them where you live, with this homemade version you know exactly just what is going into your graham crackers with no hidden nasty extras, and probably taste even better than the branded counterpart (but I can’t verify on taste having never tried the real thing).

Not only that, but because they’re so simple to make, homemade graham crackers could even save you money.

You can use these homemade graham crackers for an extra tasty homemade s’mores, in any recipes that call for graham crackers (or digestive biscuits, depending on your location).

You can even use these crackers crumbled up to make these fabulous key lime cheesecake bars.

Homemade Graham Crackers

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Yield: 48 crackers

Never buy Graham Crackers again with this quick and simple recipe. Use for an amazing S’mores, or crumbled up to make cheesecakes or pies.

Ingredients:

• 200g / 7oz (scant 1½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 120g / 4oz (¾ cup + 1 tsp) wholemeal flour
• 55g / 2oz (scant 1 cup) wheatgerm
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 225g / 8oz (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 150g / 5½oz (¾ cup) light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp runny honey

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line three large baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, wheatgerm, salt, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, cream the butter, sugar and honey until fluffy. Add the whisked dry ingredients and beat on a lower speed until combined and a dough starts to form – it will be sticky.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, divide into quarters and roll out each piece to roughly 25×16cm (10×6-inch) rectangles, around 3-4mm (⅛-inch) thickness.
5. Using a sharp knife, trim the outermost edges of each rectangle to straighten the edges, and divide each rectangle into three (3). Score each rectangle half-way through being gentle not to cut all the way through the dough.
6. Pop the baking sheets in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.
7. Remove two (2) baking sheets from the freezer and if desired, use the end of a skewer, chopstick or a fork to make a pattern in the dough.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-9 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through for an even colour. The crackers should be golden brown when baked.
9. Remove from the oven and if needed, trim the edges while still warm to neaten the edges.
10. Allow to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Repeat with the remaining sheets of dough.
12. Store cooled crackers in an airtight container.

Notes:

If you’re in the UK, you can buy the wheatgerm in health food shops such as Holland & Barrett.

Graham Crackers or Digestive Biscuits?

And the outcome, by the way, is that graham crackers do taste a lot like digestive biscuits. However, graham crackers are a heck of a lot crumblier (see the sides of the snapped crackers in the photos), and aren’t as crisp as the digestive biscuits. The biscuits have a crisper crumb and snap.

What would you make with your homemade graham crackers?

Recipes using graham crackers from friends:
S’mores Cupcake Jars by Baking a Moment
Peanut Butter S’more Bars by Tastes of Lizzy T’s
S’mores Thumbprint Cookies by The Domestic Rebel