Homemade Graham Crackers

Learn how to make homemade graham crackers with simple ingredients and easy steps. Crisp, sweet, and infused with warm cinnamon flavor, this recipe tastes just like the store-bought versions you know and love - and might be even better! 

This post is sponsored by Bob's Red Mill. All opinions are our own.

This homemade graham crackers recipe is a staple in our home, especially during the summer when we have fresh homemade marshmallows and the nightly bonfires are just begging for us to make s’mores. It tastes just like the boxed graham crackers you grew up eating but is free from any strange additives, food colorings, or preservatives. 

Plus, it’s pretty easy to make, and the kids love to get involved, too! It even stores well. So, you can prepare a big batch to keep on hand for sweet snacks and desserts throughout the week. 

Our secret to creating a perfectly crisp consistency is in using a combination of Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and baking powder. The combination creates a subtly nutty taste and helps the crackers rise before crisping up. 

The result is a taste and texture loved by kids and adults alike. The only problem is that these crackers never last long! 

If you’re looking for more homemade snacks, try our Homemade Goldfish Crackers, Homemade Cheez-Its, and Copycat Ritz Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches, too. 

Jump to:

• Homemade Graham Cracker Recipe Ingredients
• How to Make this Homemade Graham Cracker Recipe
• Uses for Homemade Graham Crackers
• Storage
• Tips and FAQ
• Be sure to chill the dough!
• More baking recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

Homemade Graham Cracker Recipe Ingredients

• Butter: we use unsalted butter to create a rich flavor and help bind the crumbs together. If you’re vegan or dairy-free vegan butter will work well, too. 
• Sugar: a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar helps sweeten the graham crackers while adding a subtle molasses-like taste and keeping them pliable. 
• Egg: this helps bind everything together. We haven’t tested this recipe with an egg substitute like chia or flax eggs and we don’t think it would work very well in this recipe. 
• Vanilla extract: for a subtle vanilla flavor! 
• Honey: adds sweetness and creates an authentic flavor. 
• Flour: the base of the dough! We use Bob’s Red Mill whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. We keep both on hand at all times for sweet and savory recipes alike. They’re great in everything from homemade graham crackers to pop-tarts, fruit and nut crackers, and cookies.
  • Where to find Bob's Red Mill products: Lucky for you, you can find their hundreds of products in thousands of stores across the country. They have everything from granola, to every flour and baking mix imaginable. They're truly one of our all-time favorite and most beloved brands, and we're honored to bring you this recipe in partnership with them!
• Baking soda: this is crucial to help the crackers rise as they bake, creating the crisp, pliable consistency we want. Again, we like Bob’s Red Mill baking soda best! 
• Cinnamon: adds a warm flavor and enhances the sweetness of the crackers. 
• Salt: a little goes a long way to enhance the flavors of the rest of the ingredients! 

How to Make this Homemade Graham Cracker Recipe

STEP 1: Cream the butter and sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream the butter and both sugars for about 2 minutes or until light and fluffy.

STEP 2: Add the wet ingredients. Add the egg, vanilla, and honey to the butter mixture, and mix until well combined.

STEP 3: Whisk the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, stir both flours, the baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.

STEP 4: Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add the dry mixture to the bowl of wet ingredients, and beat on medium speed until the dough comes together. If you’re using an electric mixer, you may need to knead by hand to make sure all the ingredients are well combined! 

STEP 5: Chill the dough. Flatten the dough roughly into a rectangle, and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Then, transfer it to the fridge for at least one hour or up to overnight. 

STEP 6: Shape the dough. Transfer the chilled dough to a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into a rectangle roughly ¼ inch thick, it should be about 16 x 10 inches. Then, use a pizza wheel, bench scraper, or knife to cut rectangles roughly 2 x 5 inches in size. Transfer the graham crackers to parchment paper-lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each piece. 

STEP 7: Score. Use a paring knife to score each graham cracker lengthwise and widthwise. Lengthwise is technically optional, but it creates an authentic look! Next, use a skewer or the tines of a fork to dock the dough (poke holes) in several places.

STEP 8: Bake. Transfer the graham crackers to an oven heated to 350˚F. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until they’re lightly golden and set. Remove from the oven, let cool for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Uses for Homemade Graham Crackers

Of course, you can snack on homemade graham crackers all on their own. Or, use them in any way you would use store-bought graham crackers. Try them in recipes like our No Bake White Chocolate Cheesecake, S’mores Brownies, S’mores Tart, S’mores Rice Krispie Treats, and Chocolate Peanut Clusters. They can really be used anywhere you would use store-bought graham crackers!

However, our absolute favorite way to use this recipe is to make homemade s’mores with homemade marshmallows, of course! 

HOMEMADE MARSHMALLOWS: We use this recipe, but with a few changes. 1: I use vanilla bean paste for s'mores, as it adds more flavor. 2: I use a 9x9" pan instead of 9x13, as you want these to be a bit thicker. 3: I slice them into squares that are slightly smaller than the graham cracker halves. Just lightly grease a knife before each slice to prevent sticking! 

Toasting homemade marshmallows: Homemade marshmallows can't be toasted over an open flame (like store-bought), so we instead use a culinary torch to quickly brown and caramelize the edges of the marshmallow.

To do so: 

1. Prepare this homemade graham crackers recipe. 
2. Make marshmallows, and slice them into thick squares. To make slicing easy, grease your knife, and wet it between each cut. Or, use a greased cookie cutter instead! 
3. Break the graham crackers in half. Then, layer a chocolate square on one graham cracker half. Place in a warm oven for a few minutes, until the chocolate is melty.
4. Place a marshmallow on top of the other graham cracker half. Toast the marshmallow using a culinary torch.
5. Top with the other graham cracker with melted chocolate and enjoy right away!

Storage

You can store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 1 week. Just be sure to bring the crackers to room temperature before serving.

Freezer storage: You can freeze baked graham crackers for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight, and bring them to room temperature before serving. 

Or, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil, and freeze it for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to bake, thaw the dough in the fridge overnight, bring it to room temperature, and follow the recipe as normal. 

Tips and FAQ

More tips

• If you want to save on time, you can skip scoring and poking holes in the crackers. They won't look like graham crackers, but will taste the same.
• If at any point the dough becomes difficult to work with while rolling it out, slicing, or transferring it to a baking sheet, just pop it into the freezer for a few minutes.
• Make sure your work surface and your rolling pin are well-floured. If you notice the pin "dragging" the dough or if there's excessive stickiness, add flour.
• Make sure you let the butter come to room temperature before creaming it.
• If the dough is too dry, add a small splash of water or milk to hydrate it. If it's too wet, add extra flour as needed.

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