Graham Crackers

I made graham crackers yesterday and it was so easy! The recipe called for less sugar than my kids thought should be in it so I have included the regular amounts and an increased sugar amount. One gives you a cracker and the other gives you more of a cookie/cracker. You'll never buy graham crackers again!
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Recipe Variation
3/4 C whole wheat or graham flour-I used whole wheat flour because it was what I had at the house.   
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 C all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 C brown sugar-add 1/3 cup of white sugar for sweeter cracker
1/4 tsp ground ginger-omit
1/2 tsp cinnamon-omit
1/3 C room temperature butter-you can use shortening if you like.  I use butter to avoid the trans fats.
1/3 cup butter 1/2 of which is coconut oil
1/4 C honey and molasses, warmed; it should equal 1/4 C combined, not 1/4 C each.
3 T water
Optional: pinch of ground cloves

1. In a food processor or stand mixer such as a Kitchenaid, combine all dry ingredients.

2.  Add butter and pulse until it becomes a course crumbly mixture. Pinch the mixture and it should clump/stick together in your fingers.

3.  Pour in the water and pulse.

4. Turn on food processor and slowly pour the honey/molasses  mixture into the dough and mix until thoroughly combined. The dough will not be completely combined. 

5. Pour out onto cookie sheet (do not flour cookie sheet) and knead 3 or 4 times just to make sure everything is combined.  The dough pictured is a double batch. 

 **If you don't have a roller like the one pictured below, you can roll the dough out on the counter on top of a silicone baking pad that fits the jelly roll pan you are using.  Simply pick up the pad and place it in the pan and then clean up the edges by pressing them back into the pan.  When it comes time to score the dough, take care so you don't cut through your silicone mat. 

5. Roll the dough onto the cookie sheet, score into the sizes you like and then prick with a fork to prevent rising in the oven. 

6. To roll the dough evenly in the pan. I use the Pampered Chef Baker's Roller (item #1485 at www.pamperedchef.com; $16.50) and it works great.

 

7. Score the dough to look like graham crackers and use a fork to prick each rectangle 3-4 times.
8. Scoring the dough really helps to break it into pieces after it has baked and cooled off.
9. Sprinkle sugar or cinnamon sugar all over the dough if you like before baking.
10. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes for soft. I baked mine for 13-15 minutes for a more crunchy texture.   Remove from oven and let cool completely in pan. Break apart and enjoy!