I’ve wanted to make graham crackers for years. People have asked me if we carry graham flour and through my research I believe it’s just whole grain flour. Now we are looking for ways to use up starter discards so, at -20 degrees today, it seemed like as good a time as any to try making graham crackers. We really like them. They’re a sweet cracker and you have to put away your notion that Nabisco is the standard for these crackers. There are many variables that people can play with to make them the way they prefer. Mine are pretty sweet and have a strong vanilla taste so those are two things you can do to your liking, I think, without affecting the texture and ability to hold together. Would love to hear your comments either here (which I don’t check too often) or on the Sunrise Flour Mill Facebook page (which I do check often).
Sourdough Graham Crackers
Turn oven onto 350F at least 30 minutes prior to baking. Make sure you know how your oven bakes. I have often thought the oven I use most bakes hot. Finally, we hung a thermometer in it and it’s baking about 50 degrees hotter than the set temperature. I now bake almost everything at 300F and watch closely. Even then I often have to bake less time.
Melt 1/4 C butter and 1/4 C coconut oil (this is something to adjust to your taste. You can do 1/2 C of either). Set aside to cool.
Mix with a fork:
1 1/2 C SFM Turkey Red Whole Grain Flour (or SFM Whole Grain Pastry Flour)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon (1 tsp if a stronger cinnamon flavor is desired)
Add and blend with fork:
4 Tbsp honey (could be less. This amount makes them quite sweet)
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 C active sourdough starter
This should come together well. Form into a ball and divide in half.
Flour counter top and rolling pin well. Roll out half at a time to desired thinness. Too thin will make them very crisp but need to be baked less time. A little thicker will get crisp. Even thicker will make a really delicious shortbread-type cracker.
Cut into squares with a small pizza cutter. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets They can be pricked with a fork if desired but it’s not necessary.
Check oven often. They can get overdone easily. They will continue to bake a little once they’re out of the oven so if they seem like they’re getting crisp, take them out and leave on baking sheets until cool enough to finish cooling on a baking rack.
The dough seemed like it would accommodate cookie cutters for another way to finish them. The dough would need to be rolled on the thick rather than thin side.