Looking for a great gluten free graham crackers recipe? Danna Korn and Connie Sarros, the authors of Gluten-Free Cooking For Dummies have already contributed a Gluten Free Honey Cinnamon Grahams recipe to this site, but I have had many requests for a more traditional gluten free graham crackers recipe using more traditional gluten free flours. And here it is! I’ve tried to address most of the dietary issues, however, these are not grain-free. I hope you enjoy these crunchy gluten free graham crackers as much as I did. They should be up for a good soak in a glass of milk, which many kids enjoy!
If you prefer to make the dough and use a graham cracker crust without having to make graham crackers first, see my other Graham Cracker Pie Crust Recipe.
Ahhh!...the closest thing you can get to in making gluten free graham crackers is the use of sorghum flour...almost like wheat.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1-1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 cup sorghum flour ((50 g)
- 1/3 cup white (or brown rice flour) (70 g)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (28 g), plus more for rolling
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour (or more cornstarch) (28 g)
- 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter*
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions:
- In a small cup, add warm water and stir in the honey; set aside to cool.
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together sorghum flour, rice flour, tapioca flour, cornstarch, xanthan gum, cinnamon, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture becomes crumbly.
- Add the vanilla to the water and honey. Stir, add to dry ingredients, and combine thoroughly using a silicone/rubber spatula.
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Lightly dust a rolling pin with cornstarch as well as the top of the dough. Form the dough into a patty and roll out onto a sheet of parchment paper about the size of a 17 x 12-inch baking sheet, to about 1/16-inch thick. Lightly dust the dough with additional cornstarch as needed.
- Using a pizza cutter or long knife, slice the dough, both horizontally and vertically, 2-1/2" apart to create squares. Do not separate the squares, as you will do so after baking. Transfer the dough and parchment to a baking sheet.
- Poke holes in each cracker using a long, two-prong fork.
- Bake for 15 - 20 minutes on the center rack of your oven.
- Remove from oven. Using the parchment paper, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Break crackers apart. However, most of them will automatically separate. Use to make graham cracker crust, S’mores, parfaits, and to top creamy desserts or ice cream.
- Break the graham crackers into pieces, add to your food processor, and pulse until crumbs form. Alternatively, add them to a gallon-sized zipper storage bag, seal, and crush the crackers into crumbs using a rolling pin. Transfer to a bowl.
- Add 1/2 cup melted butter, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar.
- Pulse to combine or stir. Press into the bottom of an 8 to 10-inch pie dish and up the sides as far as you can go or in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes at 325°F. Fill with your non-baked or bakeable filling, and follow the instructions in your recipe.
- Combine 2 cups of crumbs with 1/2 cup melted butter. Stir to combine and press into a baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes in a 350 degree F preheated oven for a crunchy crust; or chill in the refrigerator until set.
Tips
I have made these graham crackers with tapioca flour and cornstarch. They both were wonderful.
Are your crackers cool but too soft? Don't hesitate to add them back to the oven for 5 more minutes or so. You may have rolled them thicker than 1/16-inch.
If you stab the dough with a fork prior to baking the indentions will not remain indented but will still be visible. The holes turn out even with the cracker dough. If you prefer indentations, stab them halfway through baking.
* For Dairy-Free: Use half Earth Balance baking sticks plus half Earth Balance spread.
In addition, you may use 90% palm oil and 10% water to replace.
Delightful taste! Easy to make. I don’t think I rolled it thin enough because I don’t have 2 1/2 cups of crumbs.
Is the featured photo of the graham crackers actually the one’s you made? They look like store-boughten ones! My mother-in-law loves graham crackers and I would love to show her a gluten free version. She is 82 and poo-poo’s gluten free, she says, “No one ever heard of this problem when I was younger.” Oh well, can’t teach old ‘cats’ new tricks!!:) Thank you for this. I will give it a try when I purchase some sorghum flour!
Sharon,
I did not make the graham crackers in the photos, but mine look exactly like that. If you read the comments on this recipe post at the bottom of the page, you’ll find a gluten eater who thinks they’re better than gluten graham crackers. If you email through the support page I can send you a photo of the ones I have made. I just have to dig it up.
Carla
Can arrowroot be substituted for tapioca in this recipe?
Patricia,
InfotunTely, arrowroot is too soft to use in crackers.
Carla
I just wanted to say thank you!! I have been searching for years fr a great graham cracker recipe as my kids have food allergies and have never had them. None so far have I been able to use to make s’mores for them and with this I finally can!! Can’t wait! They are delicious and really come close to their gluten counterpart. Also I used millet flour to replace the rice flour, since that was all I had, and they turned out perfectly. Thank you again!!
Email comment,
“Finally a use for all the sorghum flour I have. I am not a huge fan of sorghum flour, but these Graham cracker were amazing!”
~K.M.
Just made your GF graham crackers and they are great! Now for some dairy free chocolate and marshmallows and I am set! Thank you!
Facebook Comment – March 21, 2015,
“I’ve made these before and everyone loved them! No one knew they were gluten free”
~C.T.C.
Facebook Comment – March 9, 2015,
“these really do taste like real graham crackers. The texture is great and taste good too.”
~D.M.
I made these but made them to thick. They were tasty. I will try they again. And roll them thinner next time using the nickle trick. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I have tried much more complicated recipes with more expensive ingredients but they don’t come close to achieving a s’more-worthy graham cracker as your’s. I’m so thrilled!
I tweeked your recipe ever so slightly to match my baking style. I hope you don’t mind my sharing how.
*When recipes call for brown sugar, I exchange it for the same amount of white, granulated sugar and add some molasses. I used about 2 tsp. this time but may exchange some of the water in your recipe for more molasses in the future.
*Rather than cutting in the margarine, I just rubbed it in with my fingers. I’m the laziest of bakers.
*I sprinkled the tops of pre-cooked crackers with cinnamon sugar.
*Lastly, I piled the baked crackers on the cooling rack and placed them back in the still warm but off oven to make them crispier. It worked like a charm.
In seven years of g-free baking, this is the first recipe I have ever commented on. Thank you again for sharing this excellent recipe.
I am following an anti inflammatory elimination food plan and don’t eat corn or potato. Do I use more tapioca or use arrowroot in place of corn or potato starch????
Carol,
I haven’t tried it with arrowroot or tapioca; therefore, it would be an experiment. I find that arrowroot softens bakes good and/or requires longer baking times (at least in bread recipes). I would try tapioca flour despite its chewy texture. Be careful as it may rise higher than corn or potato starch.
Good luck!
Carla
Hi Carol, sorry to interrupt but you can use mung bean starch, or sweet potato starch as well. They are found in Asian food stores or online. ^_^
Rice starch is also an option: http://www.conradricemill.com/details.asp?add=true&ProdID=109&result=1#skus This is a good brand to try. :)
Miss R,
Rice starch is too starchy for this recipe.
Carla
Hi MissR,
I have never used mung bean starch or sweet potato starch before. If you do, please let me know how it turns out.
Carla
Made these today with homemade ghee. They turned out fantastic! So happy to discover this recipe before Christmas. Will be super for Christmas treats and desserts!
Hi Cheryl,
So glad to hear you enjoyed his recipe.
For a graham cracker pie crust, you can take a shortcut and just bake it in a pie dish with extra butter as in this recipe: http://glutenfreerecipebox.com/gluten-free-graham-cracker-pie-crust/.
Carla
This looks v tempting, can i substitute palm oil shortening for butter/buttery spread?
Anjana,
You can give it a try. I haven’t done this myself. I’ve only used unsalted butter. Shortening tends to lessen the flavor of baked goods and makes them flakier and crispier. Perhaps bake them a little shorter than suggested. I would try baking one cracker in the oven before adding them all.
Good luck!
Carla
I love these crackers! We make a double batch and freeze half. They taste great out of the freezer too!
Lisa,
Thanks for the feedback! I know what you mean. A single batch is pretty small. Thanks for the tip about eating straight out of the freezer. I bet their awesome in the summer, or with ice cream!
Carla
Hi Carla, I just tried your recipe for Gluten Free Graham Crackers – and it’s fantastic. I used arrowroot starch because that’s all I had available, and it still turned out great. Can’t wait to try the Honey Graham recipe next.
So glad you enjoyed them, Stephanie!
I was a little worried about switching out corn starch with potato starch, but these actually turned out deliciously! I’m so glad I can finally make cheesecake again with a graham cracker base!
Hi Jim,
I am so happy to hear that they turned out well for you! How I make my gluten free cheesecakes is by using this recipe with a little more butter and use the dough to line the pan. No need to cut them up, crumble and rebake.
Enjoy!
Carla
EXCELLENT!!! I was curious about use as crust…nice tip..
Glad it helped you!
I would like to know if this recipe would work with ghee in place of the butter/buttery spread. My daughter is autistic/epileptic and is on a strict GF/CF/SF diet. Generally ghee or coconut oil are our choice in place of butter products.
Jennifer, I haven’t tried that yet. Perhaps you can and tell us if it works. Good luck and enjoy!
I was delighted at how well these came out! Only substitution was brown rice syrup in place of honey. My kids are going to be thrilled to open the pantry and find these. Thanks so much for this great recipe.
Would it work to use ghee in this recipe? Then it could be both soy and milk free…
Katherine, I’ve never used ghee, but this recipe is already dairy and soy-free. Am I missing something?
Email feedback from Nan:
Carla,
I have always loved graham crackers. However, over the years, they came to taste like the box they were packed in. I decided to try your G.F. I cannot believe how fabulous they are. Not too sweet, nice crunch, delicious, and fabulous dipped in milk. They don’t absorb a lot of milk, therefore, they do not fall apart, but they absorb perfectly on the surface. I baked mine for 20 minutes. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! I am not on a G.F. diet, but when it comes to this graham cracker recipe, I am! 100% sold! The recipe is now mine. I’m stealing it. :-)
I bought my brown sugar and corn starch to make these and told my son. He said, “I don’t think that sounds good, mama.” He’s 4…what does he know! I’m guessing he would like them covered in toasted marshmallows and chocolate!
What’s the best way to store these? Do they freeze well? Thanks!
I think you’re right, Jessica. I used to love soaking them in milk when I was a kid, but I loved mushy things back then. Ooo…smores! These don’t last long in our house, therefore, I’ve never had to store them except on the counter in a ziplock bag. If you freeze them, please let us all know if it works. I’d try freezing just one and see how it turns out the next day. Enjoy!