Better Graham Crackers

Almost a year ago, I tried altering another graham cracker recipe that just didn't fly for my husband John (I, however, enjoyed them immensely). Since I've been collecting other graham cracker recipes to try and other cookbooks since that first attempt, I decided it's time to try again.

This recipe comes from the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion, a great resource for wonderful cookies. I had to make some big substitutions for the recipe to work with agave nectar, but the outcome was a graham cracker that more closely matched John's idea of what one should taste like.

One note of caution, though. I baked these for the prescribed time, but found that their texture was much more like a cookie than a cracker. A day later, I re-baked a few of them in the toaster oven for about 15 minutes, and achieved an ideal cracker consistency. Ideal for me. Not for John, he liked the "cookier" ones better. C'est la vie!



Better Graham Crackers

Ingredients:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or grease lightly.
2. In a medium bowl sift together the dry ingredients.
3. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the dry mixture until it is evenly crumbly.
4. Slowly add the agave nectar, mixing it in using a fork.
5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and fold it over gently until smooth. [I also used the pie-crust-making technique of using the ball of my hand to mush the butter into the dough further. It really makes a difference in the final product.]
6. Divide the dough in half and on one of the pieces of parchment paper from the baking sheets, roll one piece into a large rectangle, 1/16th in. thick.
7. Use a pizza cutter to cut crackers 2 in. wide x 3 in. long. Don't separate the crackers.
8. Use a dough docker or a straight fork to prick a design into the dough to keep it from puffing up irregularly.
9. Transfer the sheet of parchment paper with the dough to one of the baking sheets.
10. Do the same with the other half of the dough.
11. Bake the crackers for 20-25 minutes, or until they are medium golden brown.
12. Remove them from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
13. Gently break the crackers on the cut lines and gently transfer them to a rack to cool completely.
14. Enjoy!