These homemade gluten-free graham crackers are made with a simple honey-molasses dough that comes together in a food processor. The flavor is warm, lightly spiced with cinnamon, and close to the classic graham crackers you remember. Roll the dough out on parchment paper, cut it into squares, chill, and bake until crisp and golden.
They work for everything you’d use regular graham crackers for. Crush them into crumbs for a gluten-free graham cracker crust, stack them with chocolate and marshmallows for s’mores, or eat them on their own as a snack.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I’ve tested this recipe with both Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour and King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour. Both already contain xanthan gum, so you don’t need to add it separately.
- Unsalted butter – Use cold butter cut into small cubes. The food processor breaks it into pea-sized pieces, which is what gives the dough its texture. Don’t let the butter soften before adding it. For a dairy-free option, use a non-dairy butter like Smart Balance and freeze it before cubing so it stays firm enough to pulse.
- Honey and Molasses – These two together are what make a graham cracker taste like a graham cracker. Honey brings the sweetness and molasses adds that deeper, slightly caramelized flavor. Don’t skip the molasses, as the flavor won’t be the same. If you need to substitute the honey to make this recipe vegan, use agave syrup.
- Whole Milk – Just 3 tablespoons to bring the dough together. Any milk works here, including non-dairy if needed.
How to Get Crispy Graham Crackers Every Time
The thickness of the dough determines whether your graham crackers turn out crispy or soft. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper until it’s about ⅛ inch thick and fills the size of the parchment sheet. If the dough is thicker than ¼ inch, the crackers will stay soft and chewy in the center.
Recipe FAQs
Traditional graham crackers are not gluten-free. They’re made with graham flour, which is a coarse wheat flour. This recipe uses a gluten-free flour blend as a 1-to-1 swap to get the same flavor and texture without the wheat.
Yes, you can make these gluten-free graham crackers also dairy-free. To do so, use a non-dairy butter, like SmartBalance. Non-dairy butters tend to be softer than regular butter, so I like to freeze the butter before using. Use a non-dairy milk, like almond milk.
To make this recipe vegan, follow the dairy-free instructions. Additionally, swap the honey for agave nectar. Also, be sure to check that your sugar is vegan as some sugars are processed with bone char, which makes it not vegan.
Yes. Bake for 14 to 15 minutes instead of the full 17, and roll the dough slightly thicker, closer to ¼ inch. They’ll come out soft and chewy, more like a graham cracker cookie.
Expert Tips
Storage Tips
Room Temperature: Store graham crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Don’t store them in the refrigerator, as they’ll absorb moisture and soften.
Freezer: Graham crackers freeze well for up to 3 months. Flash freeze them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet for about an hour, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour before using.
Serving Suggestions
These graham crackers are a great base for a homemade gluten-free graham cracker crust. Crush them into fine crumbs and use them in a gluten-free key lime pie or a gluten-free cheesecake. For s’mores, use the whole crackers with chocolate and toasted marshmallows, or try them in air fryer s’mores.
Gluten-Free Graham Crackers
Ingredients
- 2 cups (280 g) gluten-free flour blend - Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (in the blue bag), which contains xanthan gum
- ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter - chilled and cubed
- ¼ cup (85 g) honey
- 1 tablespoon (20 g) molasses
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) whole milk
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract
**Use the toggle button above to turn the instruction photos on and off!
Instructions
Make the Dough:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Add 2 cups (280 g) gluten-free flour blend, ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt to a food processor. Pulse until blended.
- Add ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter(chilled and cubed) to the food processor. Pulse 10 to 15 times, until the butter is broken into small pieces no larger than a pea.
- Add ¼ cup (85 g) honey, 1 tablespoon (20 g) molasses, 3 tablespoons (45 g) whole milk, and 1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla extract. Pulse until a smooth dough forms.
Roll and Cut:
- Place the dough onto a piece of parchment paper cut to the size of a half sheet pan (about 11 x 15 inches). Place a second piece of parchment paper on top.
- Roll the dough out into a rectangle the size of the parchment paper, about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. Peel back the top sheet of parchment.
- Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut the dough into 2.5-inch squares. You should get about 24 squares.
- Use a fork to poke rows of holes in each square.
- Slide the parchment paper with the dough onto a baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Bake:
- Bake at 375°F for 15 to 17 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the tops no longer look shiny.
- Place the pan on a cooling rack and immediately re-score the lines by running a sharp knife or pizza cutter through them again. Let the graham crackers cool completely on the pan. They will crisp up as they cool.
Video
Notes
- Flour: This recipe was tested with both Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour and King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour. The gram weight listed (280g) is based on Bob’s Red Mill. King Arthur measures differently by volume, so if you’re using that blend, weigh your flour to 280g rather than relying on the cup measurement. Both blends already contain xanthan gum.
- Crispy vs. soft: For crispy graham crackers, roll the dough to ⅛ inch thick and bake for the full 17 minutes. For softer, chewier crackers, roll closer to ¼ inch thick and bake for 14 to 15 minutes.
- Dairy-free and vegan: Substitute a non-dairy butter (I recommend Smart Balance) and any non-dairy milk. Freeze the non-dairy butter before cubing so it stays firm. For vegan, also swap the honey for agave syrup.
So good.
So glad you enjoyed these!
Hi! Making graham crackers for a child who is medically gluten-free, nut-free, and rice-free!! Cannot find any gluten-free flour blends that lack all three of these allergens.
Can you help, please, via email with info. on such flour blends that may exist and where I can obtain them and/or provide a scratch recipe for graham crackers that doesn’t require any of these 3 allergens? TY. I’d be very appreciative!
The Partake Graham Crackers are gluten-free, nut-free and look like they use no rice in them so I’d try those. They’re available at Target and other stores.