Sylvester Graham's Crackers
This style of biscuity-sweet cracker was invented by the nineteenth-century Presbyterian minister Sylvester Graham. In addition to cracker-inventing, the good minister is notable for inspiring a utopian community where members eschewed all alcohol, white flour, red meat, and spices. Sorry, did we say utopian community? We meant ghastly dystopian hellscape. In any event, his crackers are simply lovely. Naturally, they are nothing short of divine when making s'mores around the campfire, they are equally glorious when spread with Strawberry-Champagne Jam or tart Classic Lemon Curd, and store-bought grahams really can't hold a candle to the crackers one can make at home. But Mr. Graham's acolytes beware: We do include a bit of cinnamon spice in this recipe. And we recommend a beverage pairing of Tree Toddy, Gent's Rosemary Gin Fizz, or, at the minimum, a proper cup of tea. Sylvester would not be amused.
Cooking Methodbaking
CostInexpensive
Total Timeunder 2 hours
Make Ahead RecipeYes
OccasionFamily Get-together
Recipe Coursedessert, snack
Dietary Considerationegg-free, halal, kosher, peanut free, soy free, vegetarian
Equipmentelectric mixer
Mealtea
Taste and Texturecrunchy, spiced, sweet
Type of Dishcookie, dessert
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup mild, light-colored honey, such as clover or wildflower
- 1½ cup graham or whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
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In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugars, and honey until smooth. In a medium bowl, combine the flours, salt, and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl and beat until the dough just comes together.
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Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and pat it into a disk. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
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Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or line them with parchment paper.
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Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll it into a 12-inch square. Use a knife to cut the dough into 2-inch squares. Carefully transfer the squares to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them evenly apart, and prick them all over with a fork. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
2011 Sarah Huck and Jaimee Young
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millerbj 7179572
May 04, 2013
This couldn't be Sylvester Graham's recipe with so much butter and sugar. He was against using animal products(butter) This recipe sounds very contemporary and certainly not "healthy" I believe you are misrepresenting Sylvester Graham
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