chocolate graham crackers chocolate graham crackersWhenever the skies turn gray I rejoice. These are the days when our family hunkers down by the fireplace to play board games, read piles of books, and, of course, make s’mores. Whenever the kids see so much as a drop of water falling from the sky, they pull out the (poorly hidden) bag of marshmallows, box of graham crackers, and Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread.
On one such rainy day, we were sitting by the fire, gently toasting our marshmallows, when Chloe said, “I wish I had a chocolate graham cracker.” You can’t feel too bad for a four-year-old fantasizing about a chocolate graham cracker while she’s got a mouth full of s’mores, but her idea really got me thinking. The next day I went straight to the kitchen and came up with Chloe’s dream cookie. It’s certainly a graham cracker, but packs a wallop of chocolate in each bite, making them extraordinary delish and the ultimate kid treat. Thanks, Chloe!
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup (1 stick) butter, chilled and cubed
¼ cup honey
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Add the flours, cocoa powder, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda to a food processor and pulse to combine.
3. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
4. Pour in the honey and ¼ cup water and continue to mix until a dough forms.
5. Remove from the food processor and shape the dough into a flat disk.
6. Roll out the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper to ¼ inch thick. Cut into rectangular crackers or use cookie cutters to make shapes.
7. Place the cookies on a Silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
8. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet.
9. Serve plain or with Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread and toasted marshmallows for a chocolaty, hazelnutty s’more.
TO FREEZE: After step 6, place the cutout cookie shapes on a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes. Remove, place in a ziplock bag, label, and freeze for up to 4 months. When ready to bake, follow cooking directions, adding 2 minutes to the baking time.
TIP: This dough is extremely forgiving and can be rolled out over and over again.
See the photograph for this recipe.
SONIA: The Chocolate Graham Crackers are so delicious and chocolaty. They’re even better than store-bought ones, and more fun because we use cookie cutters in all sorts of shapes. My kids really feel like they’re getting a special treat with these, and I feel good about serving them.
JILL: These are a staple in our house! I feel so much better giving my kids treats when I know the ingredients are all things I can pronounce. We love making them together—who doesn’t love stamping out shapes?
RUTH: These are so easy to make, and they freeze well. My whole family loves them!
