Homemade Graham Crackers

Homemade Graham Crackersadapted from Nancy Silverton’s Pastries from the La Brea Bakery (via 101 Cookbooks and Smitten Kitchen)

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen
1/3 cup mild-flavored honey, such as clover
5 tablespoons milk, full-fat is best
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

Topping (optional)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Make the dough:
Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Pulse or mix on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off on and off, or mix on low, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal. (If you don't have a food processor or electric mixer, you can cut the ingredients together with a pastry blender. Just make sure they're very well incorporated.)

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, milk, and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture and pulse on and off a few times or mix on low until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky. Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap and dust it lightly with flour, then turn the dough out onto it and pat it into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Wrap it, then chill it until firm, about 2 hours or overnight. Meanwhile, prepare the topping, if using, by combining the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and setting aside.

Roll out the crackers: 
Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sprinkle a layer of flour on your workspace and roll the dough into a long rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. The dough will be sticky, so flour as necessary. Cut into squares or use cookie cutters to make shapes.

Place the crackers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets and sprinkle with the topping. Chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes in the fridge or 15 to 20 minutes in the freezer. Repeat with the second batch of dough. Finally, gather any scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and re-roll.

Adjust the oven rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Decorate the crackers:
Poke holes in the cracker to make the tops textured like the store-bought ones. You can even poke a line of holes down the middle to make them "perforated".

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating the sheets halfway through to ensure even baking. I baked the shorter end because I liked them slightly chewy.

Makes 10 4 x 4.5-inch graham crackers or 48 2-inch squares

Nat's Notes:
1. I substituted 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour for the all-purpose. Worked great! You could even swap the whole thing out, and I bet it would be fine.