Homemade Graham Crackers

So here you are with your kids, la di da, out of school. If you're not moving this summer and didn't have a baby this spring, and don't happen to have your kids signed up for every single camp you got a flyer for, then maybe, well maybe, you're looking for some kind of fun, calm, homey activity to do with your kids. There's always the summer reading program from the library. And the good old fashioned (shall we call it vintage) activity of sending your kids outside and forgetting about them even if they are smearing their faces in dirt, sand, and goose poo. There's always the city pool (gaa--I hate swimming with my kids, but I know I'm kind of lonely in this, so whatever.) But sometimes it rains. Or you see no reason to depart from your house or even, possibly, your pajamas. On these days, why not do another old fashioned activity (shall we call it vintage) of creating some kind of cookie-like product and eating it. Indeed. Even better if this cookie-like product is tasty and whole-grainsy, which absolutely justifies it being eaten for lunch (cough). You can make this cookie-like product as easy or hard as you like--you can cut into all kinds of adorable shapes like all those other moms on Pinterest, gosh darn it. Or you can leave it as a jagged rectangle and just sort of cut out smaller, but still crooked rectangles. Either way it tastes good. And either way, you don't have to change out of your PJ's.

Homemade Graham Crackers
adapted from Love to Be in the Kitchen
Makes 7 zillion, which last--oh--one afternoon
Prep time: 15-30 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes
Cost: $1.85
WWflour: .30, flour: .25, brown sugar: .25, butter: .50, honey: .40, other stuff: .15

1 C whole wheat flour (I used actual graham flour because I'm awesome or my husband accidentally bought this slightly more coarse version of whole wheat flour when I asked him to pick some up)
1 1/2 C all purpose flour
1/2 C brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 C butter, chilled and cubed
1/4 C honey
1/4 C water
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor, combine the first 6 ingredients (through baking soda). Whiz. Then add butter and pulse until it's like coarse meal.

Add honey, water and vanilla and mix until it's all combined.

Roll this into a ball and put it between two pieces of parchment paper. Alternatively, you can go the old fashioned route (vintage) and generously flour EVERYTHING and roll your dough out that way. Roll dough out until it's 1/4 inch thick.

Now here you can just roll your dough out into a a rectangle-ish shape if you are going to cut it into squares and make square graham crackers. (I won't judge you.) OR you can take little cookie cutters make your graham crackers into darling little shapes. It's kind of fun if you have the energy for this sort of thing (if you don't, that's okay--just make ragged rectangles). I have done both and they both produce something delicious.

Place them on a cookie sheet (I used silpat, but it didn't seem necessary) and bake for 10-15 minutes.

Cool and serve.

PRINTABLE RECIPE