Chewy Graham Cookies

Chewy Graham Cookies

Given the choice between a chewy cookie and a crisp cracker, I will always go for the cookie.

So, last week I decided to try to improve on a summertime favorite… The graham cracker.  Yeah, everyone loves them in s’mores, but don’t you agree that they could use a bit of improvement? If you ask me, graham crackers really are only good for s’mores (and cheesecake crust, I suppose)… And, occasionally slathered with Nutella as a snack (when I’m desperate), but I digress.

To make a long story short, I decided to take all of the flavors of a graham cracker and transform them into a soft, chewy cookie. I started with my favorite sugar cookie recipe from the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion (on a side note, if you don’t have that book, you should consider getting a copy… I use mine all the time!), and made a few changes until I reached chewy graham cookie perfection. To finish it off, I rolled the cookies in cinnamon sugar before baking, since the cinnamon sugar coating on graham crackers was one of their few redeeming qualities.  Don’t tell me you didn’t lick the cinnamon sugar off of the top of your graham crackers as a kid (or was that just me?).

These cookies are amazing on their own… Or with a glass of cold milk.  Of course, you could swap the cookies for graham crackers for your campfire s’mores on the Fourth of July, too. That would be fabulous! And, if that’s not enough, drop by again on Thursday for another fun recipe that uses these cookies!

Chewy Graham Cookies
(Makes approximately 3 dozen, adapted from the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion)

For the cookie dough:

  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

For the cinnamon sugar coating:

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick liner (or parchment paper), and set aside.

To prepare the cookie dough, cream together the butter, sugar, brown sugar, honey, baking powder, cinnamon, vanilla, baking soda, and salt.  Add the egg and beat until incorporated into the creamed mixture. Stir in the flour.

In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon for the cinnamon sugar coating.

Scoop out rounded tablespoons of the dough, shape them into balls, and roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar coating.  Place each one on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes, until the cookie is just set and slightly golden. Be careful not to overbake!

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Please Note – The links to the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion provided in this post are Amazon affiliate links.

63 comments

  1. I nver thought of making graham cracker. Great job! Love the photos.

  2. you’re freaking me out… I was eating Nutella on graham crackers as a desperation snack just yesterday!

  3. I agree – normal graham crackers are dry and difficult to eat on their own, but I love the flavor. Your cookies are, therefore, perfect and genius. You could use them for s’mores, too.

  4. Eliana says:

    I adore graham crackers but chewy cookies are my idea of fun. They look delicious Jen.

  5. I love, love, love that book, too! And I think this cookie is brilliant! My favorite way to eat a graham cracker is covered in Nutella…I can only imagine how yummy these would be!

  6. oh!oh!oh!
    I know what Imma do with this recipe — gonna make it the base for S’more brownies! Thanks Jen – you rock! (Even if you do only eat Nutella out of desperation…)

  7. Paula says:

    Wow! These look delicious. I was surprised to see the recipe didn’t have any graham crackers in it and that you came up with the graham cracker flavour! I’m so anxious to bake these up.

  8. maria says:

    I am crazy for cookies and I can’t wait to try these!

  9. I really enjoy graham cracker flavored things (I’m obviously obsessed with s’mores) and these sound so good!

  10. These cookies are absolutely fabulous!

  11. There’s a restaurant chain called “Jason’s Deli” and on their salad bar they have a prepackaged graham cracker with their name on it that is thicker than what you would normally find at the grocery store. Now, graham crackers aren’t something I’d normally get excited about, but I always look forward to these at Jason’s Deli.

    I think it sounds like you’ve topped Jason’s Deli graham cracker! I’ve had my eyes out for a great graham cracker recipe and it appears you’ve topped that with these wonderful sounding graham cookies! Thanks!

  12. Amanda says:

    Oh, marvelous! What a fun improvement on the typical sugar cookie (not that there’s anything wrong with a sugar cookie as is). I bet these would make great sandwich cookies—some marshmallow fluff and a dip in chocolate. Divine!

  13. That first picture with a string is especially pretty! These kind of sound like snickerdoodle cookies which I really love :)

  14. Julia says:

    In case, for some reason, you end up w/ a box of grahams, try dipping them in chocolate milk, like a cookie. Just a nother use… or crushed up, like cereal IN chocolate milk. Clearly I have a graham cracker/chocolate milk obsession goin on here. I’d dip these guys in chocolate milk, yes, yes I would!

  15. These cookies sound addicting! I’d definitely make a s’mores with them!

  16. Julie says:

    I *have* to try this! i really am not a fan of smores simply because I don’t care for the crunchy, crumbly cookie. oh, and that is the best cookie book! The chewy oatmeal raisin cookies are just perfect!

  17. Tracy says:

    These sound awesome! I want to make up a batch and bring them camping, and use them to make s’mores. :-)

  18. These are gorgeous cookies! I love s’mores, but am truthfully not a graham cracker fan. But these…these I could make some beautiful s’mores with!

  19. What a great idea! I bet they were fabulous. Is it OK to admit I’m drooling a little? Want one.

  20. Joy says:

    The cookies look so so delish.

  21. These look great, and I particularly like the ingredients. I will be making these at the weekend, I just have a couple of ingredients to buy.

  22. Lora says:

    These are just perfect. I love the idea of a chewy graham cookie. Brilliant! I am definitely making these soon.

  23. This could be trouble. I adore graham cracker crust and JUST last night (no, I am really not kidding) I wondered why we only get that flavor with a pie…why not a cookie? I didn’t say a prayer but seems you’ve answered it anyhow.

  24. sarah says:

    Just pulled these out of the oven…they smell lovely!! Thanks!

  25. This may be the best looking cookies that I have ever seen. I love the flavor of graham crackers and to add a chewy texture with that flavor is simply awesome. Can’t wait to try these.

  26. Thanks for the link, love the dreamy look of the cookies. Yes me too like chewy cookies over the crackers. Lovely recipe.

  27. ruthie says:

    Okay, not wanting to be a downer, but where’s the “graham” in these cookies? There’s no bran, not even any whole wheat flour. They look great, but they’re just cinnamon and sugar cookies, no tooth, nothing with any hint of a crunch.

    Sorry, but I was so excited when I saw this recipe. Now I’m majorly disappointed.

    I do love your blog, but this one’s a miss for me.

    1. ruthie says:

      Really, I should have said that all it would take is maybe a portion of the flour to be whole wheat and mix in some wheat bran, or even just roll the cookies in bran when you put them on the baking sheet. They’d still be soft, but they’d have that nutty graham flavor.

      1. Ruthie – Yes, I think that’s a great idea! I was going for the honey/cinnamon flavor of graham crackers, but if you enjoy that nutty graham flavor, that would certainly work well, too!

  28. These sound great Jen! While I sometimes enjoy a graham cracker they can sometimes resemble cardboard. I don’t think you would have that problem with these delicious cookies!

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  30. Chrissy says:

    i don’t think you would know how much this recipe means to me but GOD BLESS YOU FOR POSTING THIS UP ive been looking everywhere for a soft chewy graham cracker rexipe after eating it at the farm oh my goodness these are the best things ever and these are actually much yummier to make smores with then with the hard regular graham crackers THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  31. Tina Giguere says:

    I have become addicted to key-lime pie ice cream this summer, and intend to try these cookies to make key-lime pie ice cream sandwiches. I’ll let you know of the results.

  32. Jennifer says:

    These are now our favorites! I have been making them for everything…fantastic. Thanks!

  33. Noa E says:

    These cookies are DE-LISH! My neighbor gave me the recipe after I tried the incredible batch she made, and I have made at least 5 batches since!! Everyone who has tried them has agreed that they are ridiculously good. Great, great recipe!

  34. Sarah says:

    I used 1 cup of whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup of wheat germ, and 3 tablespoons of flax seed meal and the rest reg unbleached flour and also maple syrup instead of honey and they came out delicious! I was making these for my son, so I wanted to up the nutrition factor.

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  36. Sarah says:

    Love this recipe! I put chocolate chips in the batter and rolled the cookies in graham cracker crumbs instead of cinnamon sugar. Then I used the cookies to make s’more sandwich cookies by putting a layer of marshmallow fluff between two cookies. Delicious!

  37. Cortni says:

    I am so happy I found this recipe. I plan to make S’more Sandwich Cookies for my boyfriend’s bake sale fundraiser and these Graham Cracker Cookies are just perfect, exactly what I was looking for.

  38. Beverly says:

    My daughter, a budding baker, made these yesterday to bring to some new neighbors. We sure hope they turn out to be nice people because these are THE best cookies she’s ever made.

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