G-F Peanut Butter Graham Crackers

Modified to be GF from a recipe on Cookistry Blog on 6-14-13

Peanut Butter Graham Crackers

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xanthum gum
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup peanut butter
3 1/2 cups gluten free flour (I used my GF Healthygrain Flour Mix)
1/2 cup water
Additional flour, for rolling

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar and maple syrup with the paddle attachment until the mixture is light. Scrape down the bowl as needed. 


Add the salt, baking powder, vanilla, and peanut butter then beat well.

Add the flour mixed with xanthun gum in thirds, alternating with the water, beginning with the water.  Hold Back water if it seems too much to form a soft ball. Beat until well combined and it forms a soft ball like typical cookie dough.  I added all the water and had to add 1/4 cup more flour to form the moist ball.    

Remove the dough from the bowl, wrap it in plastic (or put it in a plastic bag) and let it rest in the fridge overnight.  It will firm up nicely.  

When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. I sprayed three cooking pans with cooking spray.  

Divide the dough into 3 pieces--I weighed them to make sure they were equal. On the pan I rolled the cookie dough with a hand rolling pin.  

With a pastry cutter (for a zigzag edge) or a pizza wheel or knife, trim the edges of the dough so that it's straight and square. Cut it lengthwise and crosswise.  There's no need to separate the pieces, you'll break them apart later.

If you want graham crackers that can be easily cracked into smaller pieces, score the pieces, through the center if you like, but don't cut all the way through. Last, use a fork to poke holes in each piece. A decorative pattern is nice, or just poke a few holes. Repeat the rolling and cutting with the other pieces of dough.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the crackers begin to brown just a little. Let them cool on the cookie sheet before breaking.  The crackers will be soft when you take them out of the oven, but they should harden to a crackery crispness as they cool. If they don't harden, you can pop them back into the oven for a few more minutes of baking.

Let them cool and dry out completely before storing them in a container. If they're completely dry and crispy, they'll store well for a long time, just like any cracker.