In a Hurry? Make Graham Cracker Sandwich Cookies

I remember as a child, my mother spreading thick, fudgy frosting between two layers of graham crackers. I fell in love with those graham cracker sandwiches. I'm still in love with them. But my horizon has broadened.



When our kids were young and we headed out on a trip, Merri Ann often grabbed a box of graham crackers and a tub of frosting—no need to make the sandwiches ahead of time. Now Debbie, our daughter, is grown and she does the same thing with her kids though she grabs a tub of cream cheese frosting instead of fudge.



But you don't have to use frosting. A tub of spreadable strawberry cream cheese, the kind you often spread on bagels, makes for fine graham cracker sandwiches. But so does marshmallow cream. And if you like, you can make your own marshmallow cream. In fact, you can make your own graham crackers. We'll give you the recipe for each. More recipes—like chocolate graham crackers and cherry marshmallow cream—are available on our web site.



Cinnamon Graham Crackers



You'll feel good about serving these graham crackers. Not only is there no hydrogenated oil, but they have a high fiber content from the coarse-ground graham flour. These are not as sweet as cookies and much of the sweetness comes from honey. Because crackers are drier than cookies, milk is the perfect complement.



If you would like to serve something sweeter, sandwich two of these crackers with frosting.



1 1/2 cups all purpose flour



1 1/4 cups graham flour



1/2 teaspoons salt



1/2 teaspoons baking soda



1 teaspoons cinnamon



3/4 cup butter



1/3 cup granulated sugar



1/4 cup brown sugar



1/4 cup honey



1 teaspoon vanilla extract



1 large egg



For the sugar and cinnamon topping:



2 tablespoons butter, melted



3 tablespoons granulated sugar



2 teaspoons cinnamon



Directions



1.Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.



2.With the paddle attachment of your electric mixer, beat the cold butter until it is soft. Add the sugars and continue beating. Then add the honey, extract and egg and beat until combined.



3.Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl and beat until fairly firm dough is made. Wrap the dough in plastic and place it in the refrigerator to chill.



4.When the dough is firm enough to roll, lightly dust a countertop and a rolling pin and roll the dough to a scant 1/4-inch thick. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.



5.Use a ruler to mark 3-inch squares. Cut into squares with a sharp knife using the ruler as a straightedge. Use a thin metal spatula to scrape the crackers from the counter. Place them on a well-greased baking sheet with a margin of space to allow for spreading. Use a fork to pierce the crackers as shown.



6.For the topping, mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a bowl. Brush the tops of the crackers with melted butter. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the buttered tops.



7.Bake the crackers for ten minutes or until the edges just start to brown. Remove them to a wire rack to cool.



Baker's note: Graham flour is a whole wheat flour with lots of fiber from the wheat hull left in. You can substitute your favorite whole wheat flour if you prefer. Different wheat flours will lend a little different texture to the crackers.



Homemade Marshmallow Cream



3 large egg whites



1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter



2 tablespoons granulated sugar



1/3 cup water



3/4 cup light corn syrup



2/3 cup granulated sugar



1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract



1.In a very clean glass or metal bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until light and foamy. With the mixer still running, sprinkle in the two tablespoons of sugar. Continue beating until soft peaks form. Set aside.



2.In a small saucepan, mix the water, corn syrup, and granulated sugar together. Cook over medium heat until it boils and comes to the firm ball stage (246 degrees). Do not overcook.



3. Drizzle the hot syrup into the egg whites with the mixer running on low. Turn the mixer to high and beat for five or six minutes or until the sauce is very fluffy and the consistency of marshmallow cream. Beat in the extract.



Note: This cream is of the consistency that it can be piped as you would frosting.





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Dennis Weaver has written numerous books, articles, and recipes including the free 250 page e-book, "How to Bake" with techniques and recipes from the culinary schools. He is the president of The Prepared Pantry, a seller of ingredients, kitchen tools, gourmet food, and baking mixes—including cookie mixes like Caramel Pear and Toasted Pecan and Raspberry White Chocolate.