Graham Cracker Cookies
Published on November 30, 2022
Quick Summary
Graham Cracker Cookies– soft and chewy graham cracker cookies topped with sweet vanilla buttercream frosting! If you like graham crackers and frosting together, the nostalgic treat, you will LOVE these cookies. They are AMAZING!
Did you eat graham crackers with frosting when you were a kid? It’s seriously the best treat. And let’s be honest, I still love graham crackers and frosting, it’s such a nostalgic combo.
Well, I decided to create a cookie based on one of my favorite treats and I think these just might be the BEST cookies I have ever made. Mic drop! I have made A LOT of cookies, I am the ultimate cookie monster, so you know these are GOOD.
These Graham Cracker Cookies with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting are PERFECTION! The cookies are soft, chewy, have a hint of cinnamon, and are covered in sweet vanilla frosting.
I give them a 100/10. They really are off the charts. And I’m not the only one who loves them, my family is crazy about them and every person I have made them for has begged me for the recipe and says they are the best cookies they have ever tasted.
So if you love graham crackers and frosting or just want a REALLY good cookie, you HAVE to make these graham cracker cookies. They are life changing!
And they are really good without the frosting too, if you just want a soft and chewy graham cracker cookie. You can’t go wrong with this cookie recipe!
Table of Contents
Cookie Ingredients
The ingredients are simple and the results are amazing! My favorite kind of cookie recipe!
- Graham crackers– you will need 18 graham cracker sheets to make the cookies. I recommend using original graham crackers or honey. Use a food processor or blender to make fine crumbs, you don’t want big chunks of crackers.
- All-Purpose Flour– to measure the flour, fluff, spoon the flour into the measuring cup, and level off. Never pack your flour!
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder– to give the cookies a lift in the oven.
- Salt– to enhance all of the flavors.
- Cinnamon– a little cinnamon brings out the best flavor in these cookies!
- Butter– I use unsalted butter that is at cool room temperature. Make sure the butter isn’t melty or greasy.
- Sugar– you will need brown sugar and granulated sugar.
- Eggs– always use large eggs when baking.
- Vanilla extract– I use one tablespoon, it’s not a typo:)
Vanilla Buttercream Ingredients
The frosting is simple to whip up and makes the cookies extra special.
- Butter– make sure it is at soft room temperature so it’s easy to beat.
- Confectioner’s sugar– I like to sift the sugar so the frosting is super smooth.
- Vanilla Extract– use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Heavy Cream or Milk– you can use heavy cream or milk.
- Salt– just a pinch to balance out the sweetness!
How to Make Graham Cracker Cookies
- Put the graham crackers in a food processor or blender, and blend until you have graham cracker crumbs. If you don’t have a food processor or blender, you can place the graham crackers in a ziplock bag and using a rolling pin to crush them, just make sure you crush them REALLY well.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the graham crackers, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until creamy and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Don’t over mix.
- Cover the dough and chill for at least one hour. Can chill for up to 48 hours.
- When ready to bake, take the dough out of the fridge and let sit on the counter for about 30 minutes while you preheat the oven.
- Roll the dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons per cookie. Place on baking sheet, 2-inches apart.
- Bake until set around the edges but still soft in the center. Don’t over bake. You want the cookies to be soft. They will set up as they cool on the baking sheet.
- Let the cookies cool completely before frosting.
How to Make the Frosting
- With a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter over medium speed until creamy. Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar while you continue beating. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed, until the sugar is fully incorporated.
- Add the vanilla and beat in the heavy cream or milk 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- Frost the cooled cookies with the vanilla buttercream. Garnish with chopped graham crackers.
How to Store
Frost the cooled cookies and let the surface of the frosting dry, which will take a couple of hours. Transfer the cookies to an airtight container and store in a cool, dry area of your kitchen.
If you are stacking frosted cookies on top of one another, place a piece of wax paper or parchment paper in between the layers to ensure the cookies don’t stick to each other.
How to Freeze
Freezing Baked Cookies: If you want to freeze the cookies, I recommend freezing the cookies BEFORE you frost them. Place the cooled cookies in a freezer container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the cookies thaw and then frost.
Freezing Cookie Dough: You can also freeze the cookie dough. Scoop the dough into balls and place on a baking sheet or tray. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes or until dough balls are solid. Transfer the balls to a freezer container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, place the cookies on a baking sheet and add a couple minutes to the baking time. You don’t have to defrost the balls before baking.
FAQ
You can, but I like to buy graham crackers and make my own crumbs. They taste fresher to me:) If you are going to use pre-made crumbs, you will need about 2 2/3 cups.
If you don’t care for frosting, you can enjoy the cookies plain. They are REALLY good on their own too.
I prefer to freeze unfrosted cookies, let them thaw, and THEN frost them so they are fresh, but you can freeze frosted cookies. Let the frosting “harden” and then place them in a freezer container. If you are layering the cookies, place wax paper or parchment paper in between. Freeze frosted cookies for up to 3 months.
More Cookie Recipes
- Snickerdoodles
- Chewy Molasses Cookies
- Brown Butter Salted Caramel Snickerdoodles
- Oatmeal Cookies
- Ultimate S’mores Cookies
Find more cookie recipes HERE!
Graham Cracker Cookies with Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 18 graham cracker sheets*
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 4-5 Tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
- Crushed graham crackers, for garnish
Instructions
- To make the cookies: Put the graham crackers in a food processor or blender, and blend until you have graham cracker crumbs. You should have about 2 ¾ cups of crumbs.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the graham crackers, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars together until creamy and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Don’t over mix.
- Cover the dough and chill for at least one hour. Can chill for up to 48 hours.
- When ready to bake, take the dough out of the fridge and let sit on the counter for about 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat.
- Roll the dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons per cookie. Place on baking sheet, 2-inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until set around the edges but still soft in the center. Don't over bake! Remove from the oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
- To make the frosting: With a mixer, beat the butter over medium speed until creamy. Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar while you continue beating. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed, until the sugar is fully incorporated.
- Add the vanilla and salt, and beat in the heavy cream or milk 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
- Frost the cooled cookies with the vanilla buttercream. Garnish with chopped graham crackers.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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Hi there! i am excited to try making these cookies! However, just curious if anyone has made their either with using wheat or oat flour… if so let me know how much you used and how they turned out too! Much appreciation. Thank you!
I am sure whole wheat flour would be fine, the texture will just be heartier and a little thicker.
Do you ever portion out the dough into cookies prior to chilling? I sort of hate trying to scoop refrigerated dough! Looks like in one of your photos all the cookies dough balls are close together (so not ready for baking) and I wondered if that’s what you were doing there.
Yes! You can for sure scoop and chill! Just put the dough balls in an airtight container.
Has anyone tried this using gluten free graham crackers and gluten free flour?
I haven’t tried gluten-free ingredients. The texture/flavor might be a little different. Let me know if you try it.
When I was a kid we’d make orange icing for our graham crackers – frozen concentrate OJ & powdered sugar. I’m going to make your cookies but use OJ instead of cream. Thanks for another great-sounding recipe.
Oh fun!!
Why sea salt? Can regular salt be used at the same amount listed in the recipe? Please keep it to simple ingredients that most of us already have. I love old fashioned cookies and desserts and look forward to trying this right away. Thank you.
You can use regular salt. They will be great!
Hi! Can these cookies be stacked, once iced?
Let the frosting dry/set up and then put a layer of parchment paper or wax paper between layers.
Yum! I am totally making these for my work treat swap. I also picked up some WS peppermint bark and will make those cookies. Unless my family finds my stash and eats it all.
Ha! Both are winners!! Have fun!
These sound so perfect! I loved graham crackers and icing as a kid too!
So nostalgic! I hope you love the cookies!
ahhh! childhood! I audibly laughed outloud when I saw this recipe- I thought my family was the only one who made them! Perhaps a midwest thing! –We used to used the leftover (often colored) homemade frosting from cakes, make graham cracker sandwiches out of them, and pop them in the freezer…horrible for you but we loved them. Will be fun to try this new 100/10 childhood riff on frosting crackers! Cheers!
The best treat ever:)
I was cleaning out my pantry yesterday and found that all of our graham crackers were broken in pieces. But I had just seen this recipe, so instead of throwing them away, I made these cookies. The whole family loved them! They’re a new favorite!
YAY! I am so glad you love the cookies! They are a new favorite at our house too.
These look great – but what temperature are you baking– 350 or 375?
350
Love this! Any idea whether this dough would work for holiday cookie cutting?
I don’t think so, it isn’t a roll and cut dough. It will probably be too sticky!
My kids love them! Question- when do you add the pinch of salt in the frosting? The directions does not say.
With the vanilla. Will update, thanks for catching that!
these are amazing!
Yay!
These are soooo good! Brings you right back to childhood with a graham crackers with vanilla frosting. Easy to make and the fresh graham crackers give it such good flavor. Give them a try!
I am thrilled you loved this recipe. They are a new favorite.
Brought these to a party this weekend and everyone wanted the recipe. They are so good! And different!
Yahoo! Love this!
These were delicious! Made exactly. Froze half of batter and cooked remaining. I did make the frosting but didn’t use butter just a bit of milk. Daughter was happy as she is a big graham cracker lover.
YAY!
Great recipe, the cookies were perfectly soft. I ran out of butter so I ended up cutting the frosting recipe in half and still had enough frosting for all of the cookies. Brought the cookies to share at work and they were a hit!
Glad they were a hit.
Mine didn’t turn out anything like the pictures I followed the recipe to a t the batter is super dry the cookies baked like balls. Just not good. Totally bummed
I tried this recipe for a party and had enough for Christmas too! They are the best cookie I have tried in a long time. Seriously moist and light, it does take me back to all those lunches I made for our girls, graham crackers and frosting. You hit this one out of the park! Everyone loved them too, and grabbed a few to take home as well.
I am so glad you love them too! My new favorite!
These are decadent and delicious! My 25-year old son told me he thinks they are his new favorite cookie 🙂 Definitely will make these again!
YAY!
I just came across this recipe for the first time today!
It’s summer now, so I have s’mores on the brain. What do you think of adding chocolate chips to the dough and sticking a marshmallow on top of each one towards the end of the baking time…?
Sounds good to me!
These are the BEST cookies! We loved the frosting and the garnish on top of this chewy yummy cookie. I’ll make these again – lots!
My favorite!
These are a nice old-fashioned tasting cookie and easy to make. The crushed Graham crackers on the top add a homey touch. I made them about half the size stated and baked them the same amount of time as directed. Nice, chewy and delicious with or without the frosting!
Great review! Thanks for sharing!
These are amazing! I have made them multiple times since you published the recipe! They freeze well too! thanks for another great recipe!
They are TOO good..ha!
these were great however I think 1 tablespoon of vanilla in the frosting was way too much. I think 1 teaspoon would be better but that was just my preference! will be making again
as much as I LOVE vanilla, I might agree with you.
These are 5-star cookies. Except two things: 1. They’re HUGE! I want a cookie, not a meal. 2. There’s enough frosting there for three batches. I have to scrape off all the frosting I comfortably can, then it leaves a perfect amount. Each to his own, I guess. I’ll save the rest of the frosting for whatever’s next.
What temp do you bake them at? Would be helpful.
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Full ingredient list and instructions!
I’m in the middle of the recipe – 18 full sheets didn’t get me close to 2 2/3 c so I added about 8 more. Now I fear that the dough will be too dry. Is it supposed to be fairly crumbly as you put it in the fridge?
Hmmm, what brand of graham crackers did you use? Adding 8 more seems like a lot more. The dough shouldn’t be crumbly.
I used “Craven” – and so am wondering what I should add as dough very crumbly…add butter?
Just FYI in case others have this issue – I added another half stick of butter and another egg and they came out beautifully…thanks!
This is the new favorite cookie at our house!! And we’ve made A LOT of your cookies. Soo fun and yummy. Thanks for all the fun recipes! Loving your cookie recipe book ❤️
I am so glad you love the cookies!
OMG! These were an EPIC hit with all my tasters. Thanks for making me feel popular :). Ha!
Ha! My pleasure:)
1 TABLESPOON vanilla for the cookie dough? that sounds excessive! Scared to try it, as vanilla isn’t cheap
I love vanilla! You can use less if you want.
Hello, do you recommend pressing the 2 tbsps of cookie dough a bit on the pan so it can spread while in the oven, or does it spread naturally when in the ball shape? Love this recipie btw! I use cream cheese frosting instead of vanilla to make it “cheesecake cookies” seriously soo good!
They should spread on their own. If you find them to be too puffy, you can press down before baking.