Camp Crackers aka Graham Crackers (vegan, gluten free, nut free, soy free)

Allergen Free Camp Crackers! #vegan #glutenfree #nutfree #soyfree #healthykids #kids Click To Tweet
May is National Allergen Awareness  Month and I am teaming up with So Delicious to bring you some of our favorite allergen friendly on the go and camping snacks! One in every 13 children have a food allergy and while my children do not have any known allergies we have many friends and family who do. Also being diagnosed years ago with Celiac (years later finding out that isn’t the case) I am very conscious and advocate of the importance of food labeling. Making food for others we are very conscious of what is in the food we eat and since a majority of my recipes are vegan and whole food based most are also allergen friendly. When having friends or family over I try to make a menu that includes guests with allergies vs having many foods they have to avoid, especially with children. Having many of the foods on hand that we do it is fairly easy to accommodate those with gluten, dairy, or egg allergies and make a menu that all can enjoy together especially when using a lot of whole foods and produce. I also volunteer a lot at my girls school and in my youngest daughter’s class there are a few allergies and instead of planning treats or parties where those with allergies need to bring their own treats I have brought in my Vitamix to make smoothies or we have put together snacks that all the kids can enjoy and those with allergies can be a part of. The kids really enjoy it and they are healthy! Setting out to create a recipe for an on the go or camping snack that was free of the top 8 allergens dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, I had lots of ideas but when it came down to it I had to go with one of our summertime staples, Graham Crackers! Really nothing screams summer like s’mores, but there are so many more uses for graham crackers than just sticky sweet s’mores. Tweaking my recipe, as we usually make them with almond milk, who knew they would turn out to be even better! We have made them like traditional graham crackers, thin and crispy, or thick more cake like and they are good for so many things they were a staple last summer. I LOVE them a little thicker but really we have to make batches of both because we really like the traditional ones too! When I make them I make multiple batches at a time and freeze them because they are great to make little sandwiches (pb&j, or seed butter or just jam), s’mores, Roasted Banana Campfire S’Mores, Guilt Free Ice Cream Sandwiches, S’more Ice Cream Bars, used pieces in popsicles, shakes, and granola. Not to mention they are great as is just snacking on! Tweaking our Roasted Banana Campfire S’mores to make them without nut butter I coat the graham crackers with chocolate, these can also be made ahead and stored in the freezer. Really there are so many options these are sure to be a staple in your house too once you try them!

Graham Crackers
Makes approximately 46- 2″ square graham crackers, less, about 34-36, if making them thicker and cake like
2c all purpose gluten free flour or buckwheat flour (I prefer 1c gluten free all purpose and 1c buckwheat or all buckwheat flour)
2 TBSP ground flaxseed
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
1/2-2/3 c coconut palm sugar, depending on how sweet you would like them (our family is half and half, some like them with less some with more)
1 TBSP pure vanilla extract
1/4c maple syrup, or molasses
1/4c coconut oil, melted
1/4- 1/3c coconut milk, 1/4 cup if you are wanting crispier crackers, 1/3 for softer cake like graham crackers (used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk)
2 TBSP cinnamon coconut palm sugar, optional (mixture of cinnamon and coconut palm as you would make “traditional” cinnamon sugar)

Variations:To make chocolate coated crackers as shown in the Roasted Banana S’mores, mix 1/2 cup melted coconut oil, 1/2 cup agave or maple syrup, and 1 cup cacao/cocoa powder until smooth and spread on crackers. Place in a refrigerator or freezer to set.

In a large bowl combine dry ingredients. In a smaller bowl combine wet ingredients, then mix in with the dry ingredients. Form dough into a ball with your hands. Place dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, or until you are ready to make them but no longer than a day. Preheat oven to 350F for cake like graham crackers, or 325 for graham crackers shown that are thinner like traditional graham crackers. Remove dough from the refrigerator and place half of the dough on a piece of parchment paper, then place another sheet of wax paper on top and use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into 1/8″ thick for traditional crackers or thicker, about 3/16″ thick cake-like crackers. Remove top sheet of parchment paper and cut into squares. I use the edge of the parchment paper that I removed as a guide and cut with a pizza cutter. Or I like to use a fondant mat, with gridlines, and sprinkle with a little flour and roll with a fondant roller. Poke crackers with a fork in an X shape, or 4 sets in 2 lines like a traditional graham cracker, and place the whole sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with optional cinnamon coconut palm sugar. Bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes for cake like and 325F for 20-22 minutes, checking at shortest time and letting cook longer depending on whether you like your graham crackers super-soft or crispy. Let cool for 5- 10 minutes on a cooling rack.  Place crackers on a cutting board and using a sharp knife cut along lines that were cut into the crackers with the pizza cutter. Store cooled crackers in an airtight container. Enjoy!