Graham Cracker Cookies Easy Recipe

Soft, buttery, and kissed with cinnamon, these graham cracker cookies wrap up the cozy vibes of graham crackers, buttery brown sugar, and a swoop of marshmallow frosting. Made with flour, sugar, and of course plenty of graham cracker crumbs, they smell like your childhood kitchen—if your childhood involved a snacky obsession with s’mores, cookie dough, or both.

Let’s get you in a graham cracker headspace.

These graham cracker cookies strike a goofy little balance between a chewy cookie and a soft graham crumb. The texture? Crumbly but gooey, especially if you slather on that marshmallow fluff frosting. (You don’t have to, but I personally didn’t come all this way for restraint.) There’s cinnamon warmth if you want it, a familiar crunch from the cracker dust coating, and a sort of soft golden edge that almost looks too pretty to eat. Almost. They belong at bake sales, afternoon pick-me-ups, or midnight baking sprees where you just need to mix something with butter.

Don’t let this one slip away — pin it now and thank yourself later!

Why You’ll Love this Graham Cracker Cookies Recipe

Okay, full honesty? I didn’t invent the cookie. But I do think we need more ways to let graham crackers live their full dessert potential, and this recipe definitely lets them shine.

Buttery meets toasty: The graham cracker crumbs toast up inside and outside the dough, giving you a warm, nutty flavor in every bite.
Crispy edges with chewy middles: They bake with this magical tenderness in the center, even when they look a little underdone (trust the process!).
Marshmallow frosting is wildly optional… or wildly required: You could skip it, but would you skip joy? It’s creamy, sweet, and feels like a swirly little campfire wink.
Customizable spice: The cinnamon is optional. Want nutmeg? Do it. Want none? Still fine! This cookie doesn’t judge.
No stand mixer fuss: A bowl, a spoon, and maybe a stubborn wrist and you’re halfway there.
They freeze beautifully: You’ll thank yourself later when you find a stash of these in a baggie behind the frozen peas.

Ingredient Notes

We’re keeping things classic, but here’s how everything plays its part in these crumbly-chewy dream cookies.

All-purpose flour: It provides just enough structure to keep the cookies from crumbling into graham-y sandcastles.
Graham cracker crumbs: Use the honey kind for max nostalgia. Crush them finely for the batter, but save a coarser crumb for rolling the dough balls.
Cornstarch: This tiny addition makes the cookies soft and slightly puffy. It’s like a pillow for your dough.
Ground cinnamon: Totally optional, but highly encouraged. Adds a warm, toasty note that complements the graham flavor.
Baking soda and baking powder: This duo gives you a tender lift without any weird over-rise. Trust their teamwork.
Salt: Just a hint offsets all that sweet and deepens the graham flavor, which always surprised me, honestly.
Unsalted butter (melted and softened): The melted stuff goes into the dough, while the softened part fluffs into the frosting. Yes, you’ll need both states of butter. Worth it.
Granulated sugar and light brown sugar: The combo gives the cookie chew and sweetness without being overly sweet.
Egg yolk: That’s right, just the yolk. It adds richness and soft chew without the floury-crumbly vibe a whole egg can bring.
Vanilla extract: A generous splash for depth in both the dough and the marshmallow frosting.
Powdered sugar: This sweet cloud makes your frosting smooth and dreamy.
Marshmallow fluff: Equal parts gooey and nostalgic. Folds into the frosting like a little camp counselor.
Crushed graham crackers (for garnish): Optional but highly Instagrammable. Nothing wrong with zhuzhing things up.

How To Make This Graham Cracker Cookies Recipe

You don’t need wizard powers for these, but a little patience and fridge time helps dial in the texture.

Whisk the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs, cornstarch, cinnamon if you’re going for it, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set it aside like a fancy ingredient bowl on a cooking show.
Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat your melted (cooled!) butter with the white and brown sugars until it looks like thick, gritty frosting. It should smell like caramel and childhood.
Add yolk and vanilla: Keep the mixer low and toss in the egg yolk plus vanilla. Mix until it becomes a rich, glossy dough base—almost pudding-ish, but not quite.
Fold in the dry mix: Add that bowl of dry ingredients from before and gently stir by hand. Don’t overmix unless you’re aiming for tough cookies (I’m not). It should be soft but not too sticky.
Chill the dough: Cover the bowl and let it hang out in the fridge for at least an hour. This step helps the cookies keep their shape, and the flavor settles nicely.
Preheat and prep: Turn on the oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. The mat lovers out there? You’re seen.
Form the dough balls: Scoop 2-tablespoon-sized portions and roll them between your palms. Then roll each in the remaining graham cracker crumbs. They don’t have to be perfect spheres—lumpy is lovely.
Bake until golden: Pop those little orbs in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges will look golden, but the centers might seem soft. That’s exactly what you want. Let them cool on the tray for 5 minutes.
Cool completely: After the initial cool-down, move them onto a wire rack so they can firm up into the ideal chewy-crisp shape.
Make the frosting: Beat softened butter until creamy, then slowly mix in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Fold in marshmallow fluff gently with a spatula—don’t overbeat or you’ll lose that fluffiness.
Frost and Garnish: Once the cookies are cool, frost with a generous swipe of fluff frosting and top with extra graham crumbs if you’re feeling cute.

Storage Options

Alright, so you’re a few cookies deep and wondering what to do with the rest. (If “eat seven” isn’t on the list, here’s what else.)

Once frosted, these graham cracker cookies are best stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The frosting will keep its texture, and the cookie won’t dry out. They’ll be good for about 4 days, but try not to stack them unless you’ve got layers of parchment in between—you don’t want frosting-on-cookie crime.

You’re wondering, “Can I freeze them?” Yes. Yes, you can. Freeze the cookies without the frosting in a zip-top freezer bag, and they’ll keep for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to thaw, bring them to room temperature, then frost them fresh for best texture.

As for reheating? Not really necessary. But if you’re freezing, a quick microwave zap (10 seconds) will bring back that soft, fresh-baked vibe.

Variations and Substitutions

Craving a twist on the classic? Good. Let’s riff a little.

Chocolate chips: Fold a handful into the batter for that half-s’more energy (especially good without frosting).
Swap the fluff: No marshmallow fluff? Try a quick vanilla buttercream or leave them naked and gloriously plain.
Spice it up: Add ground ginger or nutmeg to push the fall-feels. Even a pinch of cardamom gets fancy.
Add crushed nuts: A few chopped pecans or walnuts in the dough adds crunch and cuts the sweetness a bit.
Coconut twist: Sub in toasted coconut for 1/2 cup of the graham crumbs and thank me later.
Mini cookies: Make 1-tablespoon sized dough balls and reduce the bake time by a minute or two for bite-sized versions.

What to Serve with Graham Cracker Cookies

Alright, cookie lovers, here’s where the fun multiplies. These graham cracker cookies are snacky, but they play nice with a bunch of other treats.

A mug of hot chocolate, extra marshmallows please. There’s something poetic about matching cookie and cocoa energy. Add a cinnamon stick or a splash of coffee liqueur if you’re feeling grown-up.
Pair these with a scoop of creamy vanilla or cinnamon ice cream. Honestly, I’ve used these cookies to sandwich a melty scoop and felt like I cracked the code. You might also like these peanut butter & banana ice cream sandwiches while you’re at it.
A tart little lemon dessert to contrast the sweetness. Something like a lemon icebox pie is great with these, especially if you skip the frosting and want a zingy sidekick.
Serve alongside cinnamon roll pancakes for a brunch dessert moment. Yes, dessert after brunch is a thing. See for yourself with this gorgeous cinnamon roll pancakes recipe.
Just a glass of cold milk. Sometimes that’s the only right answer. Nothing cuts sweet richness like a big, icy, perfect glass of milk.

Don’t let this one slip away — pin it now and thank yourself later!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes! The dough actually benefits from a little chill time. You can mix it up to 2 days in advance and keep it covered in the fridge. Just let it sit at room temp for 10 minutes before scooping so it’s soft enough to roll into balls. You can also freeze the cookie dough balls and bake straight from frozen—just add a couple extra minutes to the bake time.

Do I need to use marshmallow fluff in the frosting?

Nope! It’s delicious, but optional. If you’re not a marshmallow fan or just want something simpler, go ahead and swap in a classic vanilla buttercream, or even serve these cookies plain. They’re soft and flavorful enough on their own, so frosting is totally flexible. You do you, frosting-wise.

Can I make these gluten-free?

Sure thing, but it’ll take a couple swaps. Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that’s meant for 1:1 substitution, and make sure your graham cracker crumbs are certified gluten-free (there are quite a few good options out there nowadays). Just keep in mind that texture might be slightly more delicate—so don’t skip that chill time.

Why is there only one egg yolk in the dough?

Great question. Just using the yolk gives you richness without too much extra moisture, which helps keep the cookie soft and chewy instead of cakey. It’s kind of magical, actually. The yolk also helps the dough stick together better with less mixing, which means a more tender cookie. Don’t worry, you won’t miss the egg white one bit here.

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