Who said cookie baking had to be limited to cookies? These homemade, crunchy gluten-free graham crackers are perfect for decorating, too. Learn how to make delicious gluten-free graham crackers and decorate them for the holidays—even if you’re not a cake artist. Create a variety of shapes and simple festive designs.
If someone you love prefers crunchy treats, these gluten-free graham crackers are an ideal holiday bake. Even if you typically skip cookie-baking season, these are worth trying.
Prep Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours, 5 minutes
Yield: Makes 20 crackers
Make crunchy, flavorful gluten-free graham crackers and decorate them for the holidays with easy-to-cut designs and simple finishing touches.
Ingredients:
- 1 batch Gluten Free Graham Crackers (prepare dough as directed, but use cookie cutters instead of squares)
- 1 batch gluten-free fondant, or store-bought gluten-free fondant
- Gum paste (optional, for firmer decorations) or add a gum substitute to fondant to stiffen it
- Snowflake plunger cutter set or other small plunger cutters in your favorite holiday designs
- Cookie cutters in desired shapes
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free vodka or rum (or use pure almond extract and allow pieces to dry)
Instructions:
- Prepare the graham cracker dough following the recipe. Instead of cutting squares, press cookie cutters into the rolled dough. Leave the surrounding dough in place so the pieces stay connected while baking. After cooling, the shaped crackers will usually separate easily—pop them out gently.
- Mix equal parts fondant and gum paste (if using) and knead until smooth and uniform. Roll a small portion of the mixture thinly for cutting.
- Use a plunger cutter to press out your chosen design. Remove excess fondant or paste around the motif with a sharp tool so the decoration is clean and defined.
- Lightly brush the cut-out decoration with clear vodka or rum to smooth and seal the surface. Let the piece firm up slightly, or attach it immediately to a fully cooled cracker.
- Brush the back of each fondant decoration with a little simple syrup or water to act as glue. If the decoration is very soft, place it fondant-side down and the moistened side up, then gently lay the cracker on top. Set the decorated crackers aside to dry and firm.
Tips
Satin Ice fondant is typically gluten-free, but some gum pastes contain egg. To make an egg-free or vegan gum paste, add a small amount of cellulose gum (Tylose or CMC) or gum tragacanth to fondant to achieve the firmer texture of gum paste.
For a larger number of decorated crackers, bake and cut the crackers into squares and top them with the same snowflake or seasonal decorations. Simpler decorating can be achieved with more detailed cookie cutters or by varying colors and textures of fondant.