Graham Crackers

The original graham crackers, developed by Sylvester Graham some 200 years ago, were more like hardtack than like the sweet wafers we know today. Marketed as “Dr. Graham’s Honey Biskets,” the dense crackers were made largely from coarse whole-wheat flour. Graham might be faintly horrified by what’s become of them: Yes, supermarket grahams still incorporate graham (or whole-wheat) flour, but white flour is now the primary ingredient with sugar of some sort not far behind. They also contain oil, salt, and leaveners.

We tasted three top-selling national brands sampling them plain, in Chocolate Éclair Cake, and in the crust of Key lime pie. All brands fared well enough to earn our recommendation. For straight snacking, we prefer one product for its wheaty flavor and tempered sweetness. These crackers have the highest percentage of graham flour, which contributes to their flavor but could also account for their less substantial structure (they turned to mush in the Éclair Cake); graham flour forms less gluten than white flour. Another brand, which held up in both pie crust and cake, are best for baking.