Are Graham Crackers Vegan?
There are some foods, some items that all of us are so in used to, that they simply do not have any substitute – and even when you are on your vegan diet, you still want to use those products.
One of those products are Graham Crackers – one of the most used, beloved, and by any means, the tastiest sweet crackers that can be bought on the market.
They have such a deep and interesting taste, they are the perfect base for cookies (especially cheesecakes of all kinds), and also they are great just whit some milk (in the case of vegans almond milk).
Now, it is true that they are incredibly tasty, but you may wonder, are they vegan?
You need to look at the ingredients box and to find out, but right away we will tell you that there are some that are strictly vegan – it is labeled on the box. But what about the common kind, the regular one?
Ingredients
First, we must take a look at the ingredients that are used to make these sweet crackers.
The most common ingredients in Graham Crackers are sugar, the mixture of enriched flour and graham flour, along with the canola oil, corn syrup, baking soda, molasses, salt, soy lecithin and Sodium acid.
Let us take a look at the main ingredient here – Graham flour!
Graham flour is obtained by special technology of preparation and milling of whole wheat grain. It is named after Sylvester Graham, one of the pioneers of the Healthy Eating Movement in America. This movement advocated the elimination of the use of white flour and industrially processed foods. Sylvester Graham advised switching to natural foods and whole wheat flour that did not undergo bleaching or chemical treatment.
For example, this brand and this kind is totally vegan!
The problematic part may be Molasses that is also the part of the Graham Crackers, and we believe the one element that gives them such a deep flavor. Molasses is gooey and dark syrup that is produced in sugar production by squeezing sugar cane or beets, and contains many minerals and vitamins and is a great substitute for plain white sugar.
Molasses is used in the production of yeast and ethanol, which may not sound appealing at first, but when we tell you all the benefits of hiding in this dark syrup, we are sure you will change your mind.
Now, the problematic part comes from the fact that Molasses is made from sugar that, by some vegans, is not vegan.
And for some vegans, the problem can be artificial flavor, but usually, they are vegan because they are made chemically in a lab, but are the healthy is another question. There is a growing number of flavor enhancers and masking agents as well as similar products commercially available on the market.
These include yeast extracts, lactic acid salts, Na-glutamine and nucleotides, among others. Taste enhancers act by activating receptors in the mouth and throat, and they themselves promote the replacement or make up for the reduced amount of salt.
Now, we can see the worry on your face, but you need to have one more thing on your mind – just because something is not healthy, it does not mean that it is not vegan!
Are Graham Crackers Vegan?
If you are on your vegan journey you cannot eat any product that is made out of animal or some part of it, so vegans should know that they cannot eat eggs, honey, dairy, but also use leather. If you know that in the typical Graham Crackers there is honey, you know what to do.
They are made from very sweet and unique graham flour, so this is where from this name comes.
Another problem when it comes to Graham Crackers is the fact that the producers also use flavor enhancers that often can come from animals, even in an indirect way. Usually, they do not, but for this, it is advisable that you call the manufacturer and ask what you need to know to about the flavors and enhancer they use.
What is the most common substitute for honey in the case of the Graham Crackers? The manufacturers choose artificial sweeteners – it can be coconut sugar, stevia, agave sugar, maple syrup. As you can see, the options are numerous, and it all comes down to the choices you make while you buy or make your food.
In many cases, you can order Graham Crackers that do not have honey, and you can eat them, but of course, always find those that are labeled as vegan.
What kinds are vegan (or declared as a vegan)
Annie’s Bunny Grahams No Natural Flavor
Honey Maid No Honey
Pamela’s Graham Crackers No Honey
Which Graham Crackers Are Vegan
Graham Crackers Brand Is It Vegan Non-Vegan
Trader Joe’s Honey Graham Crackers No Honey
Annie’s Organic Honey Grahams No Honey
Keebler Graham Original Yes None
365 Cinnamon Graham Crackers No Honey
You can see that choice is pretty ok, but if you do not have faith in the manufacturers, you can surely make your own Graham Crackers, and in the next section, we bring your recipe.
Homemade Graham Crackers
In making many cakes and cakes, graham biscuits are used as one of the main ingredients – we can surely understand why, they are amazing by their own, but even better in cakes.
If you don’t trust shopping, it might be best to try making your own biscuits in your kitchen – you do not want to think are they vegan, where you can buy vegan kind, can you order them online, etc., so you can buy your own.
This recipe can be altered to suit your taste and your choices of food, whatever suits you the best you can use freely, and experiment.
Here we bring you low carb graham biscuits that you can consume on your own or use as a great base for a popular cheesecake. Yes, there are numerous recipes of “vegan cheesecakes”; you need to look them up.
Graham crackers are tea biscuits with an irresistible aroma of molasses and vanilla and are not at all complicated to make.
Ingredients Required:
A cup of some coconut sugar
2 ½ cup flour plus two tablespoons (graham flour of course)
¾ teaspoon salt
Seven tablespoons iced vegan butter, cut into cubes
Two tablespoons vanilla extract
A teaspoon of baking powder
Five tablespoons almond milk
1/3 cup some corn syrup or maple syrup
Cinnamon
Preparation:
Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt, add vegan butter and rub everything with your hands until you have crumbs without a piece of butter (you can also do this in a dough blender, you will get the thicker and smoother mass, but it is optional).
In a smaller bowl, mix together syrup, almond milk and vanilla extract, add the flour and mix until smooth. The dough will seem quite soft and sticky, but it should be. Of course, it cannot be liquidy.
After that, divide the dough into several pieces and wrap it in plastic wrap that has been lightly sprinkled with flour and refrigerate overnight, or for at least two hours.
When the dough has squeezed, roll it out on a floury surface (rather thin) and cut out the crackers of the desired shape. You can use a corrugated pasta cutter to get the corrugated ends, but it is not necessary, you can make the shape and form that you want (they even do not have to be perfectly cut).
Then, the next step is to stack the crackers on a baking tray, sprinkle them with the sugar and cinnamon mixture and refrigerate for about half an hour.
Then, the final step is to bake these Graham beauties for about 15-20 minutes depends on your oven, on about 160C, until they are dark brown in color.
After that only thing, you can do to eat them, but if you stack them in some container, they could last some time. Enjoy.
Are Graham Crackers Healthy?
Due to the hectic lifestyle, we are increasingly exposed to stress, and often with a sense of anxiety, we are accompanied by stress. But eating properly and healthy can reduce stress and anxiety – this is common for all people, vegan or non-vegan. We are talking about the healthy choices for you and your family.
In this sense, Graham Crackers fit perfectly in this advice.
If you notice that you are increasingly stressed, try eating popcorn without added toppings, Graham crackers, wheat pretzels and sunflower seeds. If you want to read more about pretzels, and check if pretzels are vegan, you can do it here.
Experts advise eating whole-grain toast or oatmeal with one teaspoon of molasses. In addition, you can nibble on popcorn, and when you are anxious and anxious, nibble on Graham Crackers. Of course, the ones that are vegan.
Sunflower seeds are a source of folic acid that helps the body produce the hormone dopamine. You are pleased with this hormone, but it is also crucial for the normal functioning of the body.
In the end, we will just add how healthy two ingredients of the Graham Crackers are – Molasses and Graham flour.
Given that it is obtained from whole wheat grain, graham flour has excellent nutritional value. It is extremely rich in vitamins E and B-complexes, minerals of sodium, calcium, potassium and iron and proteins.
Due to the low percentage of gluten, the ability to make pastries is reduced and therefore mixed with white wheat flour is recommended. This makes the pastry looser. Graham flour should not be sifted, because in that case, the larger and healthiest parts will remain unused.
Molasses is a great source of healthy minerals, there is certainly iron which in molasses is more than in red meat, and besides iron, there are also calcium and magnesium.
Summary
In most common cases, Graham crackers are made with honey, and in this case, it cannot be vegan – so the producers have made some alternate options, and put in there a substitute for honey that is not vegan.
That substitute can be maple syrup, molasses, and so many other things in between.
So, if you are a vegan, do not opt for Graham crackers that are made with honey.
For example look for the ones that use Molasses, because in the first place of healthy minerals in molasses there is certainly iron which in molasses is more than in red meat, and besides iron, there are also calcium and magnesium.
It is used as a great substitute for refined sugars and is used as a sweetener for drinks and even cakes.
If you take a good look in your market, we are sure that you will be able to find some kinds that are vegan, but like in everything, take a good look at the ingredient list.