Vegan & Gluten-Free Graham Cookies

At the end of this long-weekend, which also kicks off the cottaging/camping season for many, my mind turns to s’mores. Admittedly, when I think of graham crackers my mind does not immediately jump to camping, s’mores, or ooey-gooey-good-times-by-the-fire-at-the-lake... My childhood camping treats were the even more prized Lucky Charms, KD, and bacon (yes, sometimes together if the mood struck). My yearly indulgence has obviously become more frequent, though also more ‘high-brow’. Graham crackers make me think of a health-nut presbyterian who believed that a vegetarian diet could relieve one’s sexual tensions (bless him) but his signature flour combination fills my mouth with the taste of key-lime/coconut pie.
But while we’re on the subject of camping, high-brow style--let me roll with this one folks--then let us boost this simple cracker. The internet proved insufficient in my hunt for a vegan and gluten-free and palm-free graham cracker--indeed such a combination can hardly be called a “graham cracker” for it lacks Sylvester Graham’s wholesome flour, as well as its signature honey-filled flavour. Nonetheless, one can produce a delicate yet hearty and crumbly ‘cracker’ that can be used as a crust, truffle casing, or cracker-sandwich. Of course, I got lucky with some inspiration from two immensely positive gals in the gluten-free world*, so here’s the vegan (and simpler flour combo) spin on their recipes.
 
Though, there’s always a lyrical, musical inspiration... The Roches always make me nostalgic for the days of canoodling over a still lake in early morning.

“Graham” Cookies

Dry
½ C oat/brown rice flour (+ approx. 2 tbsp)
1 C white/sweet rice flour
¾ C potato/tapioca starches
¾ tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 C organic dark brown sugar
7 ½ tbsp organic, fair trade coconut oil (frozen)

Moist
1 tbsp pure, fair trade vanilla extract
½ C flax ‘milk’
3 tbsp (between 1/8-1/4 cp, to taste) raw, fair trade blue agave nectar
2 tbsp water
 
Combine dry ingredients, ensuring the mix is even, and then mix in the cold coconut oil (with a pastry cutter). The mix should be dry and flaky, like coarse flour.
In a small bowl whisk the moist ingredients together and add them to the dry, until just combined. As is the case with any pastry recipe, it works best if as many ingredients as possible are cold (or lower than room temperature). This will help ensure your mixture is crumbly and flaky, while also not being overworked. Plop your dough into lightly dusted cellophane and refrigerate for 2 hours.
After roughly 1.5 hours refrigeration, preheat your oven to 350°F (depending on the dryness of your dough you may find that 325°F works better).
Roll out your dough 1/8 inch thick and slice (with pizza cutter or regular, floured knife) 6/2 ¾ inches—place on parchment papered baking sheet and refrigerate again for 10 minutes or so. Prick the squares with a fork to ensure even baking.
Bake for roughly 15 minutes (depending on what flours you’ve used they may bake more slowly). Let cool before processing for crumbs.

*Shauna, “the gluten-free girl”, is a great place to begin for gluten-free anything! She provided some helpful tips for making the “graham” cookie and keeping light and all it should be:
http://glutenfreegirl.com/gluten-free-graham-crackers/
The bold and bright, Lauren, otherwise known as “the celiac teen” has also put up an interesting variation on a traditional graham recipe, used to recreate a labouriously stunning nanaimo creation:
http://www.celiacteen.com/2010/my-daring-bakers-challenge-gluten-free/