These Chocolate Dipped Graham Cracker Cookies combine homemade graham crackers that are dipped in a semi-sweet melted dark chocolate, and then topped with white nonpareils sprinkles! They're a fun, easy, and delicious holiday treat to make and enjoy with your family and friends! Change up the cookie cutter to make other fun shapes too!
½Square of Paraffin Wax(or 2 tablespoons of Vegetable Shortening or Coconut Oil)
Decorating
White or Christmas color-themed Nonpareils Sprinkles
Red and Green Sanding Sugar or Sprinkles
Instructions
Graham Cracker Cookies
In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set to the side.
2 ½ cups Whole Wheat Flour, ½ cup All-Purpose Flour, 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Baking Soda, 2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon Salt
Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the unsalted butter, light brown sugar, honey, molasses, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
½ cup Unsalted Butter, ½ cup Light Brown Sugar, ⅓ cup Grade A Clover Honey, 2 tablespoon Full-Flavor Molasses, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Reduce the mixer speed and gradually alternate between adding the whisked dry mixture with the milk until the mixture is fully incorporated.
½ cup Whole Milk
Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, divide the graham cracker dough in half, then in between two lightly floured pieces of parchment paper, roll out the dough to either ⅛ inch thick for a thinner graham cracker - or - to ¼ inch thick for a thicker graham cracker.
Place the rolled out dough that's sandwiched in between two sheets of parchment paper onto a cookie sheet, then repeat with the 2nd section of dough.
Stack the second layer of dough onto the first (parchment paper should be in between the layers, then place into the fridge and chill for a minimum of 1 hour, or (my preference) overnight.
When ready to bake, adjust your oven rack to the 2nd level position (just above center) and preheat your oven to 350ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set to the side.
Remove the top parchment sheet of paper from the rolled out dough.
Dip the Christmas tree cookie cutter into a little bit of flour, then cut out each shape. Carefully place them onto the parchment lined cookie sheet, leaving about a 1 inch space between them. Repeat until you've used all the dough from that layer.
Then using a fork, pierce 1-4 rows on the top of each cookie (depending on the shape). For the trees, I pierced 1-2 rows. And for the squares, I pierced 4.
Place the cookie sheet into the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350ºF or until they’re golden brown. If your graham crackers are thicker, you may need to bake your cookies 1-2 minutes longer.
Remove from the oven and, after 5 minutes of cooling on the cookie sheet, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, you can keep them stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days until you're ready to dip them into the melted chocolate.
Melting the Chocolate
Using a double boiler, fill the bottom boiler with about 1 inch to 1.5 inches of water, then melt the paraffin wax over low heat uncovered until melted.
½ Square of Paraffin Wax
Add in semi-sweet chocolate chips and stir continuously until completely smooth and melted. If you have any little lumps of chocolate, press down firmly on them using a spatula until they melt.
12 oz Bag Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Alternatively, if you are using vegetable shortening or coconut oil, you can melt this together with the chocolate chips at the same time (and also in the microwave).
Assembling
Line a large cookie sheet with wax paper and set to the side of where you'll be dipping the graham cracker Christmas trees.
Using a fork, drop one graham cracker tree into the melted chocolate, then flip it over with your fork and lift up. Tap the fork on the side of the double boiler to remove any excess chocolate, then carefully place it onto the wax paper-lined cookie sheet.
Immediately sprinkle each chocolate covered graham cracker tree with some white (or Christmas colored themed) nonpareils.
White or Christmas color-themed Nonpareils Sprinkles
Alternatively, if you're going with the square shape, you can simply dip half of the square into the melted chocolate, top with sanding sugar or sprinkles, and place onto the wax paper.
Red and Green Sanding Sugar or Sprinkles
Repeat until all the graham cracker trees have been dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with the nonpareils.
Allow the chocolate covered graham cracker Christmas trees to set before removing any excess chocolate that may have stuck to the sides of the crackers.
Store the chocolate covered graham cracker trees in an airtight container at room temperature (or the refrigerator) for up to a week. If you used vegetable shortening in place of the paraffin wax, it's best to keep them in the refrigerator so the chocolate doesn't melt.
Notes
General
Make sure you have a cookie sheet that will fit in the refrigerator for chilling the rolled out dough.
The recommended baking time for the graham crackers is 8-10 minutes at 350ºF. And it has a minimum dough chilling time of 1 hour. Your baking time will vary based on how thin or thick you roll out the dough.
This recipe makes approximately 6 dozen cookies. Yield results will vary based on what cookie cutter you use!
The recipe prep time does not include the melting or assembling of the chocolate dipped graham cracker Christmas trees.
Graham Cracker Cookies
For a thinner graham cracker, roll it out to about ⅛-inch. For a thicker graham cracker cookies, roll it out to about ¼-inch. I wouldn't go any thicker than that though. Remember, thinner gives you a crispier cracker, and thicker gives you a softer one.
If you'd rather roll out smaller batches of the dough, you can divide it out into thirds.
Place the dough back into the refrigerator (or freezer) for a few minutes, if begins to soften as you cut out the shapes.
Don't forget to poke the holes in the cut out cookies before baking them!
Chocolate Dipping
Using a double boiler isn't required for these chocolate dipped graham cracker cookies, but it is helpful with melting the amount of chocolate needed. It's also helpful if melting the chocolate with the paraffin wax.
Both the paraffin wax, vegetable shortening, and coconut oil will thin the chocolate. Only the wax will give it a subtle shine though. It will also keep the chocolate from melting off the graham crackers when left out at room temperature.
The square shape comes from this 24-set of geometric cookie cutters. I'm planning to use these for more pie crust designs in 2020! Eeee! So excited!
If you're not a fan of the Christmas tree or square, you can use a different shape and size.
Dipping the cookie cutters into some all-purpose flour will help keep the dough from sticking.
I suggest using the white or Christmas colored nonpareils sprinkles for the Christmas trees. And for the squares, the red and green sprinkles. Feel free to use whatever type of sprinkles you'd like though!