Graham Cracker Chocolate Chip Cookies are a fun change from the usual chocolate chip cookie. Made with crushed graham crackers, sweetened condensed milk, mini chocolate chips and walnuts, these little cookies are chewy, sweet and incredibly simple to make.
I’ve made a lot of chocolate chip cookies over the years, but these are a little different. There’s no butter to soften, no eggs to crack and no flour to measure. In fact, the whole recipe comes together with just six ingredients (plus a pinch of salt).
The graham crackers take the place of flour, and sweetened condensed milk holds everything together. Mini chocolate chips add just enough chocolate, while chopped walnuts give the cookies a little crunch.
They’re not your typical soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies. These have a denser, pleasantly chewy texture with lightly crisp edges and that familiar graham cracker flavor. If you’re looking for something a little different to add to your cookie collection, give these a try.
What Makes These Graham Cracker Cookies Different?
Most chocolate chip cookies start with creaming butter and sugar together. These skip that step entirely.
Instead, the crushed graham crackers absorb the sweetened condensed milk, creating a thick, sticky mixture that can be scooped directly onto baking sheets. The result is a cookie that’s somewhere between a traditional chocolate chip cookie and a chewy dessert bar.
I especially like that the graham crackers aren’t ground into a fine powder. Leaving them coarsely crushed gives the finished cookies a more interesting texture.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sweetened condensed milk: This is what holds the cookies together and provides their sweetness. Be sure to use sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk. They’re very different products!
- Vanilla extract: A teaspoon of vanilla adds flavor and complements the graham crackers and chocolate.
- Salt: Just a dash helps balance the sweetness.
- Graham crackers: You’ll need about 16 full graham cracker sheets, coarsely crushed. Don’t turn them into fine crumbs. A little texture is what makes these cookies interesting.
- Miniature chocolate chips: Mini chips are perfect here because they distribute throughout the graham cracker mixture, giving you a little chocolate in every bite.
- Walnuts: Chopped walnuts add a nice crunch and keep the cookies from being overly sweet. Pecans would be a good alternative.
How to Make Graham Cracker Chocolate Chip Cookies
One of the nice things about this recipe is that you don’t need a mixer. A bowl and a sturdy spoon are all it takes.
- Prepare the baking sheets. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and salt.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Stir in the crushed graham crackers, miniature chocolate chips and chopped walnuts. The mixture will be thick and sticky, which is exactly how it should be.
- Scoop the cookies. Drop the mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake. Bake for about 11 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned.
- Cool. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will firm up as they cool, so give them a few minutes before moving them off the pan.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t crush the graham crackers too finely. You want coarse crumbs and small pieces rather than a sandy texture. Put the crackers in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin, or break them up by hand.
- Measure the crumbs after crushing. Graham cracker sizes can vary slightly between brands. Measuring out 4½ cups of crushed crackers is more reliable than counting sheets alone.
- Use mini chocolate chips. Regular chocolate chips are larger and won’t distribute quite as evenly through the mixture.
- Expect a sticky mixture. This isn’t a traditional cookie dough. A small cookie scoop or two spoons will make portioning easier.
- Watch for lightly browned edges. These cookies don’t need a long baking time. Start checking at 11 minutes, especially if your oven tends to run hot.
- Let them cool on the pan briefly. They’ll be delicate when they first come out of the oven. A few minutes on the baking sheet helps them hold together.
Can You Make These Without Nuts?
Absolutely. If you prefer cookies without walnuts, you can leave them out. You could also substitute chopped pecans, which are especially good with the graham cracker and chocolate combination.
I wouldn’t add a lot of extra chocolate to replace the nuts, though. The sweetened condensed milk already makes these cookies quite sweet, and the original amount of mini chocolate chips gives them a nice balance.
How to Store Graham Cracker Chocolate Chip Cookies
Once the cookies are completely cool, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 to 4 days. Because these cookies are made with sweetened condensed milk, they’ll stay fairly chewy rather than developing the crisp texture of traditional chocolate chip cookies.
For longer storage, you can freeze the baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Place parchment paper between layers if you’re stacking them, and thaw at room temperature before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use graham cracker crumbs from a box?
You can, but the texture will be different. Packaged graham cracker crumbs are usually much finer than the coarsely crushed crackers called for in this recipe. For the best results, I’d crush whole graham crackers yourself.
Can I substitute evaporated milk for sweetened condensed milk?
No. Sweetened condensed milk is thick and sweet, and it’s essential for binding the cookies together. Evaporated milk is much thinner and won’t work the same way.
Do these cookies taste like regular chocolate chip cookies?
Not exactly. They have the chocolate and vanilla flavors you expect, but the graham crackers give them a distinctive taste and a denser, chewier texture.
Can I use regular-sized chocolate chips?
Yes. Mini chocolate chips are my preference because they distribute more evenly, but regular semisweet chocolate chips will work.
Can I make the cookies without a mixer?
Yes! Everything is mixed together by hand in one bowl. Just use a sturdy spoon because the mixture becomes quite thick once the graham crackers are added.
Fun Facts About Graham Crackers:
- In 1915, a box of graham crackers sold for 10 cents.
- Graham crackers have been used in s’mores for 87 years. The first known recipe for s’mores was published in a Girl Scouts book from 1927.
- Graham cracker crumbs are used to make crusts for pies and cheesecakes.
- Cinnamon graham crackers were marketed in 1986.
- Low Fat graham crackers were added to the collection in 1995.
- You can make graham crackers at home!
Graham Cracker Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 dash salt
- 4½ cups coarsely crushed graham crackers (about 16 sheets)
- ½ cup miniature chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk with the vanilla and salt. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs, chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop the cracker mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake in batches for 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on the pan for 3 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
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Use sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk.
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Crush the graham crackers coarsely rather than grinding them into fine crumbs.
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Measure the graham crackers after crushing for the most accurate amount.
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Pecans may be substituted for walnuts, or the nuts may be omitted.
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The cookie mixture will be thick and sticky. A small cookie scoop makes portioning easier.
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Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 3 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
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Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
