Three Easy No-Bake Graham Cracker-Based Recipes for Healthy Snacks and Treats

Alisa Fleming ~ Some of you will recoil in disbelief when you read my next statement, but I could easily live the rest of my life without cake. This isn't to say that I will never nosh on another cupcake as long as I live, but cake has never really been my thing. I prefer dessert on the dense, creamy, fudgy, or crumbly side. However, I worship frosting. The dilemma has been how to deliver the frosting to my mouth without cake, since eating it straight from the spoon still seems a little over the top, even for me.

Enter, the graham cracker. For most of my life, I've enjoyed slathering a graham cracker square with vanilla frosting, topping it with another square for a sandwich cookie style, or simply eating it open-faced. However, my healthy conscience often gets the best of me, so I have modified this indulgence to a more healthful treat, so that it can be enjoyed several times a week, and without having to make a batch of frosting!

I've included below two "recipes" for my more nutritious frosted graham treats, plus one no-bake cookie-style recipe, also using dairy-free graham crackers …

Please keep in mind that some brands of graham crackers do contain dairy. I go with the New Morning Organic Graham Crackers. For gluten-free, I highly recommend the Smoreables from Kinnikinnick. I trialed them at a conferences, and they were absolutely scrumptious. For strictly vegan, Health Valley offers some good honey-free graham options.

Nutty Chocolate Chip Grahams

This recipe is Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, optionally Vegan, optionally Nut-Free, optionally Soy-Free, and optionally Gluten-Free

• Graham Crackers
• Cashew Butter*
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Spread the graham crackers with cashew butter from edge to edge (I like it thick!). Adorn with chocolate chips in any pattern (smiley faces?) or randomly scattered. Eat.

* Cashew butter is my favorite on these, as it is so creamy and naturally sweet – I often make my own by grinding cashews in a spice grinder and blending in a wee bit of water or oil. However, you can use the nut or seed butter of your choosing.

Makes as many as you like

No Bake PB&J Thumbprint Graham Bites

A bit of a teaser here, as this recipe is featured on Attune Foods blog. I wrote a guest post for them. Click the image below to see the recipe! I promise it's there.

Maple-Pecan Graham-wiches

This recipe is Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, optionally Vegan, optionally Nut-Free, optionally Soy-Free, and optionally Gluten-Free

• 1 Tablespoon Pecan Butter (would probably be awesome with any nut or seed butter!)
• 1/2 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
• 1 Teaspoon Coconut Oil or Coconut Butter, melted
• 2 Whole Cinnamon Graham Crackers (each broken in half, so you have four squares)

Combine the nut butter, maple, and coconut oil or butter in a small dish. Refrigerate it for just a few, allowing it to thicken just a bit as the coconut oil cools and solidifies. Top two cinnamon grahams (cinnamon-side up) with the butter, top with remaining graham. Enjoy the oozing goodness.

If you don’t like messy sandwiches, try this snack open faced.

Makes 1 serving

Article, Recipes, and Photos by Alisa Fleming, founder of GoDairyFree.org and author of Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living. Alisa is also a freelance writer for several publications, with an emphasis on creating recipes for various types of special diets.