2-1/2 c flour
1 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt (if using salted butter)
1 c very cold butter
5 T milk
2 T vanilla extract
With a pastry blender, combine flour, brown sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl, combine milk and vanilla. Stir into the flour with a fork until dough holds together. Wrap dough in plastic and chill in refrigerator for several hours or overnight.
While the dough is chilling, prepare your cookie sheets. Line them with parchment paper to fit. Place a parchment liner from one of the cookie sheets onto the work surface, and flour it, the rolling pin, and your hands well.
Divide dough in quarters; work with one quarter at a time, keeping the other quarters chilled (the dough warms up quickly). Roll dough out on floured parchment to 1/8 – inch thick. Reflour the surface, the rolling pin, and the dough as needed. Cut into 2″ squares. Lift parchment, cut dough and all, and transfer to its cookie sheet. Cover cookie sheet with plastic, and place back in refrigerator to chill another 45 minutes. Repeat this process with the rest of the dough. Gather scraps, chill, and roll out until all the dough has been used. While cookie sheets are chilling, preheat oven to 350.
When graham cracker dough is absolutely cold, prick squares evenly with a fork. Bake graham crackers in preheated oven for 20 minutes, until golden brown and slightly firm to the touch, rotating the cookie sheets halfway through to ensure even baking. Cool and store in an airtight container.
