When It Comes To The Best Graham Crackers, One Brand Reigns Supreme

There's nothing like the lightly sweet crunch of a graham cracker (a snack that also has a strange history). Americans love them so much that dozens of brands make and sell them — from traditional recipes to varieties that are free from dairy, gluten, soy, nut, and other allergens. If you don't want to go through the trouble of finding the best of the best yourself, take our word for it: Nabisco Grahams, the original graham crackers, reign supreme.

Daily Meal taste tested and ranked several graham cracker brands only to find that the original, commercial brand has stood the test of time. A little darker than other graham brands, she noted that the Nabisco experience starts with the sentimental smell after opening the package. You can taste the balanced sugary goodness from the first bite: The flavor of the molasses never overpowers the sweetness, which builds slightly the longer that you nosh on the grahams, Daily Meal states. Meanwhile, the texture of Nabisco Grahams is a bit softer than others but still crisp.

It's intriguing that such a longstanding brand of graham crackers continues to be a favorite in households across the United States. Nabisco (a conglomerate of bakeries shortened from National Biscuit Company) was the first commercial brand to mass produce and market graham crackers in 1898. The runner up choice, Nabisco's Honey Maid Grahams, were originally launched in 1925 by Pacific Coast Biscuit Company, which was later purchased by Nabisco in 1930. And Daily Meal is not alone in loving either of these grahams. Currently, the parent company of Nabisco, Mondelēz International, leads the U.S. graham cracker market in sales by millions of dollars (per Statista).

While Nabisco Grahams are delicious enough to eat on their own, there are tons of ways that you can enjoy them. One simple option is to spread some peanut butter and jelly or cream cheese and jam between them to make mini, crunchy sandwiches. They're the ideal sandwich holder for s'mores, too. On the more sophisticated side of snacks, graham crackers are a delicious contrast to fancy cheese and other charcuterie board favorites.

However, you can get even more creative with Nabisco Grahams. Use them as the walls of holiday cookie houses or layers in an éclair cake, or crunch them up with pretzels to make a sweet and salty base for cake or cookie bars. Of course, the crackers make the ideal crust for all kinds of pies, such as a layered pumpkin cheesecake or salted key lime pie. Similarly, they make a fantastic crumb topping for fruit crisps, ice cream sundaes, and parfaits. You can even add graham cracker crumbs to pound cake batter or cornbread for extra texture and flavor.

You don't have to limit your use of Nabisco grahams to desserts, though. Since they aren't too sweet, they are a creative binder for meatballs and an excellent substitution in fried chicken breading recipes, whether you're making drumsticks or tenders.