Crispy Crackers

September 30, 2012 | 2 Comments

Crispy Crackers with Peanut Butter

Really good crackers keep us wanting for more. The crispy, crunchy, deliciousness of a good cracker doesn’t need a dip, or a cheese to be complete, but is equally delicious on it’s own. I have been purchasing crackers for over twenty years, and while I love the Cheese Its, Goldfish, Wheat Thins, Ritz and Triscuits, my favorites have always been the expensive, artisan crackers with herbs and special salts. They have a flavor that fills you up, and addicts you, but at six to eight dollars a package, it is really a special occasion cracker. By the way, who has ever heard of a special occasion cracker? I have been making crackers for about four years and I have have come close to the crispy, crunchy, deliciousness, but never gotten that “special occasion cracker” taste.

Crispy Crackers Ingredients

Crackers have such simple ingredients, yet if you don’t get the fat, flour, salt, water ratio correct, or you do not roll them out just right, you will have a cracker that does not measure up.  Your crackers will either not crisp up, or be too crispy. They might be crunchy, and chewy, and not crispy, or they will be fine out of the oven, but a few hours after they will have a stale chewy crunch. They might be too dry, or too greasy.

Crispy Cracker Dough

I have made this recipe many times, using unsalted butter, olive oil and grape seed oil, as well as trying different flours, whole wheat, white whole wheat, corn flour, and unbleached all purpose. The cold water varies between four tablespoons to eight tablespoons, but the crackers have always turn out great. This recipe is an adaptation of many cracker recipes,  I have seen, and made over the years.

Crispy Crackers Bowl

I have added herbs, salt and pepper, and also made them with just salt. I really liked the last batch I made with grape seed oil, unbleached all purpose flour, fresh rosemary and basil, shown above.

Crispy Crackers

My girls favorites were the whole wheat flour and unsalted butter, shown above on the right. On the left above, are unsalted butter, unbleached all purpose flour crackers. They were also eaten like crazy.

Crispy Crackers

Every time I make this recipe, my family enjoys these crackers. We eat them plain, with a thin spread of butter, as mini peanut butter sandwiches, as well as with soft and hard cheeses, and a vessel for guacamole or hummus. The possibilities for these crackers are endless.

Crispy Crackers

This recipe can easily be doubled. Next time I make these crackers,  I am going to have my girls use cookie cutters to cut out mini shapes, and animals.  No need to wait for that special occasion to make this cracker, enjoy making and sharing your handmade crispy crackers with your family and friends every day.

Crispy Crackers
Print
Recipe type: snack,appetizer
Author: Jillian
Serves: 6-10
Ingredients
  • 1 cup unbleached all purpose, white whole wheat, or whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp grapeseed oil, melted butter, or extra virgin olive oil
  • 4-8 Tbsp cold water(dough should be holding together and might be a bit shaggy but not sticky)
  • 1 Tbsp rosemary, chopped finely(optional)
  • 4 leaves fresh basil, chopped finely(optional)
  • 1 tsp coarse sea salt or kosher salt for sprinkling over rolled out dough
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Place 1 cup of your favorite flour in medium bowl
  3. Place salt in bowl and stir to combine
  4. Add grapeseed oil, melted butter, or extra virgin olive oil to bowl
  5. Stir and mash around with fork until fat and flour mixture become little tiny balls throughout bowl
  6. Add 4-7 Tbsp cold water(start with 4 and add until you get desired dough)
  7. Stir with fork to combine
  8. Add herbs if desired
  9. Knead with hand/fist in bowl til dough forms a ball
  10. Place dough ball on parchment paper, or Silpat
  11. Roll out on flat surface til dough is rectangular and as thin as you can get it(about 1/8 inch thick, takes a little work)
  12. Lift parchment, or Silpat onto sheet pan
  13. Use a fork and prick surface of dough all over
  14. Use a pastry cutter, or sharp knife and cut crackers into squares or diamonds or whatever shape you desire
  15. Sprinkle salt over top of crackers and lightly pat salt in with flat palm
  16. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden, rotating pan half way through
  17. Let crackers cool on sheet pan
  18. Break crackers apart, and enjoy
  19. Crackers will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container, yet ours usually get eaten within a day or two
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2 Responses so far.

  1. Oh my gosh, these look so good. And we were *just* saying how much we need a good go-to cracker recipe since we are still buying commercial crackers!! I can’t wait to try these!!!

    ~Angela~

    • Jillian says:

      Hi Angela, This is a terrific cracker recipe to get your feet wet. I hope you make these, and this becomes your go to cracker recipe.I am so happy you are reading my blog, and thank you for taking time to make a comment.

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