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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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