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Homemade crackers are a delicious alternative to store-bought. It can be made in a pinch with just a few ingredients. With experimentation and creativity, you can make a snack you and your family will love.
Here we share a basic method for making wheat crackers that is infinitely adaptable.
Why Make Homemade Crackers?
Here are a few reasons why we love homemade crackers:
- Homemade crackers are much cheaper than grocery store alternatives
- They use such basic ingredients
- Making crackers at home helps decrease your environmental footprint. It eliminates the multiple layers of packaging that often house a small amount of crackers;
- You can customize them and season them any way you like
- Allows you to cut back on preservatives and unwanted ingredients.
How to Make Simple Crackers
Ingredients
For one batch of crackers (makes about 40), you’ll need the following basics (recipe can be easily doubled):
- 1 1/2 cups flour – you can use whole wheat, white, gluten-free flour, or a combination.
- 2 T fat – melted butter or oil – to boost the health factor of your crackers try using an especially healthy oil like flax seed oil.
- 1/2 cup water (add 1-2 tsp if using whole wheat flour)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons seasonings (mix it up with things like rosemary, garlic salt, thyme, basil, salt, pepper, or mixed Italian seasonings, or go sweet with cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg!)
- 1 teaspoon sweetener – honey, maple syrup, or sugar will work
- 1 teaspoon salt (for sprinkling on top)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place a rack on the next to lowest setting.
- Mix your dry ingredients (flour and seasonings) in a medium mixing bowl.
- Add your fat, sweetener, and water and stir until mostly blended (do not over stir or crackers will be too hard)
- Turn your dough out onto a floured cutting board or large piece of parchment paper and shape into a rectangle
- Roll your dough out to about 1/8 inch thick (or less)
- Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into uniform cracker-size pieces (we prefer 1×2 inch – but you can cut into any shape you want – uniform pieces will cook similarly so you don’t burn any)
- Place your crackers onto an ungreased cookie sheet
- Place cookie sheet with crackers into the oven on the lower rack
- Bake for about 14-17 minutes, depending on size. Check after 12 minutes or so. Crackers should be just beginning to brown on top and should break crisply when you take them out. For a softer cracker, remove it sooner – softer crackers are great served with soup!
How to Store Homemade Crackers
Homemade crackers will store well for up to a week in an airtight container. Try them with your favorite cheese, hummus, or dip! If you discover a great flavor combination, be sure to share in the comments.
Recipes you might like:
- Once you’ve tried making these homemade crackers, you can also branch out and try things like sourdough crackers or cheese crackers.
Crispy Homemade Crackers
Ditch the store-bought crunch! Whip up crispy, flavorful homemade crackers in no time with just a handful of ingredients. Roll out the dough, get creative with toppings like herbs and cheese, and bake up a batch of goodness the whole family will love.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup Flour (You can use whole wheat, white, gluten free flour or a combination.)
- 2 tbsp Fat, melted butter or oil (To boost the health factor of your crackers try using an especially healthy oil like flax seed oil.)
- ½ cup Water (Add 1-2 tsp if using whole wheat flour.)
- 1 ½ tbsp Seasonings (Mix it up with things like rosemary, garlic salt, thyme, basil, salt, pepper, or mixed Italian seasonings, or go sweet with cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg!)
- 1 tbsp Sweetener (Honey, maple syrup, or sugar will work.)
- 1 tbsp Salt (For sprinkling on top.)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place a rack on the next to lowest setting;
- Mix your dry ingredients (flour and seasonings) together in a medium mixing bowl;
- Add your fat, sweetener, and water and stir until mostly blended (do not over stir or crackers will be too hard);
- Turn your dough out onto a floured cutting board or large piece of parchment paper and shape into a rectangle;
- Roll your dough out to about 1/8 inch thick (or less);
- Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into uniform cracker size pieces (we prefer 1×2 inch – but you can cut into any shape you want – uniform pieces will cook similarly so you don’t burn any);
- Place your crackers onto an ungreased cookie sheet;
- Place cookie sheet with crackers into the oven on the lower rack;
- Bake for about 14-17 minutes, depending on size. Check after 12 minutes or so. Crackers should be just beginning to brown on top and should break crisply when you take them out. For a softer cracker, remove sooner – softer crackers are great served with soup!
Notes
Homemade crackers will store well for up to a week in an airtight container. Try them with your favorite cheese, hummus, or dip!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Carrie Williams Howe is an educational leader by day and an aspiring homesteader by night and weekend. She lives on a small homestead in Vermont with her husband, two children, and a rambunctious border collie. She blogs about her family's homestead life at The Happy Hive.
