If you've baked cookies or a cake before, then you can certainly bake homemade crackers. While store-bought crackers can be found in several flavors and styles, they're often not the healthiest option. By making crackers at home, you can create a fresher, tastier and more nutritious snack than you can buy. Not to mention, your friends and family will surely be impressed with your baking skills. The easy-to-mix and make doughs will leave you eager to create this recipe weekly.
Our team is often asked, "what's the hardest part of baking a cracker," and almost all of us agree that it's rolling the cracker dough to the right thickness. But don't worry, below we'll cover how to master rolling thin crackers as well as creating a perfect shape. The tips in this article will help you create a variety of crackers with ease.
As we cover how to bake homemade crackers successfully, it's important to note that not all store-bought crackers are unhealthy. If you're in a time crunch and want to pick up a pack of crackers on the way to your event, we understand! However, we'd advise reading the ingredient list to ensure it's full of wholesome ingredients before purchasing.
As we mentioned earlier, achieving the perfect cracker texture requires rolling the dough out relatively thin with a rolling pin. While allowing your dough to rest isn't often noted in cracker recipes, it does help make it easier to roll out.
To properly roll cracker dough, you'll want to start by using a large and hard surfacewe use the counter! Begin by dusting it with a light layer of flour, lay parchment paper on top, and then dust it with a little more flour. Parchment paper is vital when creating thin dough as you don't have to worry about it sticking to the counter when using a rolling pin.
Another option when baking crackers is to use a pasta roller to help get the dough thin. Depending on the recipe you're making, you'll want to first test a small piece of dough by running it through the pasta roller machine. Moist dough works well with most pasta rollers, while drier dough often crumbles as it's processed through the roller.
Even if you've mastered all of the steps above, the result will be inedible if your crackers are not baked correctly. When cooking crackers, it only takes minutes to take your crackers from perfectly baked to burned. Because of this, you'll want to make sure you've completed all of the steps above correctly and triple checked the temperature of your oven.
To bake crackers, most recipes recommend starting with a hot oven that's usually set to around 400F. The oven's high temperature will help pull the moisture out of the dough and create a crispy cracker result. The more time the crackers spend in the oven, the darker they'll become. Once you notice that the crackers have changed to a golden brown color, you must watch them closely and pull them out before burning. If it looks like your crackers might burn before they've fully cooked, then you'll want to reduce the heat and leave the door of the oven slightly cracked until they've finished cooking. Doing so will simulate a dehydrator and pull the excess moisture out, allowing them to bake thoroughly. Once the crackers come out of the oven, top with sea salt, dried herbs or any other type of seasoning to finish them off.
Whether you're a novice or advanced baker, these Cheese Crisp Crackers and the perfect treat to bake. Savory, gluten free and oh-so-delicious, they're full of good-for-you ingredients that you can feel good about serving to family and friends. In this recipe, sharp cheddar cheese and butter are used to create a savory flavor that snack connoisseurs will love! And instead of all-purpose flour, brown rice flour and organic coconut flour are used to achieve a mild and agreeable taste that allows these crackers to pair perfectly with dips, jams and charcuterie. Or, you can enjoy them alone and soak up the sharp cheddar cheese flavor one bite at a time.
The next time you get an itch to bake a batch of delicious crackers, take the time to review these tips first. By following the tips and tricks listed above, making the perfect crackers is as easy as pieliterally. At Bob's Red Mill, we have several cracker recipes to choose from to begin your baking journey. We can't wait to see which you choose. From our family to yours, happy baking!
Have a tip or trick that you always use when making crackers at home? We'd love to hear what it is. Share your cracker baking secrets with us in the comments below.
