How to Make Cracker Recipes

When I learned how to make cracker recipes I realized that they have a place in our cuisine all year round and for many purposes. In the cold winter months we add crackers along with steaming hot bowls of soup. During the hot summer months we might want to serve them with fresh crispy salads or perhaps with a simple appetizer. For the holidays most of us present our best recipes for appetizers like cheese balls, dips and spreads and crackers are a “must have”.

How to Make Cracker RecipesHow to Make Cracker Recipes

I often keep a selection of crackers on hand for different occasions; buying rather than making simply for convenience. After looking at these recently in the grocery store, I decided to learn how to make cracker recipes instead of purchasing them. Have you checked the prices lately? Besides price, I noticed that they all contain so many preservatives and added chemicals.


If you are learning how to make cracker recipes they might also be called biscuits, wafers or crispbread.  Whatever the name, they are simply unleavened thin flatbread. The name of crackers is traced back to the eighteen hundreds and a sea captain from Massachusetts named Josiah Bent. By accident he burned biscuits in his baking business causing a cracking noise; “cracker” came from this.

Crackers and cookies are close enough to be “kissing cousins”. Both are often referred to as wafers, biscuits and other terms. Many think the difference is that cookies are sweetened and crackers are not. This might be true some of the time but not always; think about graham crackers which are a little sweet. The difference is more with the leavening and the crispness. Most cracker recipes do not contain leavening and due to the limited fat in crackers they are crisper.

Biscuit: Here in the United States we call a soft leavened small round bread a biscuit. The one I am referring to is the British type of biscuit; a hard crispy unleavened, mostly unsweetened cookie type (or cracker).

Wafer: This is another term, most often used in Latin American countries, to refer to crackers or cookies. These are very thin flatbreads which can be sweet as well as unsweetened. Unleavened “wafers” are commonly used in the churches for communion.

Crisp Bread: In many countries like Sweden and Finland the crisp unleavened crackers are called crisp breads. Traditionally they consist of rye flour, salt and water.

Flatbreads: These can be a thin “cracker” or thicker breads like pita. The recipes like our crackers have no leavening and are thin and crispy. The thicker versions like the pitas may have a leavening of yeast or a sourdough culture.

The most common of the cracker recipes is the soda cracker but wonderful tasting ones can be made by using different types of flour. Wonderful herbs and spices like sage, dill, thyme, cayenne, cinnamon and cardamom can be added to make delicious recipes. Frequently various cheeses and seeds are incorporated in the recipes which produces great crackers.

HOW TO MAKE CRACKER RECIPES like these 
ICE BOX CHEESE WAFERS RECIPE

Ice Box Cheese Wafers RecipeIce Box Cheese Wafers Recipe

When you learn how to make cracker recipes, the possibilities are endless.

  • 10 Ounces sharp shredded Cheddar cheese
  • ½ Cup softened butter
  • Pinch cayenne
  • Pinch black pepper
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 Teaspoon fresh chopped chives
  • 1 ½ Cups flour (sift then measure)

Beat butter, cheese, salt, pepper, cayenne, chives and Worcestershire until creamy.

Add flour and mix well with hands; make into a long roll (size of quarter or a little larger)

Wrap roll in wax paper and refrigerate until cold.

Preheat oven to 325F degrees.

Slice roll about ¼ inch thick and place on ungreased baking sheet; bake until very light brown.

Makes about 65.

Ice Box Cheese Wafers RollIce Box Cheese Wafers Roll
Ice Box Cheese Wafers SlicedIce Box Cheese Wafers Sliced

GRAHAM CRACKERS RECIPE

Graham Crackers RecipeGraham Crackers Recipe
  • 1 Cup all purpose flour
  • ½ Cup rye flour
  • 5 Tablespoons sugar
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • ½ Teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 Teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ Teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3 Tablespoons cold butter cut in little pieces
  • ¼ Cup solid shortening
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 1 Tablespoon molasses
  • ¼ Cup ice water
  • 1 Teaspoon vanilla

Combine flours, sugar, salt, soda, baking powder and cinnamon in a large bowl.

With fingers work in butter and shortening until crumbly. 

Combine honey, molasses, water and vanilla.

Slowly add honey mixture to dry ingredients while tossing with a fork to make a dough.

NOTE: Do not add any additional water.

Press dough together into a disk; wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350F degrees.

Divide dough in half; roll each half to a 7X15 inch rectangle. 

NOTE: I draw this out on parchment paper to use as a pattern.

Roll between 2 pieces of parchment (I put my pattern as the top piece to get it as “squared” as possible).

Peel off top piece of parchment; prick dough with a fork.

Cut strips of the dough 2 to 2 ½ inch intervals; lift the parchment paper with the strips onto a baking sheet.

Bake about 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

As soon as they come out of the oven I cut the lines (that I previously cut) before they firm up.

Cool completely and then remove from tray; REPEAT PROCESS with second half of dough.

Store in airtight container.

Unbaked Graham CrackersUnbaked Graham Crackers

POPPY SEED CRACKERS

  • ½ Cup whole wheat flour
  • ½ Cup all purpose flour
  • 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
  • ½ Cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 Cup vegetable oil
  • 1 Teaspoon soy sauce
  • 2 to 3 Tablespoons ice water

Combine flours, seeds and cheese in medium bowl; add oil and soy sauce and blend well.
Add enough water and mix until mixture forms a ball; wrap dough and chill for 30 minutes.
Place dough ball in middle of oiled baking sheet; roll into 9 X 12 inch rectangle 1/8 inch thick.
With pizza cutter or knife cut into 1 ½ X 2 inch rectangles.
Bake in preheated oven at 325F degrees 15 to 18 minutes or until firm; cool.

LOG CABIN CHEDDAR CHEESE LOGS

This recipe makes about 40 sticks; to serve arrange to look like a log cabin and serve with favorite dip.

  • ¼ Cup soft butter
  • 1 Cup grated Cheddar cheese
  • ¼ Cup milk
  • ¼ Teaspoon salt
  • Dash Tabasco
  • Dash paprika
  • Dash cayenne pepper
  • ¾ Cup flour
  • 1 ½ Cups soft bread crumbs

Cream butter, cheese, milk, salt, Tabasco, paprika and cayenne.
Combine flour and bread crumbs; add to mixture.
Divide mixture in half and chill overnight.
Roll out half of dough between two pieces of wax paper until very thin.
Working quickly use knife or pastry wheel; cut into strips 5 inches long and 1 inch wide.
Place strips on cookie sheet and top with coarse salt or grated Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350F degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown

SALTINE CRACKER RECIPE

  • 2 Cups flour
  • ½ Teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 Teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • ½ Cup milk

Sift together flour, cream of tartar and salt in bowl; dissolve soda in the milk.
Stir milk into dry ingredients; pat dough very thinly on lightly greased baking sheet.
Cut into small squares; bake in preheated oven at 400F degrees for 10 minutes or until brown.
Sprinkle with salt.
NOTE: If preferred brush with beaten egg white and 1 teaspoon water

CHEDDAR CHEESE CRACKERS RECIPE

  • 2 Cups shredded Cheddar cheese
  • ½ Cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ Cup softened butter
  • 3 Tablespoons water
  • 1 Cup flour
  • ¼ Teaspoon salt
  • 1 Cup uncooked oatmeal

Beat cheeses, butter and water until smooth.
Add flour and mix well; stir in oatmeal until blended.
Shape dough to form 2 twelve inch rolls; wrap tightly and refrigerate 4 hours.
Cut into 1/8 to ¼ inch slices; place on lightly greased baking trays.
Flatten slightly and bake cracker recipe at 400F degrees until edges are slightly browned.

RYE CRISPBREAD RECIPE

  • 1 ¾ Cups rye flour
  • 1 ½ Cups whole wheat flour
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • ½ Teaspoon finely ground caraway
  • 2 Pinches freshly ground fennel
  • ½ Cup warm water
  • 3 Tablespoons warm buttermilk
  • 3 Tablespoons sunflower oil
  • Oil for brushing

Sift flours, salt, caraway and fennel in large bowl; make well in center.
Combine water, buttermilk and oil; pour in well in flour mixture.
Mix liquid into flour mixture until dough forms.
Turn dough out onto lightly wheat floured surface; knead about 15 to 20 minutes.
Place dough in greased bowl, cover and let rise about 1 ½ hours.
Roll dough out on lightly wheat floured surface to ¼ inch thickness.
Cut into strips about 1 ½ X 3 inches and place on butter greased baking sheet.
Brush with warm water and sprinkle cracker recipe with seeds (caraway, poppy or sesame seeds)
Bake in preheated oven at 400F degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

PARMESAN POPPY SEED RECIPE

This cracker recipe are great for parties and easy to make.

  • ¼ Cup butter
  • 1 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 Cup self rising flour
  • 1 Cup sour cream
  • 1 Tablespoon poppy seed
  • 1 Egg white

Cream butter; add cheese, flour, sour cream and seeds and mix into soft dough.
Roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness; cut into diamond shapes with pizza cutter.
Beat egg white and brush over dough; place on greased baking sheet (If too soft, place in freezer 5 minutes)
Bake in preheated oven at 350F degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.
Cool completely and serve with dips or spreads.

SESAME RECIPE FOR INITIAL CRACKERS

  • ½ Cup flour
  • 1/8 Teaspoon garlic salt
  • 2 Tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 3 Tablespoons cold butter
  • 2 Tablespoons ice water

Combine and mix flour, garlic salt and sesame seeds; cut in cold butter until crumbly.
Sprinkle on ice water; mix to form a ball.
Roll skinny snakes and shape initials.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet and flatten slightly.
Bake in preheated oven at 350F degrees for 15 minutes; cool.

REFRIGERATOR CHEESE WAFERS

  • ½ Pound grated cheese
  • ¼ Pound softened butter
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • Small pinch red pepper
  • 1 ½ Cups sifted flour

Cream together cheese, butter, salt and pepper; add flour and mix well.
Shape into roll, wrap in wax paper and refrigerate.
When needed slice into wafer thin slices and place on lightly greased baking sheet.
Bake in preheated oven at 350F degrees until set.
NOTE: A pecan half may be added on top for decoration.

CHEESE BISCUITS RECIPE

  • ½ Pound shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 2 Cups flour
  • 1 Cup softened butter
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • 2 Drops Tabasco sauce
  • Dash paprika

Cream butter; work in cheese.

Add flour, salt, Tabasco and paprika; work together with hands.

Refrigerate dough overnight.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Roll dough about ¼ inch thick; cut with a round cutter.

Bake until light brown about 12 minutes.

CHEESE BISCUITS RECIPE

How to make a cracker recipe with a little sweetness.

  • ½ Pound softened butter
  • ½ Pound grated Cheddar cheese
  • 2 Cups flour
  • Crushed almonds
  • Powdered sugar for dusting tops

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Cream butter and cheese together; blend in flour.

Roll dough about ¼ inch thick; cut with a small biscuit cutter and place on baking sheet.

Sprinkle tops with crushed almonds; bake until golden brown.

Cool; sift powdered sugar over the tops.