Hand-Made Crackers

Soup and crackers is a pretty humble meal, but with hand-made crackers, it goes to a whole ‘nother level.

The winter months are here, it’s getting cold outside, and this is the time of year that we tend to eat more soups and stews. Crackers are a classic thing to have with such meals. Historically this was likely due to the fact that crackers store much longer than bread, and because they are a great way to “stretch a meal out” - such that enough soup for four people can feed five or six when crackers are added. Today, we just buy crackers from a store, but long ago, they were made by hand. While the convenience of store-bought crackers is hard to dispute, I would argue that the flavor and texture of hand-made crackers is equally hard to dispute. Give this recipe a try, and I think you will find that the results are totally worth the effort - and they really don’t require much effort - since with a little practice, these only take about 10 minutes get into the oven.

So simple, yet so delightful!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups flour

  1 tsp sugar

  1 tsp salt

  1/4 tsp baking soda

  1/4 cup butter/margarine/fat

  1/4 cup cold water

  Oven at 415 F

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 415 F.

2. Combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.

3. Cut in the butter with a fork and knife.

   

   When the butter has been cut in, the mixture should have a meal-like texture, similar to that of uncooked oatmeal.

4. Add the water and mix until combined¹.

5. On floured surface, roll out dough until about 1/8 inch.

   

   As a general rule - I just roll it out until I’m tired of rolling it out.

6. Perforate entire surface of dough with fork tines.

7. Cut into desired shapes.

8. Place onto cookie sheet.

   

   Try to ensure that they aren’t touching each other.

9. Sprinkle a small amount of salt on top of each cracker.

10. Place in oven for 5-8 minutes².

11. Set on a cooling rack. Let them air out for at least an hour before placing in a container.

Why this works:

The smell of fresh crackers coming out of the oven is something really special. I don’t understand how this simple set of ingredients can produce such a pleasing aroma when baked, but it does, and it really amplifies the anticipation of a meal for everyone in the house. Crackers are a celebration of simplicity, and the marvelous way that heat can transform a collection of starches, fats and chemicals into complex flavors and aromas. Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think!

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Watch them being made:

1. This will take some kneading with the hands. If it refuses to come together, add a teaspoon of water, try for another minute, and if it still doesn’t come together, repeat. Just don’t add too much water or they will not have the right texture.

2. This cooking time makes them firm but not crispy, because that’s how I like them. To make them crispy just cook for an extra couple minutes.