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Homemade crackers are so much easier than you’d think! A handful of pantry staples, a little fresh rosemary, and about 10 minutes of prep is all it takes to make crispy, golden crackers that beat anything from a box.
We are all snackers in this house, and crackers are always on my grocery list. But it can be hard to find a good cracker that you actually feel good about eating, which is exactly why I started making my own. This easy cracker recipe uses ingredients you already have, no fancy equipment, and comes together faster than a trip to the store.
My favorite way to make them is with rosemary and olive oil with a little garlic in the background. They go with just about anything, from a big cheese board to a bowl of soup, and they’re downright addicting to eat on their own. Once you see how simple they are, you can switch up the flavors a million different ways to match whatever you’re serving.
Erin’s Notes
- Pantry staples. Flour, olive oil, water, baking powder, and salt make up the base. No butter to cut in and no food processor needed.
- Quick to make. About 10 minutes of hands-on time, and they bake in 12 to 14 minutes.
- Crispy and golden. Pressed thin and baked hot, they have that satisfying snap you want in a cracker.
- Easy to customize. Swap the herbs, add cheese, or top them with Everything Bagel seasoning.
- Kid-friendly project. Mixing, pressing, and cutting the dough is a fun one to make together.
- Perfect for entertaining. They make any cheese board or dip feel a little more special.
Ingredients For Homemade Crackers
- All-Purpose Flour: The base of the dough. Spoon and level it so you don’t pack in too much, which can make the dough dry.
- Baking Powder: Just a teaspoon gives the crackers a little lift so they’re crisp and light instead of dense.
- Sea Salt: Seasons the dough. You can also sprinkle a little flaky salt on top before baking.
- Fresh Rosemary: Chop it finely so it spreads through the dough and doesn’t leave big woody pieces.
- Warm Water: Brings the dough together into a smooth ball.
- Olive Oil: Adds flavor and helps the crackers bake up crisp. It’s a big part of the flavor, so use one you like the taste of.
- Garlic Powder: Dusted over the top before baking for a little savory flavor in the background.
Homemade Crackers
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 2/3 cup warm water
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º F. Spray 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray or line with a baking mat. Set aside.
- In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, and rosemary.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 2 teaspoon fresh rosemary
- In a 2 cup measuring cup, combine water and olive oil. Stir into flour mixture until it forms a smooth ball.2/3 cup warm water, 1/3 cup olive oil
- Divide dough in half. Using your hands, flatten the dough onto the cookie sheets. You want to get it as thin as possible.
- Lightly sprinkle garlic powder evenly over the dough.1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Using a pizza cutter, slice into squares.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
- Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
- Store in an air tight container.
Notes
- For more even crackers, roll the dough out between two sheets of parchment paper with a rolling pin instead of pressing by hand.
- Prick the dough all over with a fork before baking to keep large air bubbles from forming.
- Thinner crackers bake faster. If the edges are done before the center, remove them and return the rest to the oven.
- Store in an airtight container for about a week. Re-crisp softened crackers in the oven for a few minutes.
- The dough can be wrapped tightly and frozen. Thaw until soft enough to press out, then bake as directed.
- Recipe adapted from Diethood
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How To Make Homemade Crackers
This cracker recipe is so much easier to make than you could ever imagine! Just a few simple steps and 5 minutes until they are in the oven baking to crispy perfection.
- Prep the pans. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray or line them with baking mats.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and finely chopped rosemary.
- Add the wet ingredients. In a 2-cup measuring cup, stir together the warm water and olive oil. Pour it into the flour mixture and stir until it forms a smooth ball.
- Press the dough thin. Divide the dough in half. Use your hands to flatten each half onto a cookie sheet, getting it as thin as you possibly can. The thinner the dough, the crispier the crackers.
- Season. Lightly sprinkle the garlic powder evenly over the top of the dough.
- Cut into squares. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into squares right on the pan.
- Bake. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until crispy and golden brown. The exact time depends on how thin your dough is.
- Cool. Let the crackers cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. They’ll keep crisping up as they cool.
Recipe Tips
- Thin is everything. Thick spots stay soft and chewy in the middle. Aim for an even layer all the way to the edges.
- Use a rolling pin if you like. Pressing by hand works great, but you can also roll the dough out between two sheets of parchment and slide it onto the pan for a more even thickness.
- Dock the dough. Poking the dough all over with a fork before baking keeps big air bubbles from puffing up and gives the crackers that classic look.
- Watch the edges. The thinner outside pieces brown first. If some are done before the center, pull them off and return the rest to the oven for a few more minutes.
- Don’t overwork the dough. Stir just until it comes together in a smooth ball. Too much mixing can make the crackers tough.
- Cool completely before storing. Any warmth trapped in the container turns into steam and softens the crackers.
Cracker Recipe Variations
There are lots of ways that you can make these crackers your own.
- Everything Bagel: Skip the rosemary and garlic and sprinkle Everything But The Bagel seasoning over the top before baking. This is my other favorite way to make them.
- Cheese Crackers: Mix a little of your favorite shredded cheese into the dough to turn these into homemade cheese crackers.
- Other Herbs: Thyme, oregano, or basil all work great in place of the rosemary. Or leave the herbs out completely for a plain cracker.
- Spicy: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the dough, or sprinkle coarse black pepper over the top for a peppery kick.
What To Serve With Homemade Crackers
These crackers are made for dipping, topping, and sharing. A few of my favorite ways to serve them:
- Cheese boards: Pile them next to cheeses, cured meats, and Rosemary Roasted Olives. See my How to Make a Charcuterie Board post for building the board.
- Dips: Spinach Artichoke Dip, Goat Cheese Dip, Chipotle Bacon Ranch Dip, or Restaurant Style Salsa.
- Soups: Crumble them over Chicken Noodle Soup, Cowboy Soup, or Cheeseburger Soup.
How To Store Homemade Crackers
Room temperature: Store cooled crackers in an airtight container for about a week.
Re-crisping: If they lose some crunch, spread them on a baking sheet and warm them in the oven for a few minutes. Let them cool and they’ll crisp right back up.
Make ahead and freeze: Make the dough, wrap the ball tightly, and freeze it until you’re ready to press it out and bake. Let it thaw until it’s soft enough to press before shaping.
The most common reason is that the dough was too thick. Press or roll it as thin as you can, and make sure it’s even so the middle doesn’t stay soft. Underbaking is the other culprit, so wait until they’re golden brown, and always let them cool completely before storing.
It’s optional, but docking the dough with a fork before baking helps keep big air pockets from forming so the crackers bake flatter and more evenly.
Yes! Keep the olive oil the same since it flavors the crackers, but expect them to brown and crisp a little faster. Start checking them a few minutes early.
Making my own crackers is definitely on my list of things to eventually do! You did a great job with yours =)
Erin, the hubby and I both enjoyed these crackers for our movie night snack — they were so quick to make, too! Thanks for a great recipe!
My kids had a blast making these with me and everyone loved snacking on them! 🙂
This is easy and fun to make! I really enjoyed them. Highly recommended!
These crackers look so delicious and very tasty! I can’t wait to make these for get togethers and movie nights! Excited to make these tonight for our movie!
Can you add feta or goat cheese to this recipe and if so would I reduce the water in it?
I haven’t ever tried it, so I don’t know. I would start with a little less water and just add a little bit at a time until it forms a dough.
These were so good!! Thank you so much for having a straight forward simple recipe that doesn’t have 18 ingredients.
I made a batch and they are SOOOOOO good so i made another but this time I used Oregano instead of Rosemary. They are still in the oven so IDK taste yet. Its so very easy to make. Much easier than bread or pie dough. Im bringing cheese and crackers to TG dinner. Thanks for this recipe. Yum!
Can I make these in a Convection oven? I am thinking it would require less olive oil.
The oil is in the dough and flavors the crackers, so no you wouldn’t want to use less. But you could make them in a convection oven, they would likely take less time to get browned and crispy.