How to Make Homemade Crackers Crispy

If you've ever tried cheese crackers with the perfect crispy crunch, then you know just how great they taste. While making a flavorful cheese cracker might not sound all that hard, there are a few tips to follow to ensure recipe success. With the right recipe and ingredients, making crackers from scratch is almost as easy as baking cookies.

At Bob's Red Mill, we've tried and tested nearly all of the cracker recipes out there and made customizations along the way to create the ideal homemade cheese crackers. Continue reading to discover how to create savory and salty snack crackers that everyone will love!

Why Make Crackers at Home?

Sometimes we get the craving for something sweet and salty, and for many, most of the options on grocery store shelves can be pretty tempting. While those options may be loaded with a cheesy, buttery flavor, they're also packed with calorie-laden ingredients that aren't great for your health. By making crackers at home, you can skip over the artificial flavorings, sugars and preservatives and stick to the good stuff—wholesome and healthy ingredients.

The next time you set out to make crackers, search for recipes that use healthy ingredients like whole wheat flour, almond flour and rye. Not only do these ingredients help your crackers taste great, but they all fill them with beneficial vitamins and minerals essential for good health. 

How to Make Homemade Crackers Crispy

Now before we dive into a few of our favorite homemade cheese cracker recipes, let's first discuss a few ways you can ensure your crackers have the perfect crispy crunch. Following the tips and tricks below will ensure that your homemade crackers are the appetizer everyone is talking about. Let's get started!

Create a Moist Cracker Dough

The type of flour for your crackers you use will determine how much water the recipe will need. With most flours, just a little bit of water and oil is needed to add the right amount of moisture. Whether mixing by hand or using a food processor, you will want to add more water as needed to create a flexible dough that will produce crispy crackers.

Thin Crackers = Crispy Crackers

The next step in creating the perfect crisp is to roll your cracker dough out thin, very thin. For a crispy result, we recommend rolling the dough out the 1/16-inch thickness. The method in which this is done will depend largely on the recipe and the flour being used. While some recipes use a pasta machine, other recipes achieve proper thickness with a rolling pin.

Let the Dough Rest

When creating crispy crackers, one of the most critical steps is letting the dough rest. To ensure that your dough rests properly, first cover it in plastic wrap and let it sit for at least 15 minutes. Doing so will allow the gluten in your dough to bind and relax and build moisture creating a dough that's easier to roll with a rolling pin.

Create the Right Shape

While creative and unique shapes might be a bit more decorative than traditional squares, they're much harder to produce. And because the thickness of decorative shapes is not consistent, the crackers may not turn out as crispy as you'd hoped. To create crackers with the right crunch, we recommend sticking with square and rectangle-shaped crackers with straight edges. These shapes will help the crackers bake more evenly. Use a pizza cutter or pastry cutter to get clean edges and even squares.

Check Crackers Regularly While Baking

Though different recipes will require unique baking times, don't be afraid to regularly adjust the oven temperature and check on the crackers. If you notice that your crackers aren't as crispy as you'd like, turn up the heat a bit. On the contrary, it may be time to turn down the heat if they're beginning to brown too quickly.

Kick Condensation to the Curb

If you want your keto cheese crackers cooked with a killer crunch, don't let them sit on the baking sheet too long after baking. Instead, once your crackers are done, move them straight onto the cooling rack allowing the air to circulate beneath them, removing condensation and creating crunch.

Keep Crackers Away from the Refrigerator

Refrigerators are an excellent way to keep most foods fresh. However, crackers are not one of them. Moisture is the number one way to kill a crunch, and placing crackers in the fridge can cause them to go soggy rather quickly. Instead, to keep your crackers crunchy, place them in an airtight container and store them at room temperature. They'll remain nice and crisp until you're ready to enjoy them.

Homemade Cheese Cracker Recipes

Like pasta, soup and rice, crackers top the list of our favorite foods. While there are several different flavors of crackers, one of the most loved is cheese-flavored crackers. The loveable flavor of cheese makes this type of cracker easy to pair with nearly anything. Incorporate cheese crackers into your next cheese board, pair them with a delicious healthy dip, or pack them as a snack alongside your favorite veggies. By using wholesome and healthy ingredients, you can whip up a snack that you won't feel guilty indulging in. For a delicious and cheesy treat, try one of the recipes below.

Homemade Cheese Crackers

A ridiculously tasty treat, these Homemade Cheese Crackers are just the recipe you need to take snacking to the next level. Full of zest and flavor, they're made with Bob's Red Mill Organic Unbleached All-Purpose White Flour, which has a protein content of 10-12%, making these crackers a nutrient-dense snack. When combined with a bit of shredded cheddar cheese, butter and garlic salt, they're the ideal snack to make for the entire family. Kids will love snacking on them for lunch, and adults will enjoy having a healthier option to reach for. 

Cheese Crisp Crackers

Eager to bake crackers that everyone can enjoy? This delicious Cheese Crisp Cracker recipe is just that. Made with a mixture of our Brown Rice Flour and Organic Coconut Flour, they're loaded with nutrients and entirely gluten free. It's a savory snack that pairs perfectly with dips, jams and charcuterie. These crackers are wonderfully enjoyed on their own or paired with dip as a delicious appetizer.

Cornmeal and Cheddar Crackers

While the words "cornmeal" and "crackers" are not commonly used in the same sentence, when combined, they make a tasty treat worth trying. To make these Cornmeal and Cheddar Crackers, whole wheat flour and medium-grind cornmeal are mixed, creating a dough that produces the ideal crisp. The flavor is taken to the next level when shredded cheddar cheese, unsalted butter and sea salt are added. Because this recipe only calls for five ingredients, it's easy to make at home—especially when you're trying to stay within budget. The low carb, soy-free and low sugar recipes make these crackers easy for individuals following strict diets to enjoy. Add these crackers to your recipe book, or find the recipe in our "Bob's Red Mill Baking Book."

Pea, Parmesan and Rosemary Crackers

Peas, parmesan, rosemary and . . . crackers? Yes, you read that right. While this might not sound like the ideal dinner dish, it does make for an incredible cracker recipe. At Bob's Red Mill, we love cooking, especially when it's done with creativity. Our former Packaging Content Manager Michelle is always up for an adventure in the kitchen, which is how she discovered this tasty treat. The ideal snack to share with friends and family, these crispy and cheesy  Pea, Parmesan and Rosemary Crackers are made with green pea flour, which gives each batch a unique nutritional profile and crunch. Flavored with garlic powder, parmesan cheese, rosemary and spinach, it's a snack that's hard to put down. However, the good news is that you don't have to. The wholesome ingredients used to make these crackers create a guilt-free treat that you can feel good enjoying with your family. Prepped and cooked in under an hour, make this snack the day-of to ensure freshness and flavor.

Now that you know how to make homemade crackers crispy, it's time to test your skills and bake a batch of these cheese crackers at home. The result is bound to be delicious whether you choose a savory option like the rosemary parmesan crackers or keep it simple and make cheese crisps. For a truly memorable baking experience, double up on the recipe and save some for friends and family to try. These crackers are sure to be a hit. From everyone at Bob's Red Mill, we wish you a healthy and happy day!

Have a cheese cracker recipe that you'd like us to try? Or maybe a crispy cracker tip that we haven't heard of yet? We'd love to hear more about how you make this delicious treat—let us know in the comments below!