Everything Crackers

Try including something homemade on a cheese and charcuterie plate like these everything crackers. Or just bake them for a snack with hummus.

Sometimes people can be self-conscious talking about food around me.

They make the mistake of assuming I am judging them for their style of cooking at home, especially when it involves anything premade or not fully made from scratch.

This could not be further from the truth.

We all have different interests and skills, it would be unfair, and frankly, ridiculous of me to silently, or worse verbally, voice my disapproval for someone’s culinary choices.

And actually, I love a store-bought shortcut.

There is a time and a place for every last dish on your dinner table to be cranked out from your kitchen, but only tackle that when you’re in the mood with the right hours and minutes in the day to do it.

Try A Homemade Cracker Recipe

What I will encourage you to attempt is selective from scratch cooking or baking, which is how I think of these everything crackers.

Of course, you could buy a package of crackers or a freshly baked baguette for a charcuterie plate, but when everything from the cheese to the fruit to the olives to the cured meats are ready-to-go when you buy them, why not make your own crackers?

The dough doesn’t take long to make, and it’s kind of fun to cut out your own crackers.

At least I think so!

The Ingredients for Easy Homemade Crackers

This is what you need for this cracker recipe:

• Everything seasoning
• All-purpose flour
• Whole wheat flour
• Granulated sugar
• Olive oil
• Water
• Salt & Pepper

What’s in Everything Seasoning?

I like to joke that I would put everything on everything. This classic bagel mix is a magical combination of flavorings including poppy seeds, sesame seeds, coarse salt, garlic flakes and dried onions.

You can make your own, but you can buy it, too. I know lots of people love Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel Seasoning.

How To Make Everything Crackers

First, I combine the dry ingredients, a mix of all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, a touch of granulated sugar, salt and pepper.

Then I stir in a half cup water and a couple tablespoons of olive oil.

The dough will be shaggy when it first comes together. After that I just go in with my hands and lightly knead the dough into a smooth ball.

Before I roll it out, I let the dough sit for 10 minutes. This helps the gluten relax.

Still, I find it can take a little muscle to start the dough when you are rolling it out.

Not that I count baking as a workout, but I think using a rolling pin is more about core strength than arms.

If you press too hard with your upper body, you are more likely to end up with dough that is thinner in some spots than others.

Once the dough is rolled out between an 1/16-inch – 1/8-inch thick, I use a pizza cutter to cut it into rectangles that are 1-inch wide by 3-inches long.

It’s even better to use a fluted cutter to get those lovely zigzag edges. If you don’t have either, you can just use a sharp knife.My other favorite tool for this task is a metal ruler for a straight edge and measurements.

Then I arrange the unbaked crackers on parchment paper-lined sheet pans, brush them with water and sprinkle them with everything seasoning.

They bake to a crisp light golden brown in 12-14 minutes.

With some cracker recipes, you prick the cut-out dough with a fork before baking, but I like the more from-scratch look with bubbles.

When the crackers don’t look perfectly uniform, they are practically screaming that they are homemade. And you should get credit for your hard work! In this case, imperfection is a good thing. Rustic crackers are more appealing anyway.

What To Serve With Crackers

I love using these on cheese boards and charcuterie plates along with dried fruit, fresh fruit, marinated olives and homemade onion jam. My goal is to have a mix of salty and sweet elements to nibble on.

Sometimes I will bake a batch of crackers without a plan other than snacking.

They are really good with dips or spreads like red pepper hummus or even cream cream cheese, like a bagel. Or try serving them with salads instead of a hunk of crusty bread.

Storing

Keep the crackers in an airtight container at room temperature, so they stay fresh and crisp. They are best eaten within 3-5 days.

Try These Other Cracker Recipes

Homemade Cheese Crackers with Cheddar
Easy Herb Crackers

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