Homemade Herb Crackers
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It’s my little trick when I have five minutes to spare and have guests over: I make my homemade herb crackers, and everyone asks me where I bought them! Well, it didn’t cost me a thing, since I usually already have all the ingredients at home.
For the dough, you’ll only need four ingredients that you probably already have on hand: flour, water, olive oil, and salt. Then you can add fresj thyme and rosemary for flavor, just like I did. And that’s it!
You’ll see, in this article, I’ll show you how to make perfect crackers that are thin, dry, and stay crispy for several days. They’re perfect as an appetizer or served with a cheese and charcuterie board.
Recipe Card
Homemade Herb Crackers
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Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g)
- ½ cup oat spelt, or buckwheat flour (60 g), depending on your preference
- ¾ tsp salt (4 g)
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
- 6 tbsp water cold, (90 ml)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the finishing touches
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt flakes or Fleur de sel
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) convection, or 375°F (190°C) conventional.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the flours, salt, thyme, and rosemary.
- Pour in the cold water and olive oil, then mix until the dough comes together and is smooth. If it feels too dry, add a little more water, a splash at a time.
- Shape the dough into a ball without overworking it, then let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Roll the dough out thinly on a sheet of floured parchment paper. If it sticks or fights you, lay a second sheet on top and roll between the two.
- Slide the dough (still on its parchment) onto a baking sheet, then pre-cut the crackers with a serrated pizza wheel. Sprinkle a little fleur de sel on top.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on thickness, keeping a close eye on them as they can brown fast. Pull them out as soon as they’re golden and brush with a little warm olive oil for extra flavor and shine (optional). Let them cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Why Aren’t Your Homemade Crackers Crispy?
This is the most common problem with homemade crackers: they tend to stay a little soft and aren’t really crispy. I’ll explain you why this happens and how to make your crackers super crispy next time:
- You didn’t roll them out thin enough: that’s often the problem. You really need to roll out the dough very thinly. If it’s hard to roll out, place it between two sheets of parchment paper and press down firmly with your rolling pin. And if the dough shrinks back, let it rest in the fridge for 20 minutes, then try again.
- You didn’t let them cool on a rack: if you leave them on the hot baking sheet right after taking them out of the oven, the steam gets trapped underneath and makes them soggy. If you stack them right away, the same will happen.
- You didn’t wait long enough before putting them away: before you store them, make sure they’re completely cool.
Are your crackers already cold and a little soggy? Place them on a baking sheet, set the oven to 300 °F ( 150°C), and let them dry for 4 to 6 minutes. The remaining moisture will evaporate, and they’ll regain their crunch.
What to Put in Homemade Crackers?
Once you know the basic recipe, you can customize the flavors based on what you have in your pantry or the spreads you’ll be serving with it. Here are some ideas:
- Fresh herbs: oregano, savory, chives, basil, parsley.
- Dried herbs: herbes de Provence, dried oregano. Use a little less than you would with fresh herbs, since the flavor is more concentrated.
- Seeds: sesame, poppy, flax, and pumpkin. They roast during baking and add a nice flavor to the crackers. If you use a lot of them, you may want to add a little water to the dough.
- Spices: a pinch of smoked paprika, cumin, or crushed pink peppercorns.
- Cheese: you can add grated parmesan cheese mixed directly into the dough (in which case, add a little water), or simply grated cheese sprinkled on top of the crackers just before baking.
What to Serve with Homemade Crackers?
To be honest, you can serve them with just about anything! Personally, I often serve them as an appetizer with a spread, like my black tapenade or my homemade green tapenade. They also go very well with salmon rillettes or my sardine rillettes. And recently, I served them with my artichoke dip and it was perfect!
Otherwise, sometimes I just serve them with a cheese or charcuterie board. You can also place them next to a salad, or crumble them into a soup as a substitute for croutons.
And if you’re into these little homemade savory bites, take a look at my herb and parmesan cookies or to stay in southern French flavors, my socca recipe (a chickpea-flour flatbread from Nice) is another nice appetizer idea.
How to Store Your Homemade Crackers?
Once they’re completely cool (and I mean completely, otherwise they’ll get soggy in the container), store them in an airtight container in a dry place.
Keep them out of the fridge, as the moist air will make them soggy. And if they’ve lost some of their crunch after a few days, just follow the tip I gave you above: pop them back in the oven for 4 to 6 minutes at 300°F (150°C).
FAQ — Homemade Herb Crackers
About a week, airtight, room temperature in a dry place. If they are getting a bit soft, place them 4-6 minutes at 300°F (150°C) in the oven or your air fryer to dry them again.
I you want to freeze your crackers, it’s best to freeze them raw, or simply the dough wrapped in plastic wrap. They will for up to 3 months. If you freeze them after baking, they tend to get soft when thawed.
I use all-purpose or bread flour as a base. But I never go 100% wheat for these. As it is high in gluten, it tends to makes the dough elastic and a bit tough. That’s why I go with 30% a buckwheat, spelt, or oat flour (all these flour are low or have no gluten) which makes the dough crumblier, so the cracker snaps clean instead of bending.
Yes, using a mix of gluten-free flours. The dough will be more crumbly and difficult to roll, so roll it out gently between two sheet of baking paper and handle it carefully when transferring it.
Yes. Chilling the dough for 30 minutes relaxes the gluten: the dough rolls out thinner without shrinking, and the thinner it is, the crispier the crackers will be.
Very tasty 😋😋😋
Thank you, Gemma!
They are the best
Thank you!
Thanks!
You’re welcome!
These are outstanding. I make them about once a month using different additions most of the time. They pair nicely with any beverage I have tried (I don’t drink sugared pops)
Thank you so much, Bill!