Making your own crackers seems a lot more complicated than it actually is. But this works in your favor, because when you make these delicious Basil and Sun-Dried Tomato Crackers, people are going to be really impressed. You don't have to tell them that it was easy; just let them be in awe of your culinary skills!
I had wanted to make crackers for a while, but in my head, it was some epic process like canning or making caramels (which I've done, and it was most definitely an epic process). Crackers, however, are not an epic process at all. They're a little bit fussy, but they're fairly easy to make and quick too.
That said, it took me more than one try to get these right. So now you can benefit from my mistakes! Here's what I learned:
- Roll these out thin. Thin. Because if you don't, they won't be crispy and crackery. They'll be sad and soggy. No one wants to eat soggy crackers! Except my husband, who ate my first batch of soggy, too-thick crackers. "They're a good starting point," he said. Which is supportive husband speak for, "These are barely edible."
- Take the time to chop the sun-dried tomatoes into very small pieces. If they stick out from the dough, they'll burn.
- Don't overwork the dough. Don't do it! I always overwork dough. But if you overwork the dough for these crackers, they'll be tough.
- Make sure the dough is rolled out to a uniform thickness. You don't want burnt edges and a soft middle.
Once I corrected my mistakes, the crackers turned out perfect. And then I basked in the glory of making my own crackers—like Martha Stewart! Except Martha Stewart would probably get hers right the first time. So maybe not like Martha Stewart. But anyway! I made crackers. You can make crackers. Let's make some crackers!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup whole-wheat flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup water
- 3 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes minced (I used the dry ones, but oil-packed would probably work just fine)
- 3 tbsp fresh basil chopped
- sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Whisk together flours and salt in a medium bowl. Add olive oil, water, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil. Stir until just combined, being careful not to overwork the dough.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer cracker dough to baking sheet and roll out dough to about the thickness of a saltine. Use a knife or pizza cutter to mark dough into rectangles. Don't cut the dough all the way through; just draw the lines on it. Prick each individual cracker with a fork a few times and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Bake for 15-25 minutes or until crisp and just beginning to brown. Baking time depends on thickness of crackers, so be sure to keep an eye on them! Allow to cool completely and then break sheet into individual crackers. Store in an airtight container.
- If crackers get stale, bake at 225°F for 10 minutes or until crisp.
Ray Ruiz says
I'm really picky on which recipes I use but these were amazing . Roll as thin as you can !
Tovah says
These no yeast in this recipe! Grat for Passover!
Thanks!
Tovah
M Stout says
Hallo Kiersten,
Ik heb een vraag: wat bedoel je met "c"?
ingrediënten:
1 c. bloem voor alle doeleinden (Wat bedoel je met 1c?)
3/4 c. volkoren meel (Wat bedoel je met 3/4c?)
1/2 theel. zout
3 el. olijfolie
1/2 c. water (Wat bedoel je met 1/2c?)
3 el. fijngehakte zongedroogde tomaten (ik gebruikte de droge, maar olie-gevuld zou waarschijnlijk prima werken)
3 el. gehakte verse basilicum
zeezout voor beregening