Give snack time an upgrade with homemade artisan crackers. Crispy, salty, savory, and endlessly customizable, the simple dough comes together quickly and easily in one bowl from basic pantry ingredients. These flavorful flatbread-style crackers are perfect for picnics, dunking into your favorite dips, and pairing with cheese or charcuterie.
Have you ever made homemade crackers before? I must admit, I haven’t played around with making crackers much over the years that I’ve been baking. I love this recipe for homemade cheese crackers, but that’s actually the only other cracker recipe on my website!
My team & I wanted to develop a great foundational cracker recipe, one that could be used as a jumping-off point for lots of different flavors. We tested many, many (I do mean many) batches until we got it right. And the resulting recipe you’ll see below makes crispy, salty, savory cracker deliciousness!
Why You’ll Love These Homemade Artisan Crackers:
- Made from simple, basic ingredients
- Customizable for so many flavors
- A no-yeast savory baking recipe
- Kid-approved
- Adds an instant upgrade to a charcuterie board
- Dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, and vegan recipe
- Fantastic with hummus, crab dip, various cheeses, or serve with a cranberry pecan cheese ball
- No mixer or food processor required; the dough comes together super quickly in 1 bowl with a wooden spoon. Back to basics!
One reader, Elyanna, commented: “This recipe was super easy to follow and honestly foolproof. I haven’t made crackers or flatbread before and these turned out great. My picky 3-year-old even ate some! ★★★★★“
One reader, Cheryl, commented: “These artisan crackers were a joy to make and even better to eat!! I made the black pepper and thyme version and they were the perfect accompaniment to my homemade tomato jam! I don’t think I’ll ever go back to store-bought. ★★★★★“
One reader, Kelly, commented: “‘These are the best crackers I’ve ever eaten,” was my family’s review of this recipe, and we’ve eaten our fair share of crackers! Not only are they delicious but relatively quick and easy to make. This recipe will be made repeatedly in our home from now on! ★★★★★“
8 Basic Ingredients for Homemade Crackers
Here’s what you need to make them:
- Flour: You need all-purpose flour for these crackers. We tested this with different varieties of gluten-free flours and the crackers were chip-your-teeth hard, so we don’t recommend substituting gluten-free flour here. Whole wheat flour created incredibly tough crackers, too. (You can try using 1/2 all-purpose and half whole wheat, though.)
- Sugar: Just a bit—these crackers aren’t sweet! Sugar helps create a crisp texture by inhibiting gluten development and contributes to the browning of the crackers.
- Salt: Essential for flavor.
- Onion & Garlic Powder: More essential flavor! We tested versions without these, and the crackers tasted a lot like plain wontons.
- Rosemary or other add-in: Finely chopped fresh rosemary gives the plain cracker base amazing savory flavor, but you can swap this out for something else. More on our favorite varieties below.
- Water: Brings all the dry ingredients together.
- Olive Oil: You need some for the dough, and more for brushing on top before baking.
- Flaky Sea Salt: For topping before baking. We like Maldon sea salt. (Not working with the brand, just genuinely use and love it!)
4 Favorite Ways to Flavor
- Freshly cracked black pepper + thyme
- Sesame seeds
- Everything bagel seasoning + dried chives
- Rosemary
Rosemary was the crowd’s favorite; I loved the sesame seed version the best, though!
Let Me Show You How to Make Them
Start by whisking together all the dry ingredients, including any herb/seed add-ins.
Pour in the water and olive oil and stir together with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula:
Turn the slightly wet dough out onto a floured countertop and knead it by hand, sprinkling on a little more flour as you go, until it’s no longer sticking to your hands and you can form it into a ball. This only takes a minute or two. Return the dough to the bowl and cover it.
Let the dough rest for at least 10 minutes before rolling it out.
After it’s had its rest, cut the dough in half:
Start with just one half of the dough, keeping the other half covered while you work with the first.
Tools for shaping homemade crackers:
Roll out the first half of the dough until it’s very, very thin. The thinner you can get the crackers, the crispier they will be after baking.
If the dough keeps shrinking back as you try to roll it out, cover it lightly and let it rest for 5 minutes, then try again. As the gluten relaxes, it will become easier to roll out. (It will most definitely shrink at first, so don’t get worried if it does!)
Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into rectangles, about 3 x 1.5 inches in size. A ruler is helpful here, but don’t worry about trying to cut perfect rectangles. The crackers will all shrink a bit and end up wonky shapes with uneven edges—all part of their rustic charm! These are handmade crackers, they’re not going to look like they were cut by machines in a factory.
The number of crackers you’ll get depends on how thin you roll the dough, how large you cut the crackers, and how much scrap you discard. My team and I typically got around 75–80 crackers per batch (but to be honest, we usually lost count…).
Transfer the cut crackers to a parchment-lined baking sheet. It’s best to use a light-colored (silver) baking sheet, rather than a dark-colored one, so the crackers don’t over-brown. I use and recommend these half sheet pans.
Dock (i.e., poke holes in) the crackers several times with a fork. This helps steam escape and prevents large bubbles forming. (You’ll still get some bubbling, that’s normal.)
Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. If you like, you can also sprinkle a little more of your chosen add-in on top, such as sesame seeds or everything bagel seasoning.
And bake! At 425°F (218°C), these crackers take about 9–12 minutes, give or take, depending on the size and thickness you make them. You’re aiming for golden brown, crispy crackers. They should continue to crisp up a bit more while they cool on the baking sheet.
And then repeat the shaping/baking steps with the remaining half of the cracker dough.
Success Tips for Making Homemade Crackers
- Let the dough rest. Trying to roll it out too soon is an exercise in frustration, trust me on this!
- Roll the dough out suuuuuper thin. The crackers need to be very thin to bake up crispy. Too thick and they taste a little chewy.
- If the dough keeps shrinking back as you roll it out, cover it lightly and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the gluten to relax, then try again.
- Use a light-colored (silver) baking sheet, not a dark baking sheet, and make sure your parchment paper is safe for high-temperature baking.
- Rotate the pan(s) halfway through baking, for even browning. Ovens can have hot spots, and this recipe will show you where they are!
- We don’t recommend using gluten-free flour in this recipe. The test batches we tried with different brands of GF flour came out chip-your-teeth hard. You’re better off looking for a cracker recipe that has been developed specifically to be gluten free.
- Homemade crackers get stale a lot faster than store-bought crackers, because they don’t have added preservatives. Store them in an airtight container in a dry spot, and, if needed, re-crisp them in the oven at 350°F (177°C) for up to 10 minutes.
Get creative and have fun with it—let us know what flavors you try in the comments!
Homemade Artisan Crackers
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes (includes cooling)
- Yield: 75–80 crackers
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Give snack time an upgrade with flavorful homemade artisan crackers. Crispy, salty, savory, and endlessly customizable, the simple dough comes together quickly and easily in one bowl from basic pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
Crackers
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading and rolling
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or other add-in (see Notes)*
- 2/3 cup (160g/ml) water
- 3 Tablespoons (41g/45ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing on top
- flaky sea salt, for topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and rosemary (or other add-ins). Pour in the water and olive oil and stir with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until the dough comes together in a clump.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Lightly flour your hands and the dough and knead it, sprinkling on a little more flour as you go, until it’s no longer sticking to your hands and you can shape it into a rough ball, about 1 to 2 minutes. Return the dough to the bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest for at least 10 minutes, and up to 1 hour at room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C) and line large silver baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cut the dough in half. Keep one half of the dough covered while you work with the other half.
- On a lightly floured work surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll one half of the dough out into a rectangle. Roll the dough very thin—about 1/16th of an inch (1.5mm). If the dough keeps shrinking back as you try to roll it out, lightly cover it and let it rest for 5 minutes, then try again. (Don’t worry if it shrinks, that’s completely normal and expected.)
- Using a ruler and a pizza cutter, cut the dough into small rectangles about 3 x 1.5 inches in size. Carefully transfer the crackers to the prepared baking sheet(s).
- Repeat steps 5 and 6 with the second half of dough.
- Dock (poke holes in) the crackers several times with a fork. Brush with olive oil, then sprinkle with flaky sea salt (and everything bagel seasoning or sesame seeds, if making those varieties. Note that extra seasonings on top can sometimes fall off of the crackers when eating them).
- Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 9–12 minutes. To ensure even browning, rotate the baking sheet(s) halfway through baking.
- Let crackers cool completely on the baking sheet(s) set on a cooling rack. Crackers need several minutes of cooling before they taste crispy. They taste fantastic with hummus, crab dip or other dips, various cheeses, or serve with a cranberry pecan cheese ball.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature in a dry place for up to 2 days. To re-crisp crackers, spread them on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Instructions: These crackers taste best for up to 2 days after you make them. See step 11 for how to re-crisp them, if desired. You can freeze cooled crackers. Cover tightly and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature. Re-crisp if needed (see step 11).
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spatula | Rolling Pin | Fluted Pastry Wheel or Pizza Cutter | Baking Sheets | Parchment Paper | Pastry Brush | Flaky Sea Salt | Cooling Rack
- Other Flavors/Add-Ins: Do not leave the crackers plain. You need a flavor in the dough. Instead of rosemary, try another favorite herb, or any of these team favorites:
- Black Pepper & Thyme: 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper (do not use pre-ground fine pepper) + 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme
- Everything & Chives: 1 Tbsp everything bagel seasoning (plus more for sprinkling on top) + 1 Tbsp dried chives
- Sesame Seed: 1 and 1/2 Tbsp sesame seeds (plus more for sprinkling on top)
- Gluten-Free Flour? We don’t recommend using gluten-free flour in this recipe. The test batches we tried with different brands of GF flour came out break-your-teeth hard. You’re better off looking for a cracker recipe that has been developed specifically to be gluten free.
- Whole Wheat Flour? Crackers made with whole wheat flour were also quite hard. If you want to use whole wheat flour, try using half all-purpose and half whole wheat. Expect a slightly dense, less crisp cracker.
Reader Comments and Reviews
So, I’ve been looking for a recipe I could work from to create some super healthy crackers for my daughter, because the ones she likes, which have assorted seed flours, cost a FORTUNE!
I used the recipe as is, except I replaced one of the cups of flour with a finely ground mixture of chia, sesame seeds, flax seeds, pepitas, sunflower seeds, as well as hemp hearts, and chickpea flour. Gave it a shake of garlic powder and onion powder, a scoop of nutritional yeast, and a shake of grated parmesan. Man, oh, man, are they delicious!! Honestly, as quick and easy as these are to make, it just isn’t worth buying crackers, which I now fully appreciate are way overpriced. Thanks for sharing!!!
I’ve made these about 6 times now, reducing the flour till I’m using about a half cup, with ¼ cup arrowroot or tapioca, and ¼ cup almond and the other cup a blend of ground flax seed, chia seed, pepitas, sunflower seeds, and hemp hearts. So dang good and an easy way to offer my texture sensitive, autistic daughter a healthy, crunchy treat! Thank you so much!
Hello there !
Thanks a lot for the recipe, I was just wondering how long it is possible to keep if they are well stored.
Thanks
Hi Julie, Store in an airtight container at room temperature in a dry place for up to 2 days. To re-crisp crackers, spread them on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Cool completely before serving.
These are so good! I feel like a real chef when I make these. I might never buy crackers again!
I tried this for the 1st time & they came out pretty good. I had a few issues with the 1st batch being burned. Reducing the baking time to about 5-6 minutes & keeping a close eye fixed that. Also, I did the seasoning process differently. After brushing with oil, I spread my everything bagel seasoning directly onto the cutting board, placed the dough oil side down, rolled over that to press the seasoning into the dough, then docked and cut before placing on parchment to bake. Will definitely make again. 🙂
Just tried this recipe and it is so easy to follow. My family enjoyed these, can’t wait to make these again.
Used rosemary from my garden! Had a hard time transferring to the baking pan as the cut dough was so floppy. Great suggestion to roll out on parchment paper or use the pasta maker. They taste delicious. Black pepper next time!
These crackers come together quickly and are easier than I expected. One bowl recipe with some kneading by hand and they go into the oven shortly after. They are simple with rosemary (which will go with anything flavor wise) but I’ll probably try them again with another flavor combination.
Love this recipe. It is easy and so many flavor options
Could you freeze the prepared dough?
A nice easy and delicious recipe! Didn’t think I’d be making homemade crackers but given how easy they were I will definitely be making them again!
Good crackers… I made the pepper and thyme version and they were delicious. A little peppery for my 3 y/o brother, but my parents and I love them. They are endlessly customizable and I definitely will make these again!
In the oven now and I can’t wait! Halved the recipe and added extra sugar to dough. Brushed with oil then sprinkled cinnamon sugar on top.
I loved doing this recipe, it wasn’t difficult at all.
Thanks
These crackers were delicious, but were a little finicky to make. Taste 5 ⭐️ preparation 4 ⭐️
I struggled to get them thin enough but the flavor is great!
These were tasty with rosemary fresh from our Farmers’ Market. My daughter enjoyed helping with lots of steps: rolling the dough out thin, measuring the crackers, using a pizza cutter, and docking with a fork.
Fairly easy recipe to pull together. We enjoyed the flavor and the crisp. Will be making again and trying other seasonings.
Oh wow – these were delicious – and very fun to make! Everyone loved them!
These are really good! I had a hard time getting them as flat as I was supposed to, but I baked them for a few extra minutes and they were good. I also had an easier time putting the olive oil, salt and sesame seeds on and rolling them on before cutting into crackers. They’re going hiking with me tomorrow!
Excellent and super easy! I’ve made these twice. The first time, I didn’t roll them out thin enough, so they had to cook longer, but they were still delicious! I corrected this with the second batch. We ate them with goat cheese, and they are addictive!
I made half batch of the rosemary and we ate them all up that I had to make a second half batch so my other daughter could enjoy them when she got home from work!
This recipe was super easy to follow and honestly a little foolproof. I haven’tade crackers or flatbread before and these turned out great. My picky 3 year old even ate some!
Very easy recipe and flavorful crackers!
So easy to make and so tasty!