Homemade wheat crackers taste so much better than the pre-made ones you can buy at the store.
I had fun making these homemade wheat crackers. They came together in a very short time. In fact, by the time the oven was heated they crackers were done. They are really easy, almost a dump in the food processor and drizzle in the water and the dough is done kinda recipe. You could vary the spices and add almost anything such as black pepper or garlic, and even cyanine pepper and Tabasco would be great additions. The flavor of freshly ground whole wheat is fabulous in these crackers.
I have a history of using freshly ground whole wheat. Way, way back in my teen years (during the…yes, gulp the 1970’s) my mother encouraged me to make bread and other baking projects. She was all into a health kick, and homemade bread didn’t have any of the fillers and preservatives that commercial food has. The same is true today. To that end, my mom bought an electric grain mill from a vendor at one of the many health fairs and expos we would go to on the weekends in the Bay Area. It seemed that there was one every other weekend somewhere. That vendor later became a friend, and in a few years, I was working for him as his back up dishwasher and helper on the weekends and afternoons to earn some spending money.
I was talking to my Mom about that grain mill, and she said she still had it and she thought it still worked. She sent it to me as she hadn’t used it in years, ok probably since I left for college. To my surprise, it works as good as if it was brand new in the 70s. They still make the Magic Mill, and if you bake bread or other whole wheat baking projects Having a grain mill is fantastic. Of course, there are many other great grain mills available nowadays. All of them would be a fabulous investment. There is something to be said about having freshly ground whole wheat. The flavor is amazing.
Let me know in the comments below what variations you have tried.
homemade whole wheat crackers taste delicious and are quick and easy to make. They are so much better than the boxed ones you can buy at the store.
- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, freshly ground if possible
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 8 tablespoons 1 stick unsalted butter, cold is fine. Cut into small bits
- ½ cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons sea salt such as Pink, Fleur de sel, Grey
- 1 teaspoon molasses
- 2 tablespoons water
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Combine the flour, sugar, salt, paprika, and butter in a food processor, pulsing the mixture until the butter is evenly disbursed in the flour mixture.
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Drizzle in the ½ cup cold water with the machine running; run it until the mixture begins to clump and just begins to form a ball. Dump the mixture onto a clean work surface and knead it a few times to form a ball of dough.
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Heat your oven to 400°.
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Either lightly grease several baking sheets or line them with Silpat or parchment paper.
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Roll your dough out to a large, very, very thin rectangle shape on a well-floured counter. Roll as thin as you can, thinner than you even think necessary if possible. Frequently check to make sure your dough isn’t sticking. Flour the underside as necessary.
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Using a knife or pastry wheel, cut dough into about 1 1/2-inch squares. They don’t have to be perfect. Dock crackers all over with a toothpick or a fork. It doesn’t have to be exact these are homemade!
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Transfer crackers to baking sheets, (I used 3, so baking them in batches) spacing them only a little as they don’t spread.
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Combine the molasses and the 2 Tablespoons of water in a small bowl and lightly brush the tops of the crackers.
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Sprinkle the salt of your choice over the tops.
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Bake crackers until crisp and lightly brown on the edges, about 10 – 15 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they can burn quickly.
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Cool in baking pans on racks.
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Crackers will keep in an airtight container for a week.
