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
I love these, so easy and so delicious. Cheese and crackers is my favorite snack of all time! These are perfect! I love being part of the baking challenge because it pushes me to make things I wouldn’t normally be brave enough to try. Thank you Sally, this is so fun!
Next time I will roll these thinner, but such a simple way to make your own crackers. I want to try more flavors!
It was a challenge to roll the dough evenly and thin enough, but the flavor is really good. I tried all flavor combinations and I think I like sesame the best.
Great recipe, I made the rosemary version. I will roll them thinner next time but they were so simple to make and bake!
So easy and very yummy! I wasn’t excited to make them (thought they were a bit boring) but I stand corrected! I can see me making these for the holidays definitely!
This was so easy and made my entertaining so much easier!
I made the alternate recipe for the August 2025 Baking Challenge, but I’m sure the crackers were delicious!
These are good. Don’t put them in too large of a pan so you can rotate them more as my center ones struggled to brown
I made these with sesame seeds and they are great! The recipe was so easy and quick. Can’t wait to try different flavors!
I did the sesame seed version and they were so flavorful! Took me an extra 10 minutes or so to get most of them to brown. I initially did just 12 minutes with turning and only a few browned, but still really good!
Will be making these again!
These homemade crackers were spectacular. I whipped them up in less than 30 minutes, just in time for a family dinner. Everyone loved them! The sugar in the recipe gives the crackers just a hint of both savory and sweet. Delish recipe!
I found the consistency of the though a bit wet in the beginning, and had to add flour a few times and let the dough rest to be able to knead it properly. Could’ve been the difference between flours. I wish I had been able to roll the dough a bit thinner, but still I think the recipe turned out pretty good 🙂 I really liked the rosemary flavor and thought that the crackers tasted good even on their own. Would make again, maybe next time I’ll try cutting the dough with cookie cutters to try and get some cute shapes.
WARNING!!! These are deliciously addictive. Once you start, you can’t stop!!! Especially when they’re warm and crunchy. I didn’t measure the sizing so mine are various sizes and shapes but it doesn’t affect the taste. I added the everything bagel seasoning and then sprinkled the salt flakes on top. The kids loved them too. Great recipe. (Forgot the five star rating so adding the comment again)
Family devoured!
Easy and delicious. Will definitely make these again!
These crackers are delicious! Getting the dough thin enough before baking is the key and I’m glad Sally gives precise measurements. I can’t wait to serve them at a party or event!
Mine were a little thicker and still super crisp! I have tried doing crackers before and they were a fail but these were perfect!
My only caveat: I put a lot of salt on top expecting some to fall off when they were done baking, but it stuck really well so use caution with your salt sprinkle. Good thing my daughter likes stuff super salty
Loved how quickly this dough came together! I made the Everything & Chives version. I forgot to poke holes in the dough before baking so these didn’t stay as thin as I would have liked but they’re still delicious and we dusted off almost half of these with homemade hummus. Will definitely make again!
Great cracker. Easy to make and I will make again with other spices. Thank you for another great recipe
Hi
Can i use a pasta machine to roll dough?
Bancy
Many readers have reported success using a pasta machine here!
Easy recipe to follow and make. I made black pepper and thyme. My oven didn’t bake evenly, so some were very brown while others were lighter. Very crispy. My son gave my first (little bit thicker) batch a thumbs up!
This recipe was super simple and is a great add to every Charcuterie board! I made the thyme black pepper crackers! I put a little too much salt on them when baking but other than that they were wonderful.
A bit difficult to roll out, even with testing, but otherwise a good recipe.
These were good! Definitely worth the time to get them evenly rolled and uniform. I rushed through that, and some of mine didn’t get baked long enough while others were a little too crispy. Still pretty tasty though! Would be good with cream cheese spread 🙂
The crackers are super easy to make last minute. They are so delicious! I hope to make them again soon!
The crackers were tasty, though I would have liked them to be a bit crunchier. They did take some time to prepare (I should have used a pasta roller as others suggested), but they were still a fun recipe to try.
Made these for the challenge. Tasted great (used everything bagel seasoning). Really easy to make. Mine needed an additional 15 minutes just to start browning.
Very easy to make! Made for great charcuterie crackers.
Can’t speak to how challenging this is to make rolling by hand, but it’s a very foolproof and simple recipe to make using a pasta roller and a few shortcuts. Having a second pair of hands, 2 large sheet pans, and a pasta roller available is highly recommended to turn this into a quick recipe. The 5 setting on my roller was just right for creating a thin wonton-esque cracker. Make sure you knead the dough with enough flour to not stick to the pasta roller and then roll out pieces of dough, place them straight on the parchment paper, and score them into crackers with a pizza cutter right on the pan before baking. Came out of the oven perfect for eating and still crisp the next day.