# Buying Crackers v. Making Crackers



## WestWindFarm (Jan 11, 2013)

I would like to say that I am one of those people who likes things to be cost effective. I make and dry my own pasta because normally we buy 5 boxes at the store for roughly 2$ a piece and for a bag of flour and eggs from our chickens I can make the exact same amount for around 5$. 

I have a small child and my husband who both love Cheez-its and Wheat thins. The crackers call for flour, unsalted butter, and some seasoning. 

Has anyone else tried this? 

Is it really more cost effective? did they store well? and more importantly DID THEY TAST GOOD?

Thanks!!!!


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## TJN66 (Aug 29, 2004)

Good questions...I cant wait to see the answers too!


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## Breezy (Jun 5, 2009)

I make graham crackers...those are incredibly good. No comparison to store bought and absolutely worth it. 
I haven't made 'regular' crackers, but I'm positive that they, too, would be really good!

PS: The grahams store very well in a tin for a couple months.


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## Jacktheknife (Feb 5, 2013)

Breezy said:


> I make graham crackers...those are incredibly good. No comparison to store bought and absolutely worth it.
> I haven't made 'regular' crackers, but I'm positive that they, too, would be really good!
> 
> PS: The grahams store very well in a tin for a couple months.


I would like to have that graham cracker recipe.:hijacked:


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I will be following this thread as I, too, want to be more frugal.

I've actually experimented with making crackers; but they have not turned out very well. I'm hoping to get ideas that actually work.


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## Jacktheknife (Feb 5, 2013)

Here is a recipe I have been meaning to try for sourdough crackers.

http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/03/08/sourdough-recipes-galore-whole-wheat-crackers/


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## WestWindFarm (Jan 11, 2013)

Well, I will experiment soon! I have a bunch of pepper jack that needs to be used and I will sit down and figure out the price, how much a batch is, and compare it to a box of crackers. 

Thanks everyone!


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## Breezy (Jun 5, 2009)

Looking forward to hearing how your crackers come out. 

Recipe I use for graham crackers:
9T plus 1t soft butter
3/4 C sugar
3/4 C flour
1 1/3 C whole wheat flour
4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
6 T buttermilk

Cream butter/sugar
Combine dry ingredients, add to butter mix alternately with milk. 
Divide dough in half, wrap and chill 1H.
Roll out on floured surface 1/4" thick. Cut as desired. Place on parchment on baking sheet.
Prick tops if desired. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Bake at 325 12-15" till lightly browned.

For us, I use a little less sugar, cutout with cookie cutters, sprinkle generously w/plain cinnamon...some I squish a whole almond into (my faves!)


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## Jacktheknife (Feb 5, 2013)

Breezy said:


> Looking forward to hearing how your crackers come out.
> 
> Recipe I use for graham crackers:
> 9T plus 1t soft butter
> ...


So no graham flour?


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## Peggy (Feb 14, 2010)

Breezy said:


> Looking forward to hearing how your crackers come out.
> 
> Recipe I use for graham crackers:
> 9T plus 1t soft butter
> ...


Do you use Graham Flour??


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## Breezy (Jun 5, 2009)

No. Just regular white and whole wheat, which works for me, as I prefer to use what I have vs. buying especial. 
These are so good as is, that I'm always asked for the recipe. I even bring these for Holiday cookie exchange.


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## Jacktheknife (Feb 5, 2013)

Breezy said:


> No. Just regular white and whole wheat, which works for me, as I prefer to use what I have vs. buying especial.
> These are so good as is, that I'm always asked for the recipe. I even bring these for Holiday cookie exchange.


Thanks for sharing. I have everything on hand, I will give these a try.


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## mtviolet (Jan 17, 2012)

Graham flour is a course whole wheat flour. So if you can't find graham flour just use whole wheat flour for the same results.


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## KrisD (May 26, 2011)

I make cheeze its. They come out well and are delishes. I have no idea how well they store because we eat them all as soon as they are cool enough to handle. I don't think they are really cost effective but I at least there's no garbage in them which is worth it to me.


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## Jacktheknife (Feb 5, 2013)

Breezy said:


> Looking forward to hearing how your crackers come out.
> 
> Recipe I use for graham crackers:
> 9T plus 1t soft butter
> ...


I mixed these up in Lucy (the red headed stand mixer) and have the dough chilling in the ice box. I used graham flour that I picked up at the rainbow co-op yesterday.

Any tips on getting these rolled out?

:wizard:


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## Jacktheknife (Feb 5, 2013)

Ok, rolling wasn't as bad as I expected, but use flour to keep the dough from sticking. I cut with a pizza cutter. The crackers come off easily from from the oven, but stick and will break if you let them cool even slightly.i immediately but them on a cool sheet for the second batch and had no problems.

I am not sure if it was because I used graham flour, but these could have use a little more sweetness. I will try adding a couple tablespoons of honey next time.

The application of cinnamon was the thoughest bit, I think I will have to try a cocoa shaker next time.


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## mpennington (Dec 15, 2012)

Jacktheknife said:


> Here is a recipe I have been meaning to try for sourdough crackers.
> 
> http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/03/08/sourdough-recipes-galore-whole-wheat-crackers/


Thanks for posting this. I've been wanting to try making crackers.

I've been needing to feed my poor neglected King Arthur starter. I'm going to pull it out tonight and make these tomorrow. Will grind some hard red wheat. On second thought, I'll wait until tomorrow night. Montana Wheat order coming in tomorrow and I'll have spelt and Kamut.


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## mpennington (Dec 15, 2012)

Jacktheknife said:


> Here is a recipe I have been meaning to try for sourdough crackers.
> 
> http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/03/08/sourdough-recipes-galore-whole-wheat-crackers/


These crackers are amazing! Not sure how they would taste cooled down as none of them made it to that stage. DD was picking them up "hot" off the tray and blowing on them to cool just a bit. Definitely a keeper recipe - taste like a better wheat thin.

Haven't run a cost study on them, but the sourdough starter was a "saved" throw-a-way. One cup of spelt flour was 2/3's cup milled spelt berries from Wheat Montana co-op buy. Most expensive item was 1/4 cup coconut oil. Recipe suggests lard instead, but I don't have any. Wish I had kept fat from the pastured pig DD and I split 

Only cooked one batch, followed recipe suggestion to freeze remainder in balls to roll out later. Recipe made five 3 1/2 ounce balls. Yummy, yummy - and a save for the portion of sourdough that feeding recipes always tell you to throw-a-way: an impossibility for me.


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## MJDC (Mar 26, 2013)

my dad used to make wheat thins and graham crackers. Both good, kind of a PITB to make and we never had any storage issues. Of course, he never had any left to store!!

I would like cheese cracker recipe-life is better with chesse.


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## Jacktheknife (Feb 5, 2013)

mpennington said:


> These crackers are amazing! Not sure how they would taste cooled down as none of them made it to that stage. DD was picking them up "hot" off the tray and blowing on them to cool just a bit. Definitely a keeper recipe - taste like a better wheat thin.
> 
> Haven't run a cost study on them, but the sourdough starter was a "saved" throw-a-way. One cup of spelt flour was 2/3's cup milled spelt berries from Wheat Montana co-op buy. Most expensive item was 1/4 cup coconut oil. Recipe suggests lard instead, but I don't have any. Wish I had kept fat from the pastured pig DD and I split
> 
> Only cooked one batch, followed recipe suggestion to freeze remainder in balls to roll out later. Recipe made five 3 1/2 ounce balls. Yummy, yummy - and a save for the portion of sourdough that feeding recipes always tell you to throw-a-way: an impossibility for me.


I'm glad they turned out well. I still haven't gotten a chance to try these as I have to finish perfecting and mass producing some of my other recipes first. I've got to be ready for when the kids are home all summer.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

We make sprouted grain crisps. They are dehydrated not baked. Easy to add fruit for sweet crackers. Very good. Chives and sea salt are favorites....James


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

I've found several good recipes for crackers that are online.

Cheez-Its: 
http://www.traceysculinaryadventures.com/search/label/Cracker

Graham Crackers:
http://www.traceysculinaryadventures.com/2012/07/homemade-brown-sugar-graham-crackers.html?m=0

Wheat Thins:
http://www.traceysculinaryadventures.com/2011/02/homemade-wheat-thins.html

Ritz Crackers:
http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2011/03/homemade-ritz-crackers-recipe.html

Saltines (aka Soda Crackers):
http://grandmaw.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=recipes&action=display&thread=18

Vegetable Crackers:
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Make-Your-Own-Vegetable-Crackers-Food_com-102964

I also have this one for Savory Herb Crackers, but I can't remember where I got it from, sorry.

Savory Herb Crackers

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons mixed herbs: chives, oregano, parsley, savory, tarragon, thyme
1/4 cup dried minced celery
1/4 cup dried minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup shortening
1 tablespoon oil
3/4 cup warm water

Stir dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients except the water, then stir again. Slowly add the water, stirring well, until a smooth dough forms. Divide the dough in half, cover, and let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place half the dough on a lightly oiled baking sheet, flatten with a rolling pin and roll dough out to the edges of the pan. Use extra flour if needed on the pin and the rolling surface to keep dough from sticking. Cut dough into 1-inch squares and prick dough all over with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes until crisp, but not brown. Remove to racks to cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Makes about 60 crackers.

These are all delicious! They go pretty fast, lol, but I keep leftovers in a vacuum sealed jar, and they stay good for anywhere from 2 weeks to a month. The veggie crackers have the shortest life span.

I have lots more recipes I've saved over the years, but they're on a flash drive, and I just loaned it out to a friend. Hope these help and that you like them.


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