# homemade saltine cracker help



## sissy (Sep 7, 2009)

I tried to make crackers last night, I did not like them. They did not taste like saltines. They were heavy & were not airy. I used unsalted butter. Could that have made them so ucky? I sprinkled sea salt on top. Here is the recipe I used:

4 cups flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1/4 c butter
1 1/3 c milk
Mix together the flour, baking powder, and butter . If you are adding seasonings mix those in with the dry ingredients. Cut butter into flour mixture until it forms coarse crumbs. Add the milk and knead to form a ball. Divide in 4 parts and roll out paper thin on a floured surface. Cut the dough into squares (a pizza wheel works great for that!) Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and prick with forkâ¦Sprinkle with salt (or cracked pepper ..or..)Bake at 325 until golden brown..about 20 minutes.


Does anyone have a tried & true saltine cracker recipe that is light & airy?
Any help would be greatly appreciated


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## NostalgicGranny (Aug 22, 2007)

I'd like to know too. The recipes I have tried were really bland.


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## MushCreek (Jan 7, 2008)

I always thought they were made with baking soda, not baking powder. There should probably be salt in the dough, too, for flavor. Add a bunch of preservatives and things you can't pronounce, and they should be just like store-bought!


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## junie (Jun 25, 2007)

This is the recipe I use. It's from the King Arthur Flour cookbook.

*Saltines (aka Soda Crackers)*

This recipe makes enough crackers to fill two half-sheet (13 x 18-inch) pans. 

1 1/2 cups (6 3/8 ounces) All-Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2/3 cup (5 3/4 ounces) hot water (120Â°F to 130Â°F) 
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons (3/4 ounce) vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) butter, melted 

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup flour, yeast, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar. Stir in hot water, sugar, and shortening. Mix well to combine. 

Add remaining 1/2 cup flour to form a workable dough. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and knead till soft and elastic -- about 5 minutes by hand, 3 to 4 minutes in an electric mixer equipped with dough hook, or 30 seconds in a food processor. Form dough into ball and place in a large, clean, well-greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 18 hours (the longer the better). 

Punch dough down and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll dough into a large rectangle about 1/16-inch thick. If dough seems too elastic and fights being rolled thin, let it rest for 5 minutes, then start again; it should be easier going after the gluten has relaxed. 

Fold the dough in from the short ends to make three layers (like folding a letter). Roll out again, no more than 1/16-inch thick. Make sure surface under dough is well floured, as otherwise crackers will be hard to transfer to baking sheet. 

Prick the dough all over with a fork. Cut into squares, circles, or whatever shape you'd like. A rolling pizza cutter and yardstick makes short work of this part. Transfer the crackers to lightly greased or parchment -lined baking sheets; don't allow them to touch one another, but you don't have to leave much room between one cracker and the next, either. Sprinkle crackers lightly with salt, and seeds (sesame, poppy, caraway...) if desired. Press salt/seeds lightly into dough with your fingers. 

Bake crackers in a preheated 425Â°F oven for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the crackers. Crackers will be lightly browned. Remove crackers from oven and brush with melted butter. Remove from baking sheet and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.


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## YounGrey (Jun 7, 2007)

Homemade Wheat Thins -
http://homesteadingrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/02/homemade-wheat-thins.html

Hardtack -
http://homesteadingrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/02/hardtack.html


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## sissy (Sep 7, 2009)

Thanks Junie, The crackers are the bomb, We loved them. :goodjob:

NostalgicGranny, You should try the crackers Junie listed, they are great. :sing: 

MushCreek, You are right, they should have soda & salt in them. I'll leave the preservatives and things you can't pronounce out.  Junie's recipe won't last long enough to go bad.

YounGrey, Thanks for the links, I will check them out & maybe try some of them.

Sissy


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

I have that recipe saved from King Arthur, forgot all about it, doh! lol I've never actually tried it though, glad to hear it's good. I just don't eat all that many saltines, but I love club crackers! Anyone have a tried and true recipe for those??  (hope you don't mind me horning in Sissy!)


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## sissy (Sep 7, 2009)

calliemoonbeam said:


> but I love club crackers! Anyone have a tried and true recipe for those??  (hope you don't mind me horning in Sissy!)


 Of coarse not. I would love to have that recipe also. or any others, like cheese or maybe peanut butter, or sour cream & chives, ect.....:bouncy: 
sissy


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

sissy said:


> Of coarse not. I would love to have that recipe also. or any others, like cheese or maybe peanut butter, or sour cream & chives, ect.....:bouncy:
> sissy


ROFL! Me too.  I'd especially like to find a recipe for the vegetable crackers like Nabisco (I think) used to sell. For a while they were still available, but with a new "healthier" recipe, which tasted terrible, lol, and then they just disappeared altogether. Gosh, I loved those things with cheese or dips, in my tomato soup, or even just by themselves as a snack. I've tried several recipes I found on the internet, but they were horrible. There's also a generic version at Dollar General, but they just don't cut it either, not even close. 

I never realized how much I like crackers until this thread, lol, just not plain saltines that much. I pretty much only use them for meatloaf, and my son eats them sometimes when he's here.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Oh, those chicken crackers are good, wounder if one could add chicken bullion to a regular cracker mix.


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