Artificial Food Coloring Free Classic Saltine Crackers
Crackers seem like such a simple pantry staple, yet the store-bought versions are often loaded with additives, preservatives, and synthetic dyes that have no business being in a two-ingredient snack. Making them from scratch means you know exactly what's going into every crispy square — just flour, a little fat, salt, and water. The technique here is all about rolling the dough as thin as humanly possible, which is what gives you that satisfying, light snap instead of a dense, bready bite. Docking each cracker with a fork before baking keeps them flat and creates those classic little holes that make them look and feel like the real deal. A brush of melted butter and a pinch of flaky sea salt on top adds just enough richness and crunch to make these genuinely craveable. They crisp up even more as they cool, so resist the urge to judge them straight out of the oven. Serve them with cheese, soup, or just eat them plain — they're that good on their own.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp vegetable shortening butter or unsalted butter, cold butter and cut into small pieces
- ½ cup cold water
For brushing
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
For topping
- ½ tsp flaky sea salt or coarse salt
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, fine salt, and sugar until evenly combined.
- 2
Add the cold shortening (or butter pieces) to the flour mixture and work it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse, slightly sandy crumbs with no large pieces remaining.
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