Lactose Free Classic Saltine Crackers
Homemade saltine crackers are one of those deeply satisfying kitchen projects that produce something far better than anything you'd pull from a box. The dough comes together with just flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cold shortening — no dairy in the base at all, which makes this naturally easy to keep lactose-free. The key move here is rolling the dough as thin as humanly possible, nearly translucent, so each cracker bakes up with that signature snap and delicate crunch. Docking every square with a fork isn't just for looks — it keeps the crackers flat and gives them those classic little holes that make them unmistakably saltine. A light brush of melted butter before baking adds a subtle richness and helps the flaky sea salt cling, but the amount is small enough that most people with lactose sensitivity handle it without issue — and it can easily be swapped for a dairy-free alternative if needed. Fresh out of the oven and cooled on a rack, these are impossibly crisp, lightly salty, and endlessly snackable on their own or alongside soups and dips.
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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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