Pork Free Classic Saltine Crackers
There is something deeply satisfying about making your own crackers from scratch, and these classic saltines deliver that perfect thin, salty crunch you know and love. The ingredient list is refreshingly simple — flour, a little fat, water, and salt — so you always know exactly what's going into every batch. Store-bought crackers can sometimes sneak in lard or other animal-derived fats, but this recipe keeps things clean with vegetable shortening or unsalted butter as your only fat source. The technique is straightforward: work the cold fat into the flour until sandy, bring the dough together, rest it, then roll it as thin as you possibly can — nearly translucent is the goal for that signature crisp snap. Docking each square all the way through to the parchment is the small but crucial step that keeps them flat and gives them their classic dotted look. A brush of melted butter and a scatter of flaky salt right before baking adds just enough richness and savory bite to make these genuinely addictive. Let them cool completely on the rack and they'll firm up into the perfectly crispy cracker you were hoping for.
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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 or unsalted butter, cold 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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