Seeded Crackers

Over the past two years, I've worked on eliminating processed/packaged foods from my family's everyday consumption. It's been a good thing for us. But I really miss having a box of crackers to grab for snacks when we're in a hurry and on our way out the door.

So I'm headed down the road of making my own crackers.

These seeded crackers from Alton Brown were my first try. They're not terribly time consuming, although rolling out the dough is far from my favorite thing to do. I want to invest in a pasta roller.

PS: Alton says it's very important to use aluminum free baking powder. If you don't have any, I've included a substitution idea in the recipe.

Next up: goldfish crackers.

*Spice tip: Penzey's Spice sells bags of poppy seeds and sesame seeds in bulk for a very reasonable price.*

Seeded Crackers
From Alton Brown

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sesame seeds
1/3 cup poppy seeds
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp aluminum free baking powder**
3 TB olive oil
3/4 cup plus 1 TB water

**If you don't have aluminum free baking powder, use 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp cream of tartar.**

Whisk together white and wheat flour, poppy and sesame seeds, salt, baking powder.

Mix in oil.

Add water and stir until just combined.

Turn dough out onto a floured board. Knead a few times, to ensure dough is evenly mixed and smooth. Cut into 8 pieces and cover with a towel 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Flatten one dough ball and pass through a pasta roller at the widest setting. Reduce the pasta roller and continue rolling through and tightening down until dough is about 1/8" thick. (OR, roll thin with a rolling pin. It gets the job done).

Place dough sheet on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Using pizza cutter, cut sheets into 2x2" squares.

Bake 8-12 minutes or until browned and crisp. Transfer to a rack and cool completely.

Click to print recipe