Oatmeal Butter Crackers
Submitted by Laurel1
Homemade oatmeal butter crackers rolled paper-thin, scored into squares, and baked until crisp. Six ingredients, nutty flavor, and a satisfying snap.
YIELD
50 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
25 minREADY
60 minHomemade crackers sound fussy, but these are about as straightforward as baking gets. Flour, rolled oats, butter, milk, a pinch of sugar, and salt. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients like you would for pie dough, add milk until it holds together, and roll.
The trick is rolling the dough as thin as humanly possible, down to about 1/16 inch. That’s what gives these crackers their snap. Any thicker and they bake up more like a soft biscuit than a cracker. Scoring them into squares before baking means you can break them apart cleanly once cooled.
Flipping the crackers halfway through baking ensures they crisp evenly on both sides. The oats toast in the oven and give each cracker a nutty, almost caramelized flavor that store-bought crackers can’t touch.
Kitchen Tips
- Use a food processor to cut in the butter if you have one. It’s faster and gives you a more even, crumbly texture
- Roll on a floured surface or pastry cloth and transfer the whole sheet to the baking pan. Don’t try to cut and move individual crackers
- Prick each scored square with a fork 2 to 3 times. This prevents puffing and keeps the crackers flat
- Watch them closely after the 15-minute flip. They go from golden to burnt fast at this thickness
Variations
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and cracked pepper before baking for a savory appetizer cracker
- Add a teaspoon of dried rosemary or thyme to the dough for an herb cracker
- Use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose for a more rustic, nuttier flavor
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325℉ (160℃).
Stir together the flour, oats, salt, and sugar in a large bowl or in the food processor.
Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Blend in enough of the milk to form a dough that will hold together in a cohesive ball.
Divid the dough into 2 equal portions for rolling.
On a floured surface or pastry cloth, roll as thin as possible, to about 1/16 inch thick.
Using a spatula, rolling pin, or your hands, transfer the rolled dough gently onto a large baking sheet.
With a sharp knife, score the dough into 2-inch squares without cutting all the way throug the dough.
Prick each square 2 or 3 times with the tines of a fork.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turning over after 15 minutes, until crisp.
Cool on a rack.
Break into individual crackers when cool.
Comments
