Crisp Flat Bread

These crisp flatbreads are rolled paper-thin and baked for just 5 minutes until golden and shatteringly crunchy. The dough is dead simple: flour, cornmeal, salt, margarine, and warm water mixed into a crumbly dough, chilled, then rolled out into rounds no thicker than a playing card.

The cornmeal adds a gritty, toasty texture and a subtle sweetness that plain flour crackers don’t have. Chilling the dough firms up the margarine, making it easier to roll thin without sticking or tearing. The thinner you get them, the crispier they bake.

These are closer to crackers than bread, and that’s exactly what makes them useful. Serve alongside dips, soups, cheese boards, or just eat them on their own with a sprinkle of flaky salt.

Kitchen Tips

• Roll the dough as thin as physically possible. If you can almost see through it, you’re in the right range. Thick rounds stay chewy instead of turning crisp.
• Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling. Warm dough is sticky and fights you.
• Watch them closely in the oven. Five minutes is the target, but paper-thin dough goes from golden to burnt in seconds.
• Let them cool completely on a wire rack. They crisp up further as they cool. Stacking them while warm traps steam and softens them.

Variations

• Sprinkle sesame seeds, dried rosemary, or everything bagel seasoning on top before baking.
• Add a teaspoon of smoked paprika or cumin to the dough for a spiced version.
• Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt right after baking for a more artisanal cracker.