Baked Snack Crackers Recipe

Prepare dry ingredients

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar until evenly combined.

Cut in butter

Add the cold cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining (this creates flakiness).

Add liquids and form dough

Stir in the olive oil. Add the cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork until the dough just comes together and holds when pressed; you may not need all the water. If using grated Parmesan for the dough, fold it in here. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes to relax the gluten and firm the butter.

Roll out dough

Lightly flour a work surface and roll the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment to about 1/16–1/8 inch (very thin) for crisp crackers. If you prefer heartier crackers, roll to about 1/8–3/16 inch. Peel off the top parchment.

Transfer to baking sheet

Flip the rolled dough (with the bottom parchment) onto a baking sheet and peel off the second sheet of parchment. Score the dough lightly with a knife or pizza cutter into 1.5–2 inch squares or desired shapes, taking care not to cut all the way through (this helps break after baking). Use a fork to prick each cracker 2–3 times to vent steam and prevent bubbling.

Brush and season

Lightly brush the surface of the scored dough with the tablespoon of water (or use an egg wash for a richer color). Evenly sprinkle the sesame seeds, crushed rosemary, flaky sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper across the surface. If using additional grated Parmesan as a topping, sprinkle it now.

Bake

Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 12–18 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through, until the crackers are golden at the edges and set. Thinner crackers will be done around 12–14 minutes; thicker ones may need up to 18 minutes. Watch closely to avoid burning.

Cool and break

Remove the sheet from the oven and let the crackers cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. While still warm but cooled enough to handle, break along the scored lines into individual crackers. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely; they will crisp further as they cool.

Storage

Once completely cool, store the crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze in a sealed bag for up to 1 month; re-crisp in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5–7 minutes before serving.