Since when are you the type of person to make your own crackers?
Since… today.
You’ll feel fancy. You’ll feel accomplished. You’ll want to show off.
… and all you did was whip up some crackers. Kind of amazing.
What’s going on in these here crackers?
Crunch from cornmeal. Salty goodness from the Parmesan cheese. Spice from cayenne pepper. Nuttiness from whole wheat flour.
Geeez! That’s a lot packed into one little round.
I like using the food processor.
Oh! Did I mention the buttermilk in these crackers?
Heck… they’re nice.
Cracker dough. That took seven minutes from measuring to mixing.
Is this how to people at Ritz make their crackers?
Probably not. Make your own crackers. Show Ritz a thing or two.
Spicy Cornmeal Parmesan Crackers
adapted from 101 Cookbooks
makes about 75 crackers
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 1/2 Tablespoon unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
3/4 cup cold buttermilk
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda, cayenne pepper, Parmesan cheese and butter. Process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, add the buttermilk in a stream. Blend until the dough forms a ball within the mixing bowl.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for a few seconds. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Cut the dough into quarters. Rewrap the rest of the dough while you work with each quarter. Roll the dough out to 1/16-inch thickness. Use a 1-3/4-inch biscuit cutter to cut out the crackers and place them on a baking sheet. Imprint each cracker with the tines of a fork. Repeat until all the crackers and cut out. Bake at 375 degrees F for 12-15 minutes, until the cookies are golden and crisp. Keep a close eye on the crackers after 8 or 10 minutes. They brown quickly. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Kim
Joy, only you would inspire us all to try and bake crackers.
Okay, but as delicious as they look, this isn’t exactly why I’m writing. I’ve been trying to contact you all week and commenting seems like my last resort since Twitter and gmail didn’t. So, sorry for the public cry, but did you know that your Friends of Joy link was down? Please, please, pretty please help! Thanks.
Lina
HAWT! Those look so awesome! Not to mention that they have little butter, whole wheat flour, and are cheesy! :O I’m gonna try making these, though I’ll use unbolted (aka, “whole”) cornmeal. Maybe I’ll try fluting the edges, ’cause that’s fanceh.
Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday
I made crackers on Monday as a matter of fact. Lavash crackers.
Crackers are so easy to make, it’s almost not worth buying them.
Michelle
Home spun crackers are way better than store bought – and extremely less expensive. Once you dial down your preferences – they are a snap to make.
Estela @ Weekly Bite
The only crackers I’ve tried to make are graham crackers… and those were a disaster. I might have a chance with these :)
Lauren
Impressive! I have yet to make a foray into the art/science of homemade crackers, but this recipe just might have to be my first.
Avril Miller
Hooray for crackers! Baking crackers needs to be appreciated more….thanks for the encouragment. :-)
Andrea
So… When faced with a food processor dough recipe (like many modern pie dough recipes) i usually go with the pastry blender to get a similar result – if I’m faced with the opportunity to make crackers I will definitely give that a try and let you other non-food-processor owners know how it turns out! They look great! I LOVE buttermilk.
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is
I’ve never done any crackers before, I’m too much of a scaredy cat!
Jayne
I’ve done crackers using a wooden spoon and a bowl before so I think I can hit this the same way. Though “seven minutes from measuring to mixing” won’t be quite so accurate. :-)
peachkins
nice flavors..nice crackers…
Silvia
Great idea, my food processor isn’t big enough but I’m sure I’ll manage anyway…
Rachael@SpachetheSpatula
Yum! These are totally now a part of my “to bake” list!
Sarah V.
These look incredible, and I LOVE crackers, especially for lunch, with some cheese and cut up veg…
BUT! What if I don’t have a food processor? Am I doomed?
The Boob Nazi
These are amazing! If only I weren’t giving up crackers.
Caral from SoCal
Whoa. I thought maybe it was time to hit the hay tonight (before it’s tomorrow). But, I was wrong. I just happen to have all these ingredients waiting for me…and I’m on it. Crackers, homemade – a first for me! They sound yummy, and my over is preheating right now!!
:)
joythebaker
dang your fast! happy midnight baking!!
Caral from SoCal
Oh my…these are easy – and delicious!
Yum! Thank you for a new fave. :)