These roasted garlic crackers made with olive oil instead of shortening are easy to make and so versatile.
Homemade crackers may sound a little boring but I really think you will like how easy it is to adapt this cracker recipe to your own tastes.
What Ingredients are in Olive Oil Crackers?
These crackers use simple ingredients you are sure to have around the kitchen:
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Flour
- Milk
- Garlic Cloves
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Pepper
When Was the First Cracker Made?
When I first thought about a DIY recipe for crackers made with olive oil, I thought, how boring. Then I wondered how long crackers have been around and got stuck in a rabbit hole of Google information.
There seems to be a lot of internet debate on the origins of the first cracker.
- Some say it was invented as a Christmas Cracker in London in 1847.
- Others, as a flour and water biscuit in Massachusetts in 1792, called Pearson’s Pilot Bread.
- The soda cracker seems to have come from Great Britain in the 1800’s.
However you bake it, crackers have been around for a long time.
What are Different Names for Crackers?
Outside the US, particularly in the United Kingdom, instead of cracker you might hear terms like:
- Water Biscuits
- Savory Biscuits
Sweden has a cracker called Knackerbrod which is a crispbread made of mostly rye flour.
If you are Irish, you might be used to eating Cream Crackers. These were named for the way the dough mixture is prepared or “creamed”.
Of course there are the crackers we all know in the US:
- Saltine
- Matzo
- Soda cracker
- Oyster cracker
In many countries “biscuits” can refer to something that is either sweet or savory.
Americans would call these biscuits: cookies or crackers.
What is America’s favorite cracker?
According to a Business Insider article, the most common snack cracker in the US is the Ritz Cracker.
I have to admit, I have a big box of these in my pantry right now. I eat them covered with peanut butter and also when we put out the meat and cheese plate for dinner. Ritz is one of the few brand name items I spend money on.
What is a Cracker Barrel?
In the United States we have a restaurant chain called Cracker Barrel. Long before they started, there was actually a barrel full of crackers referred to as a cracker barrel.
If you are from the New England area of the US, you know about Common Crackers. These versatile, puffy crackers can be crumbled into soups or toasted and eaten with butter.
Common crackers came in barrels and were sold in the town’s general store. These barrels were the water cooler of the time, gathering places where people could have a snack and talk with friends.
We used to use the term Cracker Barrel when we were camping with large groups of people at a summer camp. It was a time, usually late in the evening, that we could meet and have a little bite to eat before turning in for the night.
Tips For Making the Cracker Dough
- If you don’t have a food processor or stand mixer, you can mix the dough by hand. I showed that technique in the video, in case you want to torture yourself.
- This cracker dough is a little on the dry side but that’s okay. Watch the YouTube video and then take your time. The olive oil crackers will come out great!
- Once you master this dough, try Homemade Spinach Pasta
Flavors and Additions to the Olive Oil Cracker Recipe
These garlic crackers with olive oil are a great, general use cracker. They can be made to be very mild in taste. In addition to garlic, there are many ways to liven up these crackers.
Try making the recipe with:
- Flaxseed
- Cayenne or Crushed Red Pepper
- Rosemary
- Poppy Seeds
- Whole Wheat Flour
I also found this awesome recipe for Citrus Salt that can be sprinkled on top of wet dough just before baking.
Crackers Can Be Used Almost Anywhere
Try eating these with:
- Cheese and Meat on your Charcuterie Board
- Brie
- Goat Cheese
- Soup
- Hummus
- Caviar
How do I Keep These Olive Oil Crackers Crisp?
After baking these crackers, let them cool completely and store them in an airtight container. No refrigeration is necessary.
Crackers with Olive Oil and Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 cup Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 2 cloves Garlic Roasted
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- ⅓ cup Milk
- 1 tsp Coarse Salt
Instructions
Roasted Garlic
- Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
- Peel garlic cloves.
- Drizzle garlic with a little olive oil and salt and wrap loosely in foil.
- Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the center of the garlic clove is soft.
- You can continue to bake until golden brown if you desire garlic with a more caramelized flavor.
- Remove from the oven and let cool.
Cracker Dough
- Preheat the oven to 325F (160C).
- In the bowl of a food processor or stand mixer, combine the flour, baking powder, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Add the olive oil and milk and slowly mix the ingredients until a dough comes together. If necessary, you can add a little more milk.
- Once everything is combined, knead dough into a ball. It should not be too sticky.
- Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- On a floured surface, roll the dough into an approximate square or rectangle shape. The dough should be thin so the crackers are crispy.
- Cut the cracker shapes out with a pizza cutter, cookie cutter, or knife and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Place the crackers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone mat and bake them for 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown.