Parmesan Crackers
Submitted by lpatt64
Homemade Parmesan crackers with just 5 ingredients: butter, flour, Parmigiano-Reggiano, egg yolk, and water. Crisp, savory, and golden brown. A from-scratch snack for cheese boards and soups.
YIELD
50 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
20 minREADY
1 hrsFive ingredients and no complicated technique. Butter cut into flour, a generous 1½ cups of finely grated Parmesan mixed in with an egg yolk, and just enough water to bring it together into a crumbly dough. Roll, cut, prick with a fork, and bake until golden. That’s it.
These taste nothing like boxed crackers. The Parmigiano-Reggiano flavor is front and center, sharp and nutty with a satisfying snap when you bite through. The butter keeps them rich and short, almost like a savory shortbread that shatters instead of bending.
Flipping the crackers halfway through baking is the step that ensures even browning and crispness on both sides. Skip it and you’ll get pale, soft tops and dark bottoms.
Kitchen Tips
- Use finely grated Parmesan, not the coarse shreds. Fine grating distributes the cheese evenly and melts seamlessly into the dough.
- The dough will feel crumbly. That’s correct. Press it together firmly and it will hold. Wet dough means too much water, which makes tough crackers.
- Prick each cracker with a fork before baking. This prevents air pockets that cause the crackers to puff and bake unevenly.
- Cool completely on a rack before storing. Warm crackers in a container create steam and go soft.
Variations
- Add ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper or a pinch of cayenne to the dough for spiced Parmesan crackers.
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and fresh rosemary before baking.
- Swap half the Parmesan for aged cheddar for a two-cheese cracker.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃).
In a large bowl or in the food processor, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add the cheese and egg yolk and mix well.
Add enough of the water to form a dough that will hold together in a cohesive ball.
The texture will be somewhat crumbly, but the dough will hold together when pressed.
Divide the dough into 2 equal portions for rolling.
On a floured surface or pastry cloth, roll each into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick.
Cut out individual crackers about 2 inches across with a cookie cutter or sharp knife and arrange them on an ungreased baking sheet.
Prick each cracker 2 or 3 times with the tines of a fork.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Turn the crackers over and bake another 5 to 10 minutes, or until medium brown.
Cool the crackers on a rack.
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