Not your Mother’s saltines! Not that I am not a fan of those familiar square rather salty stacks wrapped in waxed paper. I grew up on them and whenever I am feeling a bit under the weather a few saltines with a bowl of hot soup just makes everything better.
Here is my all-grown-up version of the saltine…”Crispy Almond Sea Salt Crackers” that make a fine gift for any lover of cheese & wine on your list.
Made with almond meal they are equally delectable with cheeses both soft & smeary or thinly sliced & hard. Get busy…these are good!
One recipe makes about 4-5 dozen cookies which can be stored for up to one month in airtight containers. Once the dough is made & chilled it is just a matter of rolling & cutting out, baking & packaging….ready to give & share. It is as “easy as that”.
Ingredients:
1 cup almond meal (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 stick butter, cut into small pieces
2-4 tbsp ice water
Optional: 1 tbsp orange or lemon zest
1 egg yolk with 1 tbsp water beaten together
Crunchy, Flakey Sea Salt such as Maldon or a Black Hawaiian
It is as “easy as this”:
1. In a food processor pulse together the almond meal, white whole wheat flour, brown sugar & salt just until blended. Add in the butter & pulse just until mixture is grainy looking. (this is when you would add the citrus zest if desired)
2. With the processor running drizzle in the ice water by tablespoons until a dough forms.
3. Turn dough out onto a work surface & shape into a disc. Wrap in plastic & chill at least 30 minutes before rolling out. When ready to bake the crackers preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. Remove dough from the refrigerator, place on a lightly floured board & knead a few times to soften somewhat before rolling out.
5. Roll dough out thinly to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into shapes using cookie cutters.. Gather up dough scraps & re-roll out thinly, cutting out more crackers until all the dough is used. Place cut out dough on parchment lined baking sheets.
6. Use a fork to press holes in the center of each shape. There really is a reason for this other than aesthetics. The holes allow steam to escape from the dough while baking. This makes for a flat cracker crispy cracker. Brush each lightly with the egg-water glaze & sprinkle sea salt lightly over all. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown & crispy.
7. Let crackers cool completely before storing.
For gift giving stack in decorative boxes or tins, label & add a ribbon. Simple, melt in your mouth buttery deliciousness & as easy as that!
The Container Store, Target, Michael’s & JoAnn’s all have airtight tins and sturdy boxes made just for edible gifts as well as tons of sites on-line. I also often use brown lunch bags as I like the way they look. Use store-bought or homemade labels. I make mine using card stock & my printer or rubber stamps. Twine, ribbon, old silk fabric cut into strips all make beautiful ribbons. Just look around your kitchen….cereal boxes covered with paper….coffee tins painted or wrapped with pages from old cooking magazines…so many ways to make a gift special.
Little gallery of gift giving ideas:
I don’t know why folks don’t make crackers more often. These sound (and look) delicious. And I’m quite sure that, around here, they wouldn’t last a month!
Michelle, I had never made them before and am so pleased with the results that I shall make them often trying out various flavors & additions. Crackers are one of those not very glamorous foods that we all love!
These look and sound terrific. Are they slightly sweet, from all that brown sugar? I am especially grateful for the packing tips, since I’m participating in the third annual Great Food Bloggers Cookie Swap.
I would love to do the Great Food Bloggers Cookie Swap again but I found it takes a lot of time and money to get it all together, baked and mailed so this year I am skipping it as I am booked on photo shoots almost up to the Christmas Holidays. But I did meet great folks like yourself via the Cookie Swap…just another wonderful side treat.
Teresa, wow. This is a great post, not just those buttery almond cracker cookies, but all the tips about gift giving. I love how you even showed how to use oatmeal boxes. So clever. I so love homemade food gifts.
Thanks Angela…it is always such fun for me to recycle all the beautiful magazines I collect during the year into wrapping paper and tags. Doing it yourself takes a bit more time but makes each package special. Happy November.
Those are the most beautiful crackers, well done!
I am bringing you some! Just a few little crackers for a special girl!
They are almost too pretty to eat – I’ll have to try this recipe!
Meg these are so very easy to make and take the “saltine” to a new level. Thanks for stopping by.
These will be in a favorite tin when I have guests next week-thanks for the recipe!!
Judi, so great to hear from you. You are such a good cook that these will be a breeze for you. They are very yummy.
These look so delicious. I’ve been looking for a recipe for gift giving and I can’t wait to try making them (and eating them)!
Trini, thanks so much for stopping by Food on Fifth. I appreciate your comments very much. These little crackers are really just the best. Let me know if you try them and how they turn out.
I will definitely do that 🙂 Thanks for posting this great recipe.
hope I am on the list?
terry
You are always “on the list”!
They are gorgeous! And I’m intrigued by almond anything. Thanks.
Denise so happy to hear from you. These are the most delightful crispy little bites ever. Give them a try. Hope you are well.
LIke you, crackers have been on my “to make” list—but I’ve not gotten to it yet. Pretty almond flour crackers and Great inspiration.
You know Nance I am on a “cracker roll”…I am trying out all my ideas and it seems I cannot stop baking various kinds and shapes and lots of freeform ones…more cracker blogging to come no doubt!
An absolute triumph! Not to be missed. Teresa is at her best. Her almond crackers are the best thing this year. Five stars.
Jill thanks for the wonderful compliments and I am so happy I got to share a few with you. I think I am still surprised at how easy it is to make crackers!
Wonderful food gift and packaging ideas !
Maybe a few will be left at your front door by Santa!
What a lovely gift to give or receive. I know I would enjoy your grown up crackers.
Karen, thanks so much. We ate the last of them yesterday with a glass of wine to celebrate “Friday” and the end of a long work week so I must make some more. I am addicted to them just a bit.
You just told me, you will make more of those delicious crackers
Yes Wouter, day by day they just disappeared around “beer-thirty”!
Hi Teresa, just wanted to stop by to let you know that I made these crispy almond crackers over the weekend and just loved them. Fun to make, and delicious to eat. Very moorish, especially with the delicious roquefort cheese I bought from my local deli. Really easy to eat just as they are though, a great mix of salty and sweet. I used 1/4 cup plain wholemeal and 1 cup plain white flour (out of necessity having only 1 cup of white!) and they tasted really great. Thanks again for posting this delicious recipe.
Trini, thanks for sharing your results with me. It is always a bit scary posting a recipe and wondering if it really works for others! I like how you adapted to what you had and just want ahead and made them. They are yummy are they not?
Teresa – firstly thank you for the recipe, but especially the tips – the tips of the fork prongs and the holes they make! I kept looking at your photos and wondering how the holes were made 🙂 Simple and effective! And what wonderful gift ideas you have and so cleverly and crafty of you too! Claire x