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These homemade whole wheat crackers are crisp and delicious, essentially a copycat Wheat Thins recipe. Pair them with hummus, cheese, and more!

Whole Wheat Crackers in stack of white bowls

These homemade whole wheat crackers take a bit of time with the assembly and cleanup, but they’re a perfectly manageable project and a lovely way to spend some time with a friend or family! These are actually a homemade version of Wheat Thins, lightly adapted from the original recipe shared by Smitten Kitchen.

Why we love this recipe: These whole wheat crackers are a fun DIY project that have a delicious nutty flavor. They’re much tastier than store-bought crackers, and it’s fun to say, “Hey, I made those!” We love trying to make homemade and more “natural” versions of store-bought items. Also try our almond cashew crackers, which work for gluten-free diets.

How to make whole wheat crackers: step by step

These homemade crackers require a little time and effort, but the final product is well worth the effort! To make these whole wheat crackers, you’ll need to to do the following (or jump to the recipe):

  • Step 1: Mix together whole wheat flour, kosher salt, and paprika. Then add honey, cold butter, and water and mix until a ball forms.
  • Step 2: Roll the cracker dough over a floured surface and cut into squares using a pizza cutter. At this point, you can top the whole wheat crackers with whatever you want! Salt, pepper, and spice blends all work nicely.
  • Step 3: Bake for just 7 to 10 minutes. You’ll want to watch them closely since some batches may cook quicker than others.

Storing homemade crackers

Let the whole wheat crackers cool completely on your countertop before storing them in an airtight container. They should last up to 2 weeks if stored properly, although ours disappeared long before then! Because of their longer shelf life, you can make these crackers well in advance if you know you have friends coming over soon for a movie night or dinner.

More snack recipes

Try these favorite healthy snack recipes:

Dietary notes

These whole wheat crackers are vegetarian.

Frequently asked questions

What are the benefits of using whole wheat flour in crackers?

Whole wheat flour adds fiber and nutrients compared to all-purpose flour.

Can I substitute whole wheat flour with another flour?

Yes, but the texture and flavor might be slightly different. You can experiment with other flours like spelt or gluten-free 1-for-1 flour. Or, try these almond cashew crackers for a nut based cracker.

Do I need any special equipment to make these crackers?

No, you don’t need any special equipment! A rolling pin, baking sheet, and parchment paper are all you need.

My crackers are too crumbly. What went wrong?

The dough might be too dry. Try adding a little more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together easily.

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Whole Wheat Crackers

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3.7 from 36 reviews

These homemade whole wheat crackers are crisp and delicious, essentially a copycat Wheat Thins recipe. Pair them with hummus, cheese, and more!

  • Author: a Couple Cooks
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 7 minutes
  • Total Time: 27 minutes
  • Yield: Around 3 dozen crackers 1x
  • Category: Snack
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
  • Salt and pepper (or other herbs or spices – garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, etc), for seasoning

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Combine 1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon paprika. Mix in 1 tablespoon honey and 4 tablespoons cold butter using a food processor, or by hand using a pastry cutter. Drizzle with ice water (¼ to ½ cup) until a ball forms.
  3. On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is very very thin (if the dough sticks, add more flour to the surface). Using a pastry wheel or knife, cut the dough into small squares, and poke each cracker a few times with a fork. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, or other seasonings.
  4. Bake until crisp, about 7 to 10 minutes. Make sure to watch each batch; timing will depend on how thin your crackers are, with thicker crackers taking longer to bake.
  5. Cool and move to an airtight container for storage. (Stores for up to 2 weeks.)

Notes

*We recommend making a double recipe for a larger batch. 

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

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About the authors

Alex & Sonja

Hi! We’re Alex & Sonja Overhiser, authors of the acclaimed cookbooks A Couple Cooks and Pretty Simple Cooking—and a real life couple who cooks together. We founded the A Couple Cooks website in 2010 to share seasonal recipes and the joy of home cooking. Now, we’ve got over 3,000 well-tested recipes, including Mediterranean diet, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, smoothies, cocktails, and more!

6 Comments

  1. Annie says:

    This may be the only time that I can say “been there done that” to one of your posts! I used to make homemade wheat crackers at Mom’s house. I was a vegetarian once for 9 months while living there!

  2. Heidi @ Food Doodles says:

    Great recipe! It does take a little work but I love making homemade crackers! I need to do it a little more frequently :)

  3. Brooke says:

    Brilliant! I think this will make for a great cooking adventure this weekend, thanks for sharing!

  4. Jeanine says:

    ha, yes, dream projects are not always dreamy (especially in that middle part where you’re cooking from the living room :). Just keep imagining how great it’ll be when it’s all done!

  5. Lester says:

    Another perfect snack while watching movie at home I think :P The thing is that time consumption of preparing it and the cleanup. But still, I will give it a shot :D

  6. Tieghan says:

    Love the idea of making your own crackers! I also love the paprika in this recipe, it sounds awesome!
    These are a must make!

Comments are closed.