These Whole Wheat Crackers are super simple to make. You won't want to buy store bought crackers ever again! Not to mention, making your own crackers at home allows you to skip out on all the mystery ingredients that are in most store-bought crackers.
Ever since I started making homemade crackers, I've never wanted to purchase store-bought crackers. These whole wheat crackers are so easy make, last forever when stored properly and pair beautifully with so many dips, such as creamy hummus, Trader Joe's Lentil Bruschetta Dip and Homemade Tapenade. Plus, serving homemade crackers at any event will be sure to wow your friends and family!
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Why You'll Love Homemade Crackers!
- I love knowing that the snacks I'm enjoying contain minimal ingredients. These whole wheat crackers with seeds have only 5 ingredients and are made entirely with whole wheat flour!
- Homemade crackers are so fun because you can make them all kinds of different shapes, sizes and flavors. While these whole wheat crackers are salty and crunchy, you can make an entirely different cracker by tweaking just a couple ingredients. Swap out the flour, the oil, the spices and the seeds. Get creative!
- These Whole Wheat Crackers last for ages when stored properly. I love to make a double batch so that we always have whole grain crackers on hand for snacking.
Ingredients
- Whole Wheat Flour - I love anything and everything made with whole wheat and these crackers are no exception! For one batch of these whole wheat crackers you'll need 2 cups of whole wheat flour.
- Seeds - Seeds add some flavor, texture and color to these whole wheat crackers. I personally love using white and black sesame seeds and poppy seeds! Mix and match whatever smaller seeds you have on hand to make these crunchy, salty crackers.
- Olive Oil - I always have olive oil on hand for cooking and baking and it works beautifully in this recipe. However, if you don't have any on hand, see the section "Substitutions and Variations" below for other options.
- Sea Salt - Sea salt works so well in and on these sesame crackers. I love to add a good bit to the dough and additionally love sprinkling the tops with extra coarse sea salt before baking.
See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
🔀 Flour - Sometimes I make this whole wheat cracker recipe using half whole wheat flour and half oat flour. It adds some extra texture and provides two types of whole grains.
🔀 Oil - Any oil should work when making these whole wheat crackers. I love the taste of olive oil and I think it works beautifully in these crackers, but coconut oil, avocado oil and vegetable oil should work as well.
🔀 Seeds - Swap out what kinds of seeds you use! However, you may want to opt for seeds that are a little bit smaller. Pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds may be too big.
Equipment
- Silicone Baking Mats - If you have the proper tools, these whole wheat crackers are really easy to make and you can make them any flavor you want. If you love baking I highly recommend getting these non-stick, silicone baking mats. They allow me to roll out my cracker dough thinner so that I can better mimic the crunchy, thin texture of store-bought crackers. And, they keep you from buying and using lots of parchment paper.
- Rolling Pin - You'll need a rolling pin to roll out the dough for these whole wheat crackers. A rolling pin combined with a silicone baking mat creates the perfect combination for making super thin and crispy homemade crackers.
How to Make Whole Wheat Crackers
Step 1: In a large bowl whisk together the whole wheat flour, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and salt. Reserve some of the seeds for the top if desired!
Step 2: Add in the olive oil and ½ cup water and stir until a crumbly ball of dough forms. If your dough is too dry, add more water a little splash at a time until all of the flour is incorporated into the dough. Add sparingly to make sure you don't get your dough too soggy.
Step 3: Lightly flour some parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and use a rolling pin to roll out ⅓ (or ½) of the dough into a large rectangle. Roll the dough out as thinly as possible (about 1/16 of an inch thick).
Step 4: Sprinkle the dough with any remaining sesame and poppy seeds, along with some sea salt. Roll gently over the seeds one more time with your rolling pin to push the seeds into the dough. This keeps them from falling off after baking.
Score the dough into whatever shape you want your crackers to be.
Step 5: Transfer the dough and parchment paper onto a baking sheet and place the crackers in the oven to bake for 10-15 minutes. After the crackers have baked for 10 minutes, start checking them every 1-2 minutes to make sure they don't burn.
Step 6: Allow the crackers to cool completely. They will get crispier as they cool.
Expert Tips
👉 I highly recommend using a silicone baking mat to roll out this cracker dough. The silicone baking mats are sticky and allow you to get a really thin, crunchy cracker.
👉 After you've rolled out the dough, crack some flaky sea salt all over the dough and then use a rolling pin to gently roll the salt into the dough. This will ensure that each cracker is perfectly salted!
👉 Allow your whole wheat crackers to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. If they don't seem crunchy right out of the oven, it's because then need time to cool.
How to Store Homemade Crackers
To help these whole wheat sesame crackers last for ages, be sure to let them cool completely before placing them in an airtight container or baggy. I store mine in a cupboard and they last for months!
Recipe FAQs
Whole wheat contains more fiber than all-purpose flour, which may help to keep you fuller for longer. However, whenever you're buying store-bought crackers, you should also pay attention to how much salt and sugar have been added. Making these homemade whole wheat crackers can be a great way to control the amount of added salt and sugar in your diet.
These homemade whole wheat crackers contain whole wheat flour, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, olive oil, salt and water. That's it!
The ingredients in Ritz Whole Wheat Crackers are listed as follows: Unbleached Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine, Mononitrate {Vitamin B1}, Riboflavin {Vitamin B2}, Folic Acid), Whole Grain Wheat Flour, Vegetable Oil (Soybean and/or Canola and/or Palm and/or Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil), Sugar, Leavening (Calcium Phosphate and/or Baking Soda), Salt, High Fructose Corn Syrup, and Soy Lecithin.
Whole wheat is a type of whole grain. So yes, whole wheat crackers are a whole grain cracker.
What To Serve With Whole Wheat Crackers
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
📖 Recipe
Whole Wheat Crackers
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup water plus more if necessary
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450 °F and in a small bowl combine the sesame seeds and poppy seeds. Set them aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the whole wheat flour, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and salt, reserving some of the seeds for later.
- Add in the olive oil and ½ cup water and stir until a crumbly ball of dough forms. If your dough is too dry, add more water a little splash at a time, kneading after each addition, until all of the flour is incorporated into the dough. Add sparingly to make sure you don't get your dough too soggy.
- Lightly flour some parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and use a rolling pin to roll out ⅓ (or ½) of the dough into a large rectangle. Roll the dough out as thinly as possible (about 1/16 of an inch thick).
- Sprinkle the dough with the sesame and poppy seed mixture, along with some sea salt. Roll gently over the seeds one more time with your rolling pin to push the seeds into the dough. This keeps them from falling off after baking.
- Score the dough into your desired cracker shape with a knife or pizza cutter. If you like your crackers to be perfect squares you will probably have to trim the edges of your rectangle. Otherwise just score the dough as best as possible and be okay with having some weird shaped crackers.
- Transfer the dough and parchment paper onto a baking sheet and place the crackers in the oven to bake for 10-15 minutes. After the crackers have baked for 10 minutes, start checking them every 1-2 minutes to make sure they don't burn.**
- While the first set of crackers are baking, begin the whole process again with the remaining dough until you have baked all of the crackers.
- Let the crackers cool before storing in an airtight container.
Simone says
Everybody loves them! (2 year old and 6 year old included)
They were very quick to make, I used sesame seeds black cumin, because that's what I had on hand (and I LOVE black cumin)
I baked both baking sheets at the same time (fan) and opened the door once or twice when checking. My oven is sealed so well, moisture doesn't get out.
The only issue I have is that so much of the seeds fall off. (Yes, I did roll them in quite well.) But as that even happens with the store bought ones, I guess that cannot be helped. Next time I'll probably add some seasoning to the dough as well.
Faith VanderMolen says
I'm so glad you all enjoyed these crackers! You're reminding me to make a batch now!
CynthiaBallard says
can you make birdseed and some mixed nuts into flour with bran flour hole wheat flour
Faith VanderMolen says
Thanks for sharing!
Trish says
Can the oil be substituted for something else?? What do you think of using Everything Bagel seasoning instead of sesame & poppy seeds & the salt?
Faith VanderMolen says
A little bit of oil is what helps these crackers get crunchy when they cool, so I'm not sure anything else will work. And everything bagel seasoning would be amazing! Just make sure you press it into the dough before baking so that all the seeds don't fall off.
Hilary Knight says
I substituted whole spelt flour for the whole wheat and black sesame seeds for the poppy seeds (for some reason all the poppy seeds I've bought recently have been rancid, and I've given up!) to get the colour contrast. I subbed toasted sesame oil for 1 tsp of the olive oil and might sub 2 tsp next time. I found that the rolled dough came off the floured counter very easily so I might not even use parchment next time, just the cookie sheet. Despite being rolled super-thin, the crackers took about 25 mins to get good and crispy without burning. Nice taste, broke apart easily, perfect with delicious Moroccan Carrot Mash. Thanks.
Faith VanderMolen says
Sounds delicious Hilary! Thanks so much for sharing!
Jenn says
So I just made these! I apparently had run out of most of my whole wheat flour so I substituted the difference with all purpose. I used chia seeds instead of poppy and used a cookie cutter to make them into cute circles (easier for dipping and figuring out the nutrition ????). Super impressed! I think this will become a go to recipe! With whole wheat next time. ????
Faith says
Oh such a great idea to use cookie cutters! My daughter would love that so I’ll have to do that next time. And yes, subbing some white flour works great. Glad you enjoyed them Jenn!
Beth says
I'd tried making flaxseed meal crackers before these, but didn't really care for them. With these, I really wasn't sure how much water in the dough was enough. Way too crumbly to hold together at first. Added a couple of tsp to the 2nd half of the dough and that may have been why some of them "bubbled" just a bit. I took the pans out when the edges were browning; yours look overall darker than mine. But as they cool, they crisp? Which I like. And I love sesame seeds and poppy seeds. So maybe I'll give these another go in a couple of weeks. Really easy recipe!
Faith says
Thanks for sharing Beth! I've been making these for years, so I've gotten good at knowing how much water to add and what the dough should look like to make the best crackers. It definitely takes some time and practice, but these crackers are amazing! It also matters the thickness of how you roll them. I've started rolling mine super thin using a silicone baking mat and just check them a lot towards the end of the baking time. Sometimes I'll remove the outer, thinner crackers first and let the center crackers bake longer. I really hope you give it another try as these are so yummy!
Beth says
I did roll the dough as thin as possible, but some crackers were crisper than others (may need to move them around on the baking sheet next time). One thing I did read about that worked: put the crackers on a baking sheet, set the oven temp to 400 degrees, and bake them (watching carefully) for about 3 minutes. They're a nice deeper brown and have stayed crispy in the sealed jar where I store them. Yay! And I will be making these again -- thanks!
Faith says
So glad you got them to work Beth! Yes, the outer crackers always finish before the center crackers for me, so I remove those first and allow the center ones to bake a few minutes longer. We find the crackers stay crispy for a while too! Thanks for sharing!
Joann @ Woman in Real Life says
I have yet to try making crackers. Those ones look delicious!
Faith says
Thanks Joann! Once you start you'll be hooked:)