King Arthur Baking Company

Buttery Rich Crackers

We don’t call these rich for nothing! Butter, egg, and cream enrich the dough, yielding tender, melt-in-your-mouth crackers. Their hint of sweetness is perfectly complemented by a sprinkling of salt just before baking.

Prep
20 mins
Bake
6 to 10 mins
Total
1 hr 29 mins
Yield
about 8 dozen small (3”) round crackers
Buttery Rich Crackers

Ingredients

Crackers

  • 2 cups (240g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons (31g) granulated sugar
  • 4 tablespoons (57g) butter, cold
  • 1 large egg
  • 6 tablespoons (85g) heavy cream or whipping cream

Topping

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons (28g to 42g) butter, melted
  • flaky sea salt or kosher salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.

  2. Combine the butter with the dry ingredients, using your fingertips or a pastry blender. The mixture should have the consistency of coarse cornmeal.

  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and cream until smooth.

  4. Add to the flour/butter mixture and stir to make a crumbly dough.

  5. Gather the dough in your hands and squeeze together; it should be cohesive and form a ball.

  6. Pat the dough into a disk about 1” thick, wrap, and chill for 1 hour.

  7. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

  8. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a circle about 1/16” thick. The thicker the dough the more biscuit-like (rather than crunchy) the crackers, so roll thinly.

  9. Cut the dough into rounds with a 2” or smaller cutter.

  10. Gather the remaining scraps and roll them out again. Cut into more rounds, and repeat as necessary until all the dough is used.

  11. Transfer the crackers to lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheets and prick (dock) each one several times with a fork.

  12. Sprinkle the tops of the crackers with flaky sea salt or kosher salt, to taste.

  13. Bake the crackers for 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, turn the crackers over, and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until they're lightly browned.

  14. Remove the crackers from the oven and brush them with melted butter. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

  15. Store the crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week; freeze for longer storage.