Homemade Crackers: A Healthy Oat Cracker Recipe
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This homemade crackers recipe is a healthy oat cracker and super easy to make from scratch. Perfect for snacks and parties, it’s a crispy, savory cracker that’s full of flavor with no additives.
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Simple ingredients, a blender, and a baking sheet are all you need for this delicious, crispy, and savory homemade cracker.
These oat crackers have been showing up in my kitchen since my son was a toddler. I was always looking for a healthy alternative to the salty, store-bought cracker he loved.
When I found a version of this recipe and discovered how easy they were to make myself, they quickly became a staple.
My son is now in college — and I’m still making these homemade crackers.
The original recipe came from Laurel’s Kitchen cookbook. I’ve relied on this cookbook for years and always have it accessible. It’s a vintage classic that definitely still deserves a place in a cookbook library.
I’ve adapted the original recipe over the years.
Homemade Crackers Ingredients
You probably already have the 4 ingredients needed for these homemade crackers. Here’s what you need:
Nuts: I use walnuts, but you can use whichever nut you like.
Oats: There is no flour in this easy cracker recipe.
Seasoning: For the basic recipe, all you need is salt with added baking powder. Keep reading for seasonings you can use to add variation.
Milk: Used as a binder. I have tested this recipe with oat milk for a dairy-free application, and it also works well. The cracker texture is a bit more delicate but delicious.
Seasoning Combination for Snack Crackers
Although the original Laurel’s Kitchen cracker recipe did not include seasoning, I do love the flavor it brings. Making these snack crackers even more delicious.
If you’d like to add seasoning, try 2 to 2½ teaspoons Italian Seasoning plus:
- Garlic powder
- Ground cumin
- Paprika or smoked paprika
We’re a big fan of Everything but Bagel seasoning. Much like our Everything Bagel Pretzels, this seasoning works equally well with the cracker. Add 2 to 2½ teaspoons instead of the Italian Seasoning.
How to Make Homemade Crackers
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 1: Blend the Cracker Batter
Add the walnuts, oats, salt, pepper, baking powder, and seasoning into a blender or food processor. Stir in the milk and blend until smooth.
Step 2: Spread the Cracker Batter
Spread the batter onto the prepared baking sheet with an offset spatula or rubber spatula. Spread as thin and evenly as possible. Try to make sure the middle of the batter is not thicker than the sides. This will help the crackers cook evenly.
Step 3: Bake the Crackers
Bake slowly until delicately golden. After 10 minutes, remove from the oven and score into squares or rectangles using a pastry wheel or sharp knife.
Step 4: Cut into Squares
Return to the oven and continue baking until dry and done; about 20 to 25 minutes more. Thinner crackers at the edges will bake quicker than thicker ones.
Watch your oven. If outside crackers bake quicker, remove them from the baking sheet and return them it to the oven.
Once browned, remove from the oven and immediately loosen from the baking sheet. This will help keep them crisp rather than crumbly. They will continue to crisp as they cool.
Storage for Homemade Crackers
Homemade crackers are different from store-bought crackers and must be stored differently.
These crackers will keep at room temperature for about a week. Here’s how I store them:
- Store homemade crackers in a container that isn’t completely sealed. If storing in a jar, leave the lid ajar or loose to keep the crackers crispy.
- Recrisping crackers. To recrisp these homemade crackers, heat them in a 225-degree oven for 15 minutes.
What to serve this cracker recipe with:
These homemade crackers are perfect for snacks, just as they are. But they are also delicious served with a variety of foods.
- On a cheese board with cheese, olives, and nuts
- Dips like Hot Spinach and Bacon Dip or cheese dips, tomato and bean dips
- Hummus is delicious with these crackers. Try Avocado Hummus Recipe or Roasted Pumpkin Hummus, or Quick Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dip
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Oat Crackers: a Homemade Healthy Snack
These homemade crackers recipe is a healthy oat cracker and super easy to make from scratch. Perfect for snacks and parties, it's a crispy, savory cracker that's full of flavor with no additives.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
- 1 ¾ cups rolled oats (GF)
- 1 teaspoon salt, and freshly cracked pepper (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 to 2 ½ teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add the walnuts, oats, salt, pepper, baking powder, and seasoning (if using) into a blender or food processor. Blend until they are the consistency of cornmeal. You may need to stop frequently to stir the ingredients if they begin to stick. Add the milk and blend until smooth. In 1 tablespoon increments, add additional milk as needed until it reaches the consistency in my photo.
- Spread the batter onto a well-greased baking sheet or parchment-lined baking sheet with an offset or rubber spatula. Spread as thin and evenly as possible. Try to make sure the middle of the batter is not thicker than the sides. This will help the crackers cook evenly.
- Bake slowly until delicately golden. After 10 minutes, remove from the oven and score into squares or rectangles using a pastry wheel or sharp knife. Return to the oven and continue baking until dry, about 20 to 25 minutes more. Thinner crackers at the edges will bake quicker than thicker ones. Watch your oven. If outside crackers bake quicker, remove them from the baking sheet and return them to the oven.
- Once browned, remove from the oven and immediately loosen from the baking sheet. This will help keep them crisp rather than crumbly. They will continue to crisp as they cool.
Notes
Dairy Milk Substitutions:
I've tested this recipe using oat milk for a non-dairy application. It works beautifully measure for measure. The cracker texture is a bit more delicate, though.
Seasoning Flavor Variations:
Although seasoning is optional, I do love the flavor it brings. If you'd like to add seasoning try:
Two teaspoons of Italian Seasoning along with any of these ideas:
- Garlic powder
- Ground cumin
- Paprika or smoked paprika
- Flaked sea salt
- Everything but the Bagel seasoning instead.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 76Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 196mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 3g
Nutritional calculations below are based on 5 cracker squares per serving when 70 cracker squares are made.
Can I use water instead of milk?
Hi Susan! I’ve not tested these oat crackers using water, only dairy milk and nondairy milk. It’s a great question though. I will try to test it soon.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I’ve made it 5 times now, it’s going to be a go-to staple. It’s delicious as written! And now I’m venturing out. First, I added a little unsweetened baking chocolate and some cinnamon, ground with the dry ingredients. This evening, I added some prunes (4 for half the recipe), some gingerbread spices, and some grated fresh ginger. Not quite gingerbread, but still really good! So it’s a good base for sweet as well as savory.
Hi AuntyLane! I absolutely LOVE your creativity with this recipe. It’s exactly what I had hope when I first published it– that you would make it your own. I am inspired and will be trying some of these ideas this week.
I don’t see quantities of oats, walnuts etc. PLease let me know I want to make these.
Leslie
Hi Leslie! These seem to always be on my baking list. The ingredient measurements are always at the bottom of a post inside of a printable or shareable recipe card. Use the “jump to recipe” button at the top of the post to get there quickly. This link will also take you to the recipe card:
https://www.31daily.com/homemade-crackers/#mv-creation-420-jtr
The crackers taste great. But, they were a struggle to make them. My batter was very, very thick–like a thick yeast dough. I had trouble removing it from the blender. And, spreading the batter out was really hard as the batter kept sticking to the spatula–both metal and silicone ones. What seemed to work the best was a very small spatula and spraying it and the top of the dough with a olive oil spray. Did I need to add more liquid? Other suggestions?
Hi Diane, I’m sorry you had trouble with the batter. Some of our readers are finding it easier to blend the dry ingredients in a blender and then transferring them to a bowl before mixing in the milk. An easier blender clean. You can also add tiny amounts of milk and or water to the mix until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
I substituted homemade yogurt for the milk…delicious! Thanks for this recipe!
That is brilliant, Janene! I love that idea. Thank you for trying them.
I have made these at least 10 times. I wish I would have thought to spray
the parchment paper first. I ate them anyway with different small variations, caraway seed, bagel seasoning, but I LOVE THIS RECIPE. My last batch came out great using cooking spray this time around. I ate ALL the other recipes as well, lots of crumbs though. This time, they actually look like crackers 🙂
Thank you so much for this HEALTHY recipe. It’s my GO TO snack everyday with a frozen kefir smoothie.
You have no idea how happy this makes me! Thank you for sharing and letting me know how you like it. I started making them with a toddler and found they satisfy those snack cravings every time. I love your variations!! Excellent advice on the parchment too. Nonstick half-sheets work well too!
I can’t have dairy. Has anyone tried this recipe using almond or other non-dairy milk?
Hi Catherine — I have some oat milk I need to use. I’ll test it this morning and let you know.
Catherine – the oat milk worked great. The texture is a bit more delicate but super good!
First try they were way too salty, and the mixture that shows poured out to the blender, was so thick I could hardly dig it out. 2nd time I reduced salt to 1 tsp, and added about 3/4 cup of water, could even have added more I think…
Hi Beth, I’ve never had the batter too thick, it’s always pourable for me. But salting to taste is definitely a great idea!!
I blended the dry ingredients, then put the mixture into a bowl before adding the milk. So much easier to clean that way.
Thank you, Phyllis. That is a GREAT tip! Thank you for sharing.
Yes.- just tried it
Was so thick for me too. Very hard to scratch it out of the blender. Next time I
Will definitely add more liquid (water/milk)
These look delicious and easy to make. What size pan do you use to get a nice thin cracker?
Thank you. Caro.
Hi Caro – they are really good, I hope you like them. I would use the biggest sheet pan available. In my case, that’s a half sheet size.
Thank you Stephanie. I am going to make them this afternoon. Forgot to buy crackers and don’t feel like going to the store now. Looking forward to baking and tasting!
They are super easy make! Hope you like them ❤️!
Hi Stephanie. I can’t wait to try these crackers! I am wondering if you think a milk substitute would work well (dairy free)? I think I will sprinkle the tops of some with Parmesan cheese! Thank you so much for providing this recipe. I’ve been making my own oat flour lately, seems this would be considered baking with oat flour, nowadays. Probably not so much when your son was young. Also, thanks for the heads up on the amount of salt. I use very little these days so that helpful hint is much appreciated! I’ll let you know how they turned out! 🙂
Hi Lisa! I love the idea of a milk substitute but I’ve not tried it. You have me thinking though and I plan to make some this week with almond milk. My only concern is that milk serves as a binder because of the protein so I’m not sure what the resulting texture will be.
When Brent (my son) was little, I honestly didn’t use anything other than wheat flour– but I did try to include a variety of grains! He craved milk from morning to night and had no food allergies other than a picky pallet. His pediatrician advised me against worrying about the milk intake and today, in college, he is 6’9″. I’m almost 5’3″ – so I guess the milk didn’t hurt him :)!
Lol Stephanie, I would say not. I’m not vegan but I do use rice milk for the cholesterol aspect and I have a slight intolerance to dairy. However, I agree, I think for binding the dairy milk is probably best. Can’t wait to try them! Thanks again.
Oh my gosh, 6’9″ :0 I’m only 5’0 and my brother is 5’11., he was a big milk drinker too. Hm, maybe drinking milk really does improve growth! Should’ve drank more when I had the chance :,)
Hi Angie — I wasn’t a huge milk drinker either — and I’m 5’3 :)!
Hi! Was looking around for a good cracker recipe using oats and I was wondering if you did try the almond milk?
Hi Lynne— I did try it and it works perfectly!
I made these are they are SO easy and smell INCREDIBLE! The only issue for us is that they had far too much salt in them. 2 tsp of salt caused us to have to throw them out after eating only a few.
BUT, I am making them today with much less salt (less than half of what is called for) abs hopefully my littles and I can enjoy these.
Thank you for the recipe and encouraging creative snacks!
Hi Brittany! I’m so sorry that I didn’t see this comment until today. I’m so glad you liked the oat crackers. I’ve been making them for years for my kids as well.
Thank you for your note on the salt. I actually cook with very little salt. A couple of readers highly suggested increasing the amount, which I did. However, I tend to agree with you. Less is sometimes better!