Homemade Butter Crackers

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Butter crackers are easy to make at home with just a few ingredients! These simple crackers are full of buttery flavor and make the perfect base for your favorite cheeses, charcuterie, or dips.

Growing up in Wisconsin, a cheese tray to me simply meant slices of cheddar and colby jack alongside summer sausage and butter crackers.

That snack still hits the spot, but now I like to use my own homemade butter crackers. Similar to Ritz or Club crackers, these buttery bites only need a few basic ingredients for the dough.

Whether you want to enjoy your crackers with cheese, spread them with your favorite dip, or crumble on top of soup, butter crackers are a delicious homemade snack!

Ingredients for butter crackers

Full list of ingredients including quantities is located in the recipe card.

You’ll need:

• Flour
• Sugar
• Salt
• Baking soda
• Unsalted butter – The butter should be cold, not softened for this recipe.
• Egg
• Heavy cream

That’s it! You can season the crackers with other things like garlic powder, onion powder, or paprika, but I like to keep them plain so they can be used for any pairing.

The butter flavor really shines through in these crackers, so if you want to use a higher quality butter, go for it! I used standard butter from the grocery store and it works just as well.

How to make this recipe

Preheat the oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a reusable silicone liner.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.

Cut in the butter using a pastry blender, two knives, or your hands, breaking down the butter into the dry ingredients until it looks a bit like wet sand.

Whisk together the egg and cream, then add to the flour mixture. Stir to incorporate, forming a shaggy dough. 

Gather the dough together with clean hands and knead just a couple of times to form a ball.

Lightly dust a clean countertop with flour. Flour your rolling pin and the dough, then roll the dough out into a large rectangle, as thin as you can make it. 

Use a rolling pastry cutter or a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut crackers. Gather dough scraps to re-roll and cut while the first batch is baking.

Transfer the crackers to the prepared baking sheets. Use a fork to prick a few holes into each cracker — this will help prevent the crackers from puffing as they bake. Sprinkle with fine sea salt or flaky salt.

Bake the crackers for 8-12 minutes, until lightly golden brown. The final time will depend on the size of your crackers and the thickness of the dough.

Let cool briefly on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe notes

• If you like, you can brush the tops of the crackers with a bit of cream or beaten egg to give it a golden sheen. Make sure to do this before adding the salt.
• I tested this recipe at 400°F but found the crackers browned too quickly around the edges. The final recipe uses a temperature of 375°F, but keep in mind oven temperatures can vary and may run hot or cold.
• Make sure to roll out the dough as thin as you can to ensure a crisp cracker! You can divide the dough in half to make it easier to work with, especially if you do not have a large counter space.
• I prefer to roll and bake these crackers immediately, but if it’s a hot day, you might want to chill the dough for 20 minutes or so before rolling out. If the dough is too firm and resists rolling after chilling, let it rest a bit. You can also roll out the dough and cut the crackers, then chill the sheet pan before baking.

Serving suggestions

You can’t go wrong serving up your favorite sliced cheeses with these butter crackers, but why not add some other options to the mix?

Spread with chive cream cheese or pimento cheese for a tangy snack. 

Serve alongside dips like bacon onion dip, eggplant dip, or muhammara.

Crush the crackers to use on top of your favorite casseroles, such as yellow squash casserole.

You’ll love these buttery crackers!