If you love the bold flavor in my DIY Italian seasoning, these Italian crackers deliver in the best way. Each cracker bakes up thin, crisp, and lightly golden with a savory blend of basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme baked right into the dough.
A touch of honey balances the herbs, while a sprinkle of sea salt on top gives that perfect bakery-style finish. The result is a homemade Italian cracker that is crisp, flavorful, and perfect for pairing with cheese, soups, or a hearty dip.
If you’ve never made homemade crackers from scratch before, you’ll likely be surprised at how easy they come together. For more variations, try my homemade cheese crackers, spicy (or not) Mexican crackers, savory sour cream-and-onion crackers, or sweet-and-salty crackers.
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Quick Look at This Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Italian Crackers
- 🕒 Ready In: 25 minutes
- 🍞 Method: Rolled and baked crackers
- 👪 Yield: About 4 servings
- 🍽 Calories: Approximately 260 per serving
- 🥄 Tools: Mixing bowl, pastry cutter, rolling pin, pizza cutter, baking sheet
- 📖 Dietary Info: Vegetarian
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: Crispy, herb-packed homemade crackers made with simple ingredients
- 👩🍳 Tip: Roll the dough very thin for the crispiest texture.
What Makes This Recipe Unique
- From-Scratch Goodness – Uses simple, real-food ingredients without additives or preservatives found in store-bought crackers.
- Simple and Easy – The dough comes together in just a few minutes to bake crispy and flavorful crackers every time.
- Versatile – Perfect for cheese boards, soups, and snacking.
- Budget-Friendly – They are more affordable and wholesome than store-bought crackers.
Key Ingredients:
A full ingredients list, including measurements, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Flour – You can use whole wheat flour, freshly ground flour, or all-purpose flour for these Italian crackers. Freshly milled flour gives the crackers the most flavor and nutrition, while all-purpose flour produces a lighter texture.You can use all-purpose, whole wheat, or freshly ground.
- Butter – Cold butter creates flaky layers in the dough and adds richness to the crackers.
- Italian Herbs – A classic blend of dried basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme gives these crackers their signature Italian flavor. Or, make it even easier by using 2 teaspoons of this DIY Italian seasoning blend.
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Recipe Substitutions and Variations
One of the best things about cooking from scratch is the flexibility it offers. Check out my full list of ingredient substitutions for all your baking and cooking needs.
- Dairy-Free – If you prefer, substitute 3 tablespoons of olive oil for the butter to create a dairy-free version with a slightly more rustic flavor.
- Gluten-Free – For a gluten-free cracker, swap out wheat flour for your favorite gluten-free flour blend. Just make sure the blend has a binder (such as xanthan gum) so that it holds together as wheat flour would. For more helpful gluten-free info, check out my gluten-free baking tips.
- Honey Substitute – You can omit the honey or replace it with maple syrup if desired.
Homemade Cracker Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F, and measure your flour and seasonings into a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour until pea-sized pieces form.
Step 2: Add the liquid and honey and mix until just combined.
Step 3: Dump the cracker dough onto a piece of parchment paper or directly onto a baking sheet (I’ve never had issues with my dough sticking). Roll out the dough to about ⅛” thickness.
Step 4: Using a pizza cutter (or knife), cut the crackers into desired shapes. (You can also make the crackers into fancy shapes with cookie cutters.) Sprinkle with optional sea salt. If you didn’t roll the dough on your baking sheet, transfer it now.
Step 5: Bake for 10 minutes at 400°F. After 10 minutes, remove the crackers from the outer edges so they don’t burn and place them on a cooling rack.
Step 6: Return the remaining crackers to the oven and bake for 2-3 minutes, until most are golden brown. Allow the crackers to cool before removing from the pan. They will crisp as they cool.
Recipe Tips
| Detail | Tip |
| Rolling | Though I don’t have issues with my dough sticking, you can always use parchment paper or a lightly floured surface to prevent your dough from sticking. If your dough is too thin, your crackers will burn, but if they are too thick, they won’t be crunchy. Aim to roll your dough to a consistent 1/8 inch thickness. |
| Cutting | You can cut your crackers into any desired shape and size, but for even baking, make sure each batch is uniform in size. To make this step a breeze, use a pizza cutter. |
| Baking | Rolling your dough to a consistent thickness takes time and practice. Until you have mastered this technique, check your Italian crackers for doneness a little bit early. Remove the finished crackers from the baking sheet and bake the remaining crackers for another 2 minutes. |
| Cooling | Leave crackers on a baking sheet to cool; they’ll crisp up as they cool. |
Serving Suggestions
These Italian crackers are incredibly versatile and pair well with many foods.
Serve them with:
- Marinated mozzarella cheese balls and charcuterie boards
- Olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping
- Homemade hummus or white bean dip
- Sliced salami, olives, and mozzarella (I use this homemade mozzarella recipe.)
- A warm bowl of soup (try this traditional Borscht recipe or my homemade tomato soup recipe)
Storage Instructions
Allow the crackers to cool completely before storing.
- Room Temperature – Store Italian crackers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer – The dough can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before rolling and baking.
- To Refresh – If the crackers soften slightly, place them in a 300°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes to crisp them back up.
Home and Hand Made
If you have my book, Home and Hand Made, you’ll recognize this recipe from page 17! If you don’t have my book and are looking for more delicious from-scratch recipes, you’ll want to go snag your copy!
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Did you make these Italian crackers? If so, please leave a star ⭐ rating in the recipe card below (this really helps me out)… then, snap a photo and tag me on social media @melissaknorris so I can see! I love getting a glimpse of what you all make in your kitchens.
Italian Crackers Recipe | Crispy Homemade Herb Crackers
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl I love these Pyrex measuring cups because the large ones double as mixing bowls!
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie Sheet or a pizza stone
- Pizza Cutter If you don't have a pizza cutter, you can use a sharp knife.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups flour whole wheat, fresh ground, or all-purpose
- 1/2 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- sea salt I love Redmond Real Salt. Use code “Pioneering” for 15% off.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Measure flour and seasonings into a large mixing bowl.
- Add cubed butter and cut in with a pastry cutter or two butter knives until it looks like pea-sized clumps.
- Add water and honey, stir until just combined. Pro Tip: A few crumbly or dry pieces are fine, they'll incorporate as you knead the dough together a few times.
- Place the ball of dough on a baking sheet or stone. Roll dough out until it's 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch thick. Pro Tip: Press harder from the center of the dough and lighter as you reach the edges to try and maintain the same thickness throughout.
- Use a pizza cutter and cut into desired shapes.
- Pierce each cracker with the tines of a fork to keep them from puffing up.
- Sprinkle with sea salt or additional seasonings and bake at 400°F for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, remove the outer crackers to keep them from burning and return the rest to continue baking, if needed, for 2-3 minutes.
- Allow the crackers to cool completely on the baking sheet. Once completely cool, transfer to an airtight container and store for up to a week.
Notes
| Detail | Tip |
| Rolling | Though I don’t have issues with my dough sticking, you can always use parchment paper or a lightly floured surface to prevent your dough from sticking. If your dough is too thin, your crackers will burn, but if they are too thick, they won’t be crunchy. Aim to roll your dough to a consistent 1/8 inch thickness. |
| Cutting | You can cut your crackers into any desired shape and size, but for even baking, make sure each batch is uniform in size. To make this step a breeze, use a pizza cutter. |
| Baking | Rolling your dough to a consistent thickness takes time and practice. Until you have mastered this technique, check your Italian crackers for doneness a little bit early. Remove the finished crackers from the baking sheet and bake the remaining crackers for another 2 minutes. |
| Cooling | Leave crackers on a baking sheet to cool; they’ll crisp up as they cool. |
| Time Saver | Use 2 teaspoons of this DIY Italian seasoning blend in place of the individual dried herbs in this recipe. |
- Marinated mozzarella cheese balls and charcuterie boards
- Olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping
- Homemade hummus or white bean dip
- Sliced salami, olives, and mozzarella (I use this homemade mozzarella recipe.)
- A warm bowl of soup (try this traditional Borscht recipe or my homemade tomato soup recipe)
- Room Temperature: Store Italian crackers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: The dough can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before rolling and baking.
- To Refresh: If the crackers soften slightly, place them in a 300°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes to crisp them back up.
These Italian crackers are perfectly crisp, full of flavor, and so easy to make!