Sesame Crackers

Sesame Crackers, thin, crispy, with lots of earthy sesame flavour, are unbelievably easy to make at home.

I love to scoop up dips like hummus and baba ganoush with them. But the crackers are just as good with cheese or peanut butter. So tasty, you can even snack on them without a topping.

The simple dough with white and wholemeal flours, ground and whole sesame seeds, sesame oil and water, comes together in a few minutes. Rolled thinly straight onto baking paper, just cut into whatever shape crackers you like then pop in the oven. Less than twenty minutes later you’ll have wonderfully light and crunchy crackers that will stay crisp for around two weeks.

Add different spices or herbs to create a range of flavours. My favourite is a generous amount of Middle Eastern za’atar or cumin.

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EASY HOMEMADE CRACKERS

I’m pleased to say that my homemade cracker recipes continue to be some of my most popular. Increasing numbers of people are discovering that there is an alternative to palm oil-laden, ultra-processed, plastic-wrapped crackers or their expensive, artisan counterparts.

When I made my very first homemade crackers, I was pleasantly surprised. Because it turned out to be easy to create a tasty, crunchy cracker at home. So much so that I even named them Easy Homemade Crackers. Since then, I haven’t stopped making all sorts of crackers – you’ll find links to some of them after the recipe card at the end.

One of my favourite variations on the original Easy Homemade Crackers are Rye, Spelt & Sesame Crackers. I just can’t get enough of their earthy, nuttiness – particularly with bold flavoured dips and spreads like Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. And that got me thinking. Why not create a cracker where the main flavour was sesame?

SESAME CRACKERS

It’s taken me a few experiments to get these Sesame Crackers exactly how I wanted them. My first tries were a good tasting cracker. But they didn’t scream ‘sesame’ to me. Eventually, I found that the key wasn’t just to add more sesame seeds, although that was part of it. No. What really gave unmistakable sesame flavour was to replace some of the flour with ground and toasted sesame seeds.

Here’s a complete list of all the ingredients you’ll need:

• Plain white flour I wanted a light cracker so include some white flour.
• Plain wholemeal flour adds substance, nuttiness, as well as better nutrition.
• Untoasted sesame seeds A mixture of black and white looks best.
• Toasted sesame seeds Black and white again if possible.
• Salt to enhance the flavours.
• Sesame Oil increases the sesame flavour. You can replace with olive oil if necessary, but the result won’t be quite the same.
• Water to bring the dough together.
• Optional spices I love earthy za’atar, but you could leave out or replace with a little ground cumin, black pepper or any dried herb you fancy.

To toast the sesame seeds, put them in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until they turn golden (the white ones anyway), being careful not to let them burn. To grind, I use a mini processor. You could also use a coffee grinder, pestle and mortar, or put into a plastic bag and go over with a rolling pin.

EASY SESAME CRACKERS

So long as you don’t make it too wet, the dough for making these crackers is nice and easy to work with. The technique for making my crackers is dead simple too.

You’ll find a detailed recipe at the end of the post, but here’s an overview of the steps complete with images.

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STEP 1: CUT OUT BAKING PAPER

To make transferring the crackers to the baking tray easy, we’re going to roll and cut the dough straight onto baking paper. So, the first job is to cut baking paper to fit the bottom of a shallow baking tray that’s approximately 31 x 21 cm.

The recipe will make two trays of crackers so, if you have two suitable trays, you can cook them both at the same time. Cut out two pieces of paper if you want to do that. I find that baking paper can be used several times, so I keep it in the cupboard until I want to make crackers again.

Because I find it impossible to cut a straight line freehand, I cut the dough with a pizza wheel plus the ruler I keep in my kitchen utensils drawer.

STEP 2: MAKE THE DOUGH

To make the dough, stir together the flours, salt, whole and ground sesame seeds, plus any spices. Add the oil to the measured water, then tip into the flour mix. Stir with a spoon, then switch to your hands to bring together into a dough.

Different flours absorb different amounts of liquid so you may need to add a tiny splash more water than stated in the recipe card. But don’t make the dough wet.

We use half the dough to make the first tray of crackers, so divide it in two. I use scales to get them equal because I’m rubbish at estimating. Cover the other half with the upturned bowl to stop it drying out.

STEP 3: ROLL OUT & CUT THE DOUGH

Take one of the pieces of baking paper and sprinkle a little wholemeal flour over it. Then put one piece of dough in the centre and sprinkle that with flour too: you shouldn’t need much if the dough isn’t overly wet.

To get nicely crunchy rather than hard crackers, you need to roll the dough very thinly: no more than 1-2 mm thick. Conveniently, if you’ve used the recommended sized baking tray, rolling the dough so it reaches right to the edges of the paper will mean it’s the correct thinness.

Next, I use my pizza wheel and ruler to neaten the edges. Then I cut the dough into my chosen shape of cracker. For attractive, wavy edges a pastry wheel is good.

For my Sesame Crackers I went for triangles as a change from my usual squares or rectangles. Rather like tortilla chips, I thought this would make them a good shape for dipping (into hummus, baba ganoush, etc.). You don’t need to cut completely through the dough. Just try not to slash the paper.

STEP 4: BAKE

To bake, slide the paper, crackers and all, onto the baking sheet. I hold the tray just below the level of my work surface then pull the paper onto it.  The crackers then go into your oven preheated to 200C / 180C Fan / Gas 6.

They should take 12 – 18 minutes to become browned and crisp all the way through. Note that those at the corners and edges may cook faster than those in the centre. I check after 12 minutes, snap off the ones that are ready and put the rest back in the oven.

While the first tray is baking, you can get going on the next batch with the remaining dough if you like. However, if you’re not very good at multi-tasking then it’s probably best to keep an eye on the first tray. Of course, you could also cut out both trays of crackers then put them in the oven together.

As the crackers are done, transfer them to a wire cooling rack. Snap apart any that are still joined together. Once completely cold, put the Sesame Crackers in an airtight tin or other container where they should stay crispy for around two weeks.

SERVING SESAME CRACKERS

When I was developing my recipe for Sesame Crackers, I set myself the goal of something that would go well with Middle Eastern style dips like hummus, baba ganoush, and moutabal. So, after I’d tasted this batch and found them so good, I whizzed up a classic hummus and got dipping.

I’m happy to report that the combination was perfect. Smooth chickpeas and tahini, plus the sharpness of lemon and garlic, contrasted wonderfully with the crunchy, earthy Sesame Crackers. Early versions had been tasty, but really more like a standard cracker flavoured with sesame. But these really did deserve the title sesame crackers.

They are a versatile cracker though. I’ve also eaten them with hard and soft cheeses as well as peanut butter. And they’re still great.

I started making easy homemade crackers over three years ago with just flour, salt, oil, and water. So pleased with how simple it was, I went on to learn that it’s possible to make a great range of crackers just as easily.

Sesame Crackers take a tiny bit more work (to toast and grind the sesame seeds). But the result, I think, is on a par with expensive, artisan-style crackers. Full of flavour, crispy and crunchy, if you like the earthy, slightly bitter taste of sesame then you’ll love Sesame Crackers.

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Sesame Crackers

Thin and crispy, with big sesame flavour, these easy homemade crackers are great for scooping up dips like hummus, eating with cheese or even for snacking without a topping.

Course Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Vegetarian, Vegan, plant-based, World

Keyword homemade crackers, easy

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 38 minutes

Servings 2 trays of crackers

Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

• 40 g black and white sesame seeds (toasted) see Recipe Note #1
• 80 g black and white sesame seeds (untoasted)
• 100 g plain white flour
• 40 g plain wholemeal flour plus extra for rolling out
• ½ tsp salt
• 2-3 tsp za'atar spice mix optional: see Recipe Note #2
• 20 ml sesame oil
• 80 ml water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180 Fan/Gas 6.

2. Cut two pieces of baking paper to fit the bases of two shallow baking trays each approximately 31 x 21 cm.

   Tip: most baking paper can be used more than once so, at the end, store and save for next time you make crackers.

3. Grind the toasted sesame seeds in a small food processor, pestle and mortar, or put into a bag and go over with a rolling pin.

4. Put the ground sesame seeds in a large mixing bowl with the untoasted whole sesame seeds, the flours, salt and za'atar if using.

   Pour in the sesame oil and water then mix with a spoon. Switch to your hands to bring everything together into a smooth dough: add an extra tiny splash of water if necessary but don't make the dough wet.

5. Cut the dough in half and set one half aside (cover with the upturned bowl so it doesn't dry out).

6. Lightly flour one of the pieces of baking paper.

   Place one piece of dough on it, sprinkle with a small amount of flour, then roll out very thinly so it reaches the edges of the paper. Note: it should be no more than 1-2 mm thick, or the crackers will be hard instead of crispy.

7. Neaten the edges of the dough with a pizza wheel or knife and ruler.

   Cut the dough into triangles, squares, or rectangles of your preferred size.

   Slide the paper and the uncooked crackers onto one of the baking trays.

8. Put the tray in the preheated oven and cook until the crackers are browned and crisp all the way through (12-18 min). Check after 12 minutes as those at the edges of the tray may cook more quickly: remove these and return the rest to the oven.

   While the first batch is baking, make another with the remaining half of dough then cook as above.

9. Transfer the cooked crackers to a wire cooling rack and leave until completely cold.

   Stored in an airtight container, Sesame Crackers should stay fresh for around 2 weeks.

Recipe Notes

Note #1 To toast the sesame seeds: put them in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until they turn golden, being careful not to let them burn. Cool a little before grinding as per the recipe instructions.

Note #2 You can leave out the za'atar spice mix if preferred or replace with a teaspoon of ground cumin. Learn to make your own Za'atar spice blend here.

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