Homemade Ritz Crackers

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Author: Lauren McDuffie
Yield: about 30 to 40 crackers 1x

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 TBSP granulated sugar

1.5 tsp salt, plus more for sprinkling

6 TBSP very cold unsalted butter, cut up into small bits (see note 1)

2 TBSP olive oil

⅔ cup water

2 to 3 TBSP butter, melted

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust the rack to the middle position.
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add the 6 TBSP cold butter, a little at a time (pulsing in between each addition) until all of it is in. Add the olive oil and water (you may not need all of the water) and process/pulse until the mixture forms a sticky ball.
Transfer the ball of dough to a well-floured work surface and, using a floured rolling pin, roll it out as thin as you can. Using a round cookie cutter or something similar (I used a ¼ cup measure) to stamp out individual crackers and lay them on a parchment or Silpat-lined baking sheet. You should get around 30 to 40 crackers. (NOTE: Don’t worry about it if your crackers vary a little in shape/thickness. You can use a pasta machine to roll out the dough, if you’re seeking total perfection).
Chill the crackers for 15 minutes (this helps achieve optimum flakiness).
Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, or until the crackers are very golden brown on top, rotating/turning the pans halfway through the bake time. Brush with melted better right when they come out of the oven and sprinkle with a little more salt. They’ll harden and set as they cool. Cool completely before storing.
These will store well in an air-tight container in a cool dry place for up to 4 or 5 days.

Notes

Note 1: Keeping your butter extra, super cold is a trick to achieving very flaky crackers. So, sometimes I will cut the butter into small bits and then throw it into the freezer for 8 to 10 minutes, so it’s VERY cold. This is is also why we’ll chill the crackers just after cutting them. We want the butter to be cold when it hits the oven, so it bursts and steams, creating flaky layers.

Note 2: Overworking the dough will make the crackers tough and un-flaky. So, be conservative as you handle it, only working it as much as is needed to achieve the thinness required.

Keywords: Homemade Ritz Crackers

Find it online: https://mykitchenlittle.com/2020/11/17/homemade-ritz-crackers/