Want to make your own water biscuits? Look no further than this simple, four ingredient water crackers recipe - perfect for cheese platters.
Growing up, there were always Carr's Water Crackers (you know the ones you get in a box from Coles & Woolies) on our cheese platters.
We used to buy them but since I discovered how simple they are to make, they're homemade in our house now.
Why make them
- It's easy - I thought homemade water crackers would be tricky but they were extremely easy to make.
- They're delicious - despite their not-so-pretty appearance they taste great and were really moreish.
- It's economical - they use just 4 staple ingredients (one of which is water!).
- Quick - making them great for a last min snack or entertainer's plate.
Ingredients
To make your own crackers, you will need just four ingredients:
- Flour - just regular plain flour (also called all purpose flour). You can also use spelt flour if you want to make them a little more nutritious.
- Salt - the best quality salt you can get. We like to use celtic sea salt.
- Olive oil - Extra Virgin for a little bit of flavour or just plain olive oil if you don't want the taste to come though.
- Water - filtered room temperature water (preferably not cold water).
Equipment
You could make easy homemade crackers just with a bowl, your hands and a sharp knife but to make it easier, use:
- Rolling pin - for rolling the dough out
- Pizza cutter - makes slicing it easier if you don't want to do shapes
- Cookie cutter - if you're making shapes
- Baking sheet - to bake them on
- Pasta maker - optional - makes rolling them out even easier
Instructions
Step 1 - Dry ingredients
Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl.
Make a well in the center.
Step 2 - Add oil & water
Pour the olive oil and water into the well in the centre.
As the recipe only called for 2 tablespoons of olive oil, I use the best quality you have.
It will add a delicious flavour to the crackers.
Step 3 - Combine
Step 3 texUse a knife to cut through the mixture until it all comes together.
If you have a food processor or Thermomix, you could use it instead but it really isn’t difficult making them with a knife.t
Step 4 - Roll & cut
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it comes together into a smooth ball.
Roll as thinly as possible then cut into shapes. I ended up just cutting the dough which had a much better result (this is where you'd use the pizza cutter).
You could just slice it up like I did in these Paleo corn chips.
Step 5
Lay the shapes out on the lined prepared trays.
They don’t spread so you can put them pretty close together.
Prick each one with a fork. The little holes help them cook evenly.
Bake at 180C fan-forced for about 12 minutes or until they turn golden.
Step 6
Transfer the crackers to a wire rack to cool.
Storage
Store them in an air-tight container until it’s time to serve them.
As long as they are properly cooked through (nice and crispy) and stored away from air they will keep for quite a few days.
Variations
You absolutely can add flavours to the crackers.
It can be sprinkled on top or mixed into the dough. Some ideas are:
- Cracked black pepper
- Poppy seeds or sesame seeds
- Dried herbs
Serving
I like to serve water crackers with a delicious brie but you can also serve with dip.
Here are a few of my favourite recipes:
FAQs
A water cracker (or water biscuit) is a savoury cracker.
It’s thin, crisp & brittle & usually served with cheese (or I like to have them with dip).
As the story goes, ‘water crackers’ were first made of flour and water in the 1800s as a food that wouldn’t deteriorate in long sea voyages.
The ‘cracker’ comes from the sound they make during baking.
I didn’t exactly witness this sound but they did crackle as they cooled.
Recipe
Water crackers - easy biscuits for cheese
Ingredients
- 200 g 7oz plain flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 100 ml cold water
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C (356F) fan-forced and line an oven tray with baking paper.
- Combine the flour and salt together in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
- Pour in the water and the olive oil and using a knife, cut through the flour until everything is combined.
- Turn the dough onto a very lightly floured surface and knead until it is smooth.
- Roll out the dough as thinly as possible then cut into whichever shapes you like.
- Place the shapes on the lined tray and prick them several times with a fork or skewer.
- Bake the biscuits for about 12 minutes or until they turn golden.
Sue Gibson says
I was diagnosed as ceoliac a few years ago, so tried making (not this recipe but literally just glutton free plain flour, a 'tip' of olive oil and water, (I only ever use a smidge of salt when making dough) so no salt at all and they were acceptable in fact better than acceptable. I lived on them for ages, as I have never seen glutton free ones.
Claire says
Oh yum Sue that would be delicious!
Cate says
Great recipe. You can cut down on work by rolling the biscuit directly on baking tray, and cutting with a pizza cutter before baking. Square crackers.
Donna says
Was happy to find a recipe for water biscuits as they aren’t available in Spain and I wanted something to eat with cheese. I may have either cooked them too long or made them too thin, or over pricked them or something because they were a bit too crispy for my liking. I’ll try again though and adjust things, see the f I have more luck next time.
Claire says
I think maybe they were cooked for just a bit too long and too thin Donna. Hopefully the next attempt is better for you!
Rosa says
Absolutely a brilliant recipe and SO easy!
I did a trial batch (using half of the ingredients) to see how it would turn out - amazing! I used organic whole grain spelt flour and it still worked! Forgot to put the Parmesan in, so sprinkled the top with smoked Cyprus sea salt crystals and fresh ground black pepper. Moreish? No, SUPER-moreish! Perfect; so easy, so quick and SO economical
Claire says
Yum yum yum! I haven't tried spelt yet. Will have to give it a go. x
Nikki says
Thanks for a great recipe. I followed someone else's tip of using a pasta machine, then laid straight onto a baking tray and cut with a pizza roller. I also added some garlic puree and finely grated cheddar. Mine took about 20 minutes to cook. Really tasty!
Claire says
Oh yum Nikki!