Need more savory snack recipes? Try my veggie chips, air fryer potato chips, and roasted chickpeas next. Childhood snacks should be their own food group. If I had to pick one snack that I can recall eagerly awaiting every lunch break, it was peanut butter crackers. Obviously, they made an impression, and I’m happy to say my homemade crackers are even BETTER than I remember.
Why I love this recipe
A shortlist of ingredients. Compare my recipe to the back of those cracker packs, and you’ll see mine has 1/10th of the ingredients. There’s no dextrose, no whey, no soy lecithin, nada. And they’re way healthier, too. My crackers have way less sodium and calories than the OG version, and thanks to the whole wheat flour, they’re higher in protein and fiber. Versatile. I love the classic peanut butter flavor, but I also included a few flavor swaps so you can have them any way you like.
Ingredients needed
White all purpose flour and wholewheat flour. A combination of both flours are used to ensure the crackers are perfectly light, crispy, but also have a nutritional punch to them. Baking powder. Leavening agent used to give the crackers some rise and stability. Salt. Just a pinch to add flavor. If you use salted peanut butter, you can omit this. Peanut butter. Smooth peanut butter, not the crunchy kind! Water. To form a smooth dough. Sesame oil OR peanut oil. To brush on each cracker. Sesame seeds. Optional, but I like to sprinkle sesame seeds over the top of the crackers before baking them.
How to make peanut butter crackers
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Step 1- Make the dough. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Form a well in the center, then add the peanut butter and water. Stir until a thick dough remains. Shape the dough into a ball. Step 2- Knead. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead several times. Shape the dough into a rectangle, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for an hour. Step 3- Prep. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Step 4- Shape. Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll it out into a large rectangle, about 12 inches down the sides and around 1/16th of an inch in thickness. Using a pizza cutter, cut out 8 rows by 6 rows to form 48 crackers. Step 5- Bake. Prick each cracker with a fork, brush them with oil, and sprinkle the sesame seeds on top. Bake the crackers for 13-15 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely.
Arman’s recipe tips
Don’t skip the refrigeration. Trust me, it’s the only way to ensure the peanut butter firms up and prevents the crackers from overspreading. Swap the sesame seeds for coarse sea salt for a different flavor. Use other types of nut butter, like almond butter or cashew butter. For a nut-free recipe, use tahini or sunflower seed butter.
Storage instructions
To store: Store these crackers at room temperature, covered, for up to 4 weeks.
Peanut butter cheese crackers. Fold in half a cup of shredded cheddar cheese into the dough. Peanut butter and jelly crackers. Omit the salt in the dough and swirl through half a cup of your favorite store-bought jelly. Peanut butter chocolate-covered crackers. Omit the added salt on the crackers, and once cooled, dip them in melted dark or milk chocolate. Peanut butter honey crackers. Once the crackers have cooled, drizzle honey on half the crackers and place a second cracker on top (to make peanut butter sandwich crackers).
To freeze: Place leftovers in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.
More healthy snacks you’ll enjoy
Healthy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies Protein balls Cookie dough protein bars Low-calorie chips Zucchini fries
