November 13, 2014
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Today I’m sharing a recipe for homemade wheat thins that have the delicious golden wheat flavor of the original snack.
Not only are these homemade wheat thins much easier to make than I assumed, but they’re also cheaper and healthier. This makes a great school lunch box idea that requires few ingredients and tastes like the real thing even better!
Homemade Wheat Thin Ingredients
Thanks to whole wheat flour and a mixture of basic pantry spices and seasonings, these homemade crackers are super simple to pull off and taste even better than the boxed version.
Head to the pantry and see if you have everything you need to make this yummy snack happen:
- Whole wheat flour
- Sugar
- Salt
- Paprika
- Butter
- Water
- Vanilla extract
Once baked and stored in an airtight container these will stay fresh and crispy for up to a week, if they make it that long.
How to Make Wheat Thins
Roll up those sleeves, and let’s make these homemade crackers!
- Prepare
Preheat oven to 400F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat. - Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, paprika, and salt. Grate the cheese and butter into the flour mixture, stir to combine. - Make the Dough
Stir together the water and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture and stir until a dough forms. Shape into a ball.
*You made need to use your hands for this part. If the dough appears dry, add a tablespoon of water, but not too much, as you do not want the dough to become sticky. - Cut into Squares
Split the dough in half. On a floured surface or roll out half the dough into 1/16th inch thickness. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut the dough into squares or your shape of choice. Place the squares onto the lined baking sheets. - Bake Until Crispy
Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through to ensure even baking. Remove from the oven and allow to cool down completely before storing in an airtight container.
Want to enjoy these same yummy crackers but gluten-free? I also have a great recipe for gluten-free crackers that beats the boxed version any day.
Are Homemade Wheat Thins a Healthy Snack?
Nothing beats homemade snacks and treats. Not only do they tend to taste better than the store-bought options, but you can control what ingredients go into the recipe and which ones to avoid. These crackers are made with simple and basic pantry staples, no additives, artificial flavors, or food coloring.
These homemade wheat crackers pack perfectly in a lunchbox! If you need more ideas for your packed school lunches, check out my latest ebook, 101 Packed Lunches for endless lunch inspiration!
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What to Serve with Homemade Crackers
Use these crackers for all your favorite purposes, whether it’s to pack in a lunchbox or serve with your favorite dip. Check out these snack ideas with crackers to grab ideas on how to serve them!
I’ve also got you covered with a few of my favorite dip recipes that use fresh ingredients and minimal effort.
Homemade Wheat Thins
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups 100% whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt plus extra for sprinkling
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons water or more if dough it too dry
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, paprika, and salt.
- Using a cheese grater, shred butter onto flour mixture. Using your hands, combine until thoroughly mixed.
- In a small dish, mix together the water and vanilla and pour liquid into the flour and butter mixture. Stir this until it comes together. You made need to use your hands a bit to really mix this together. If the dough appears dry add a touch of water, but not too much, as you do not want the dough to become sticky.
- Split the dough in half. On a floured surface or on a non-stick mat, roll out one half of the dough very thin about 1/16th inch. Using a pizza cutter, large knife, or cookie cutters, cut into whatever shape you desire. Immediately after cutting, transfer the crackers onto lined baking sheets. Repeat as necessary. Sprinkle with more salt, if desired.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, watching closely because they can burn quickly. Halfway through baking, rotate the pans to ensure even baking.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool down completely before storing in an airtight container.
Notes
Adapted from King Arthur Flour Cookbook.
Linda
Thank you for the recipe and for some of the comments too. I really like wheat thins and crackers in general but try not to eat processed foods. The vanilla seemed off to me too, but you are correct the processed crackers have a ton of sugars.
MOMables
It’s crazy how much refined sugars they have! This is definitely a better way to enjoy crackers every now and then.
Cathy
I just made these with Bob’s Red Mill low carb baking mix and they are AWESOME. Had to make another batch right away because the kids gobbled them up. For the second batch I added a little onion powder and garlic powder to the paprika and left out the vanilla. Savory, wonderful little crackers. Thanks for this recipe! We’ve really been missing crackers around here.
Liz
Loved this recipe! I added some Old Bay Seasoning to please my Marylander husband, and used my pasta machine to roll out the dough- saved me so much time!
MOMables
what a great idea to use the pasta machine Liz! I’m thrilled you liked it.
Lindsay
Oh, I see that both your version and the ohsheglows version are from the same source. Guess that explains it.
MOMables
We credited the original source: King Arthur Flour Cookbook. Nothing suspicious about crediting a source.
Elyse
How many days are these good for?
MOMables
2-3 in an airtight container. if you are not going to eat them, bake half and freeze the other half of the dough.
Quianna
Could you sub out maple syrup or honey for the sugar? I try to avoid it whenever possible. I’ll try it either way but i just thought i would ask before i went through the effort! Thanks!
MOMables
Quianna, I haven’t tried it but in this recipe it’s only 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar so using a liquid sweetener will work! I use coconut palm sugar myself and they come out great.
Nadia
Do you think I could sub coconut oil for the butter?
MOMables
absolutely.
Lori
I’m getting ready to try these now. Do they still taste like the real deal with the sugar and vanilla? Have you tried them without?
MOMables
wheat thins are not sugary and vanilla. they are whole wheat and salty..
Lori
I know… what I meant was, I was surprised to see the recipe include sugar and vanilla since they taste salty and I was curious if they really have that same taste despite those ingredients. I’m going to whip up a batch now and find out :)
Karin
Real wheat thins have an outrageous amount of sugar/corn syrup. The vanilla does seem odd though.
MOMables
karin, the vanilla adds a little hint of the packaged flavorings… you can of course leave it out. Our recipe has no corn syrup… I hope you enjoy them!
Christina
Have you tried making these gluten free? Wondering if this would work with gluten free flour. Thanks!
MOMables
Christina, I have a gluten free version coming out very soon. sign up for our newsletter so you know when the recipe is published! :)