Halloween cookie cutters usually come out once a year, for one batch of sugar cookies, before disappearing back into the drawer. This year, put them to work on something savory. These homemade Halloween crackers are crisp, golden, and lightly salted, and they come out of the oven shaped like bats, ghosts, pumpkins, and whatever other creatures your cutter collection holds.
The recipe comes from Kari Moore of Le Craker, and it’s a natural fit for the healthy Halloween snacks TABLE contributor Kelly Kinsey gathered for her family’s celebration. Kelly’s goal is to balance the season’s candy haul with real food that still feels festive, and few things are more satisfying than a cracker you rolled and cut yourself. With just flour, sea salt, baking powder, olive oil, and water, the dough comes together in minutes, and the hands-on rolling and cutting make it an ideal project for cooking with kids.
Why Make Crackers from Scratch?
Store-bought crackers are convenient, but homemade crackers have a few advantages. You control the ingredients, so there are no preservatives or hard-to-pronounce additives. The olive oil gives them a rich, clean flavor that pairs well with cheese, dips, and cured meats. And because you cut them yourself, they can take any shape you like, which turns an everyday snack into a centerpiece for a Halloween party board.
They’re also inexpensive. A batch of crackers costs a fraction of a fancy box from the cheese counter, and the recipe doubles easily for a crowd. Leftover dough scraps can be gently pressed together and rerolled once.
How to Make Homemade Halloween Crackers
Start by whisking the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl. Add the olive oil and work it in with a fork or your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Then add the water and mix just until the dough forms a ball. If it’s too crumbly, add a bit more water; if it’s sticky, add a little more flour. Try not to overwork the dough, which can make the finished crackers tough and chewy.
Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. That short break relaxes the gluten, so the dough rolls out more easily and won’t shrink in the oven. Roll it out on a floured surface to about ⅛ inch thick, cut out your shapes, and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned and crisp.
Tips for Crisp, Even Crackers
Roll evenly. Crackers bake best when they’re the same thickness. Rolling between two sheets of parchment helps, and so do rolling-pin spacer rings.
Dock the dough. Pricking each cracker a few times with a fork prevents large air bubbles. For bats and ghosts, a couple of well-placed holes can double as eyes.
Bake by color. Small shapes brown faster than large ones, so bake similar sizes together and pull the crackers once their edges turn golden. Let them cool completely on the pan; they’ll keep crisping as they cool.
Season creatively. Try a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning, smoked paprika, or dried rosemary along with the sea salt. A brush of olive oil before baking helps toppings stick.
Store them well. Keep cooled crackers in an airtight container for up to a week. If they soften, re-crisp them in a 300°F oven for a few minutes.
How to Make Halloween Crackers Gluten-Free
These crackers are already dairy-free and nut-free, and they can be made gluten-free, too. Replace the all-purpose flour with an equal amount of a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. Gluten-free dough is more fragile, so roll it between two sheets of parchment, chill the rolled dough for 10 minutes before cutting, and use a thin spatula to move the shapes to the baking sheet. Expect a slightly more delicate, sandy texture.
More Halloween Recipes from TABLE
Make this board the centerpiece of your spread with Kelly’s Halloween Mummy Dip and Deviled Egg Spiders. Want another showpiece? Our Savory Pumpkin Dip with a Halloween Skull Cheese Board crowns a Brie skull with marigolds, and the Roasted Squash Salad with Mozzarella Skulls is a fresh side for the same table. Browse more crowd-pleasers in our Appetizer section.
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Homemade Halloween Crackers: Easy Cookie-Cutter Crackers Kids Can Make
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 36 crackers 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Crisp, olive oil crackers made with six pantry ingredients and cut into bats, ghosts, and pumpkins with Halloween cookie cutters.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup water
- Additional sea salt, for topping
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Add the olive oil and, using a fork or your fingers, mix until combined and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the water and mix just until the dough comes together into a ball.
- If the dough is too crumbly, add a bit more water. If it’s too sticky, add a bit more flour. Try not to overwork the dough.
- Let the dough rest for 30 minutes, then roll it out on a floured surface to 1/8 inch thick.
- Cut into shapes using your favorite cookie cutters. Place the cut-outs on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy.
Notes
Gluten-free: Substitute a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. Roll between parchment and chill 10 minutes before cutting.
Docking: Prick each cracker with a fork to prevent bubbling.
Storage: Airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Rest Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 crackers
- Calories: 230
About the Recipe Author
Kari Moore is the baker behind Le Craker, where she makes crackers from scratch.
About the Story Author
Kelly Kinsey is a Pittsburgh home cook, mom of two, and TABLE Magazine contributor who specializes in playful, family-friendly recipes for the Kids Table. A self-described seasonal curmudgeon who still goes all out for Halloween, she learned to bake at her grandmother’s side and now cooks with her own kids. Read more of her work at TABLE.
About the Photographer
BurkleHagen is a commercial food photography studio led by owner and creative director Andrew Burkle. The team specializes in photography, food styling, motion, and set styling for local and national brands, restaurants, chefs, and cookbooks. See more at burklehagen.com and on Instagram.
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