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I've curated this list of 28 Best Crackers for Charcuterie Board in conjunction with Episode Rejection, Defection, and Redemption and How To Build The Perfect Fall Charcuterie Board from my podcast guest, Daniela Wilson.
Creating the perfect charcuterie board is not a science, even though some have tried to pin down a formula for the ratios of a charcuterie board (see the FAQ section below). To me, a charcuterie board is a little bit like personalities. You put your favorites on the board which will look different for everyone. This is also true for the crackers you choose to have. The best charcuterie crackers will be the ones that you like the most to eat. They can be fancy, such as a fig and pistachio cracker, or simple like a saltine cracker. It is all about making a good choice for you and those you are sharing the charcuterie with. That is why I have created this list to show the wide variety of crackers you can have that will fit your tastes when you make your perfect board.
Make sure to check out my other round-up recipe post, Best Breads for Charcuterie Boards, and Daniela's other storied recipes How To Build The Perfect Fall Charcuterie Board, Baked Brie With Balsamic Roasted Grapes and Rosemary, and Czech Chebla.
How to Use This List
- While this may not be the most traditional variety of crackers for a charcuterie board, I believe it is interesting and necessary to look outside of what is always done and try something new.
- Make sure to look at the FAQ at the bottom!
- I've split this list into the following categories: Ingredient-Based Crackers, Crackers Around the World, Gluten-Free Crackers, Fruit Crackers, Herb Crackers, Classic Store Bought Crackers, and Seasoned Crackers.
Ingredient-Based Crackers
A perfect charcuterie board will have plenty of options for every guest to enjoy, featuring different types of cheese and meat products. Whole grain crackers are heartier while pita chips have a satisfying crunch when you bite into them, but all of the examples listed below will make the perfect appetizer for your next party, ensuring your charcuterie board is complete.
Sourdough Discard Crackers Recipe
Sourdough discard crackers are thin, crispy and have that amazing tang that you can only get with real sourdough! You'll never want to throw away your sourdough discard after your taste these addictive crunchy crackers!
Seeded Multigrain Crackers
Adapted fromBreaking BreadbyMartin PhilipFeel free to use any combination of seeds that you want. I made a mix that was mostly sesame, poppy, and flax, with a generous sprinkling of caraway, along with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Other possibilities include cumin or fennel seeds, black onion seeds, and dried onions. Martin suggested a few different types of flour to add to the whole wheat and all-purpose flours. I used buckwheat, but he suggested, in addition to the ones I've listed in the recipe, millet or lentil flour. Although the recipe calls for instant dry yeast, I'm pretty sure you can use active dry yeast. Check here for more information on .For baking the crackers, it's best to rely on visual clues rather than leaning heavily on absolute baking times. The crackers are done when they are well-bronzed across the top, so they may take more or less time than indicated. The edges or tips may get a little darker than the centers, especially if you're cutting them in diamond shapes, but they'll taste just fine.
Whole Wheat Crackers
Cooks in 40 minutesIf you have the proper tools, these crackers are really easy to make and you can make them any flavor you want. Not to mention you get to skip out on all the mystery ingredients that are in most store-bought crackers.
How to Make Homemade Pita Chips
Perfectly crispy homemade pita chips baked with extra virgin olive oil and your seasoning of choice (I used za'atar, but you can change things up to your liking)! Perfect by themselves for a snack or added to a little mezze platter with your favorite dips (lots of dip ideas below).
Crackers Around the World
For your next charcuterie board, instead of a typical charcuterie board with well-known cracker varieties, a great option would be to showcase different types of crackers around the world. Along with a variety of meats, fresh fruit, a variety of cheeses, and a delicious spread, finding the right crackers is just as important since it is the vessel that brings all the flavors together, so in my opinion, there is no better way to add to special occasions than to try something unique and new to you.
Crispy Italian Breadsticks (Grissini) Recipe
Cooks in 115 minutesClassic crispy Italian bread sticks, great as a snack or on the side of any meal These are simple to make and taste just like they came from a restaurant!
Taralli Pugliesi
Cooks in 100 minutesTaralli or Tarallini Pugliesi are a delicious little snack from Puglia. Crunchy and crispy made with white wine, flour and olive oil. Add your favourite herbs and spices and serve them with drinks for an Italian aperitivo!
How to Make Crostini
Cooks in 15 minutesLearn how to make golden, toasted crostini in this simple recipe! They're easy to make in the oven (or on the grill, see note). Crostini are the perfect base for your party appetizers or a fun light meal with accompaniments. Recipe yields 16 to 24 little toasts, depending on the baguette length (demi or full size).
Savory Lavash Crackers
Cooks in 10 minutesSavory Lavash Crackers take just minutes to make at home and create a crispy, healthy snack or appetizer.
Swedish crispbread (rye seed crackers)
Cooks in 30 minutesThese crackers are easy to make, packed with tasty seeds and great topped with cheese and more.
Water crackers - easy biscuits for cheese
Cooks in 27 minutesA four-ingredient, super simple recipe for water cracker buscuits.
The BEST Japanese Rice Crackers Recipe (Senbei)
These crunchy and savory Japanese rice crackers (Senbei) are an ideal snack or appetizer seasoned with togarashi, sesame seeds, and furikake. Adapted with easy, gluten-free swaps to make these rice crackers gluten-free!
Also, try these Galletas Cubanas (Cuban crackers)!
Gluten-Free Crackers
A great addition to your charcuterie board is to add gluten-free crackers in case someone at your party has a sensitivity or an allergy. Just because they are gluten-free doesn't mean that they aren't flavorful! In fact, some of these recipes may end up being your favorite crackers to have on your board.
Almond Flour Crackers
Cooks in 30 minutesHomemade almond flour crackers with 4 simple ingredients: almond flour, water, ground flaxseed and sea salt. Rich, buttery, crunchy, gluten-free, vegan and perfect for dipping into hummus!
The Best Seed Crackers Recipe
Cooks in 65 minutesMake these delicious super crispy seed crackers with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and flaxseed. They are so easy to make, packed with nutrients, and great for snacking and platters.
Brown Rice Crisps: Gluten Free & Vegan Crackers
Cooks in 50 minutes
Fruit Crackers
Goat cheese or blue cheese pairs well with these fruit crackers and offers a great alternative to jam. For instance, the fig and pistachio crackers recipe below can serve as a creative substitute for fig jam, providing the same delicious flavor without the stickiness. A variety of dried fruits baked in the cracker offers different options for your guests to try and is a great way to have fun with your cracker tray presentation.
Dried Fruit and Nut Crackers
Cooks in 160 minutesDeliciously crispy dried fruit and nut crackers that taste like homemade Raincoast Crisp crackers! How to make crostini crackers with dried fruit & nuts.
Seed, Raisin and Almond Crackers
Cooks in 65 minutes
Fig and Pistachio Cracker Recipe
Cooks in 80 minutesThe perfect pairing for cheese, this crunchy, slightly sweet and salty Fig and Pistachio cracker recipe is simple to make. These crackers are a worthy addition to any cheese and charcuterie plate!
Herb Crackers
Artisan crackers are the perfect addition to your charcuterie tray. Crackers baked with fresh herbs are always a great choice, especially when paired with aged cheeses.
Thyme-Sea Salt Crackers
Cooks in 35 minutesThese homemade crackers are decidedly light and crispy. An addictive snack on their own, they also pair well with a sharp white cheddar. —Jessica Wirth, Charlotte, North Carolina
Rosemary Sea Salt Crackers
Cooks in 30 minutesThese easy homemade Rosemary Sea Salt Crackers are the perfect addition to your cheese plate, or just to have on hand for snacking. They are so simple to make, and take less than thirty minutes.
Classic Store-Bought Crackers
Neutral-flavored crackers should be paired with soft cheeses (such as brie cheese or cream cheese) so the delicate cheese flavor isn't overpowered. Whether your favorites are a classic cracker simply topped with sea salt or melt-in-your-mouth buttery crackers, it all comes down to personal preference.
Homemade Saltine Crackers
Cooks in 35 minutesImpress your guests by serving homemade saltine crackers at your next gathering! It's easier than you may think.
Easy Homemade Flatbread Crackers
Cooks in 30 minutesThese easy homemade flatbread crackers are super adaptable and they are the perfect pair for cheese and wine. Crispy, real food, snacking perfection!
Seasoned Crackers
It's a good idea to have different shapes of crackers on your board, and it will definitely make a perfect canvas to showcase your cracker platter, like these cheddar cheese straws from Front Range Fed. Not only should you have unique shapes for your charcuterie board crackers, but also a variety of flavors to pair with your cheese selection as well as your other food items on the board.
Chilli and Onion Crackers
Recipe for baked spicy chilli and onion crackers. Easy recipe perfect for beginners.
Cheddar Cheese Straws Recipe
Cooks in 30 minutesThis Cheddar Cheese Straws Recipe is a crispy, savory, easy-to-make party snack. It has a great sharp cheddar flavor and a pinch of cayenne pepper and paprika give it just a hint of spice. These are totally addicting!
Sesame Crackers - Thin and Crispy
Cooks in 120 minutes
How to Make a Czech-Inspired Charcuterie Board
This version of a charcuterie and cheese board is based on a favorite Czech bread with a chewy exterior, crispy interior, and full of caraway seeds.
Listen to Daniela Now
When Daniela responded early to my open call for Storied Recipes with a wish for me to assemble and photograph a charcuterie board, I couldn’t understand the request. It seemed… vague, unspecific to any heritage, and open to a variety of ingredients and approaches.
Little did I know how this board represented a story of rejection, defection, and redemption. When I finally understood how the board tied together the many strands and people in Daniela’s dramatic story of contrasts, I felt overwhelmingly thankful that I had not allowed my assumption to limit me from following through on Daniela’s request.
One note on this episode - our original conversation was almost two hours long and I edited it to around 45 minutes. I am including at least one bonus episode with this story and will welcome requests for further bonus episodes.
FAQ
Cheese and Cracker Parings
I have listed a few cracker and cheese pairings above, but this list from Wisconsin Cheese gives you some more ideas for pairings for your next gathering:
- Spreadable cheese: You need something sturdy to hold up to the cheese being spread, think water crackers. Seeds and nuts also pair well with softer cheeses to let the flavor shine through.
- Semi-soft cheeses: Buttery crackers are well suited for these cheeses, but they admit that this is the easiest pairing because you can really pair any cracker with semi-soft cheeses (e.g. Pepper Jack, Havarti, Fontina, etc.).
- Hard to semi-hard cheeses: Because the cheeses have a crumbly texture, they suggest getting a bigger cracker so the cheese won't fall off. They also say that dried fruits pair well with these cheeses so try a dried fruit cracker option above.
- Blue cheeses: Since it is a tangy cheese, they suggest using a cracker with a little bit of sweetness to balance the flavors.
What is the 3 3 3 3 Rule?
This means that there should be 3 types of meats, 3 types of cheese, 3 kinds of starches, and 3 accompaniments on every charcuterie board.
source: Broma Bakery
How to Avoid Crackers from Becoming Soggy?
The Charcuterie Association says to make sure that you aren't putting the crackers next to wet or oily ingredients (well... yes we know this). They also say that to absolutely avoid the crackers from getting soggy you can put them on a separate cracker tray and or serve the crackers in smaller amounts on the board and refill them when they are low.
source: Charcuterie Association
How Many Crackers Should Go On A Charcuterie Board?
For a small charcuterie board:
- 4-6 crackers per person
For a large charcuterie board:
- 8-10 crackers per person
source: Charcuterie Association
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Ingredients
Sourdough Flatbread from Little Spoon Farm
Multigrain Crackers from David Bovitz
Whole Wheat Crackers from The Conscientious Eater
Rye Crackers from Delicious Magazine
Pita Chips from The Mediterranean Dish
Grissini (Italian) from Pretty Simple Sweet
Taralli (Italian) from Inside The Rustic Kitchen
Crostini (Italian) from Cookie and Kate
Lavash Crackers (Armenian) from The Domestic Dietitian
Swedish Crispbread (Swedish) from Caroline's Cooking
Water (Buscuits) Crackers (British) from Claire K Creations
Senbei (Japanese) from Veggie Kins Blog
Nut Crackers from Goodnesst
Almond Flour Crackers from Eating Bird Food
Seed Crackers from Alpha Foodie
Rice Flour Crackers from Tessa Domestic Diva
Dried Fruit Crackers from Mind Over Munch
Raisin Crackers from Cravings Journal
Fig and Olive Crackers from A Communal Table
Thyme Crackers from Taste of Home
Rosemary Crackers from Fox and Briar
Ritz from Served From Scratch
Saltines from A Little Fish In The Kitchen
Flatbread Crackers from Pinch Of Yum
Chili and Onion Crackers from Kannamma Cooks
Cheese Breadsticks from Front Range Fed
Sesame Crackers from Taste of Artisan
Notes
- Make sure to listen to Daniela's episode Rejection, Defection, and Redemption!
Would love to hear from you!