Sesame Herb Crackers

Put the kids in charge of holiday party snacks with this surprisingly simple recipe

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Sesame Herb Crackers — Photograph by Carl Tremblay

Photograph by Carl Tremblay

If you're hosting a gathering this season, you and your kids can add a homey touch to your cheese plate by baking a batch of crackers from scratch. The process is easy (just mix, knead, roll, and slice!), and since the recipe doesn't require any rising time, the tasty payoff comes together in a single kitchen session. For a more rustic look, bake the crackers in whole sheets and let the kids break them into pieces after they've cooled.

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Photographs By Carl Tremblay

Step 1

Heat the oven to 375. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, table salt, sesame seeds, and herbs. Use a fork or your fingers to work in the softened butter until it's evenly blended.

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Photographs By Carl Tremblay

Step 2

Make a well in the dry ingredients. Add all the milk and stir until a dough begins to form. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead it until it's smooth. Add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, if the dough is dry.

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Step 3

Flatten the dough into a disk and halve it. Sprinkle your work surface with more flour and shape one of the halves of dough into a rectangle. Roll it out into a thin rectangle, about 9 by 16 inches. Carefully transfer it to a rimmed, parchment-lined baking sheet.

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Photographs By Carl Tremblay

Step 4

Brush the dough with water, scatter on sesame seeds and herbs, and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Use a pizza cutter or a butter knife to cut the dough into 12 or more same-size pieces. Don't separate the pieces or trim off the rough edges.

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Step 5

Bake the dough until it's just golden brown, about 15 minutes, turning the pan at least once halfway through. (Keep watch as it bakes; you may need to turn the pan more than once for even browning.) Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the crackers cool completely, then break them along the cut lines. Repeat with the remaining dough. The crackers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for three days.

Cheese, Please!
For even more crunch and baked-cheese flavor, substitute 3 tablespoons of Parmesan for the sesame seeds. At step 4, skip the water and simply scatter on additional cheese and herbs before baking.