Step by step

Method

12 steps

1. 1

   In a food processor: Combine the flour, sugar, salt, paprika and butter in a food processor, pulsing the mixture until the butter is evenly disbursed in the crumbs.

2. 2

   Drizzle in 1/4 cup (60 ml) cold water with the machine running; run it until the mixture begins to form a ball.

3. 3

   By hand: Combine the flour, sugar, salt, paprika and butter in a medium bowl.

4. 4

   Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, work the butter into the mixture until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.

5. 5

   Add 1/4 cup (60 ml) cold water, stir with spoon until combined.

6. 6

   Knead once or twice on counter.

7. 7

   Transfer crackers to baking sheets, spacing them only a little as they really don’t spread.

8. 8

   Sprinkle with additional table salt if you’d like to approximate the salty exteriors of the store-bought crackers.

9. 9

   Bake crackers until crisp and bronzed, about 5 to 7 minutes but please keep a close watch on the first batch as thinner crackers (high-five!) will bake faster and thicker ones will take longer.

10. 10

    Cool in baking pans on racks.

11. 11

    Crackers will keep in an airtight container officially for a week but ours are in fact two weeks old and still perfect.

12. 12

    You can also freeze them in an airtight container between sheets of waxed paper for a couple months.