Crackers are good with so many foods.  They complement soups, salads and cocktails. Savory homemade crackers are fun, easy and delicious and a perfect addition to a holiday buffet.   Plus they make it look like you did something really special. 

Let’s make crackers with step by step photos. 

There are several great recipes available for homemade crackers. Perhaps the most famous is the “cheese straw.” Like porch sitting, lightening bugs, honeysuckle and iced tea; cheese straws are steeped in southern hospitality. No respectable southern hostess would be without a platter of cheese straws on her party buffet.   

Rice crispy cheddar rounds are another delicious home-made cracker.  My friend Kathy Harris who loves to host parties serves these and people can’t get enough of them. 

Another delectable cheese treat is blue cheese and walnut crackers, a specialty of Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa. 

I chose an Ina Garten cracker recipe for a recent wedding shower, one that I had not made before—Parmesan Thyme Crackers.  They were delicious and so easy. 

Parmesan Thyme Crackers 

¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1¼ ups all-purpose flour 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter for 1 minute. With the mixer on low speed, add the Parmesan, thyme, salt, and pepper and combine. With the mixer still on low, add the flour and combine until the mixture is in large crumbles, about 1 minute. If the dough is too dry, add 1 teaspoon water.

Dump the dough onto a floured board or waxed paper, press it into a ball, and roll into a 9-inch log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 4 days.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the log into 3/8-inch-thick rounds with a small, sharp knife and place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 22 minutes, until very lightly browned. Rotate the pan once during baking. Cool and serve at room temperature.  Store in air-tight or zip lock bag. 

Tips: 

 Make sure the butter is at room temperature.  

Use Parmesan Reggiano.  You can buy it grated at Central Market and 4 ozs. of grated cheese is what you will need to yield a cup. 

Wash thyme and dry on paper towel.  Using herb scissors, snip a stem from the bunch and with your fingers, strip the leaves against the growth.  When you have enough thyme leaves just snip little bunches of the leaves again with your scissors. 

Keep your measuring spoons on hand as you will likely need to add water by the teaspoons to get the dough to the right consistency. This is likely due to the butterfat content in your butter.  Higher fat butters are best for baking. 

Use the wax paper to roll the ball into a long and then wrap with plastic wrap. 

Makes 24 to 30 crackers. 

As fall approaches, these crackers would be great with Cream of Tomato or Potato soup and they will disappear quickly from your party buffet during the fall holidays.