Oyster crackers are a party food favorite – and for good reason. They are seasoned, salty and perfectly snack sized, so are great as finger food or hors d’oeuvres at any occasion.
Contrary to their name – they don’t actually contain any oysters, but rather likely got their name for their oyster-like shape, and the fact that they were traditionally served with a lovely oyster stew.
You may also be familiar with oyster stew by a few different names – like water crackers, Philadelphia crackers or Trenton crackers. But, as they say, a rose by any other name will still smell as sweet, and an oyster cracker will still be tasty.
From Scratch Oyster Crackers
Ingredients
Five ounces of all-purpose flour
One teaspoon of Kosher salt
One teaspoon of sugar
One teaspoon of baking powder
Two tablespoons of cold unsalted butter, which has been cut into quarter inch cubes
A third of a cup of cold water, and any additional as needed
Method
Step One: Put an oven rack to a middle position, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Measure out your flour, slat, sugar, and baking powder into a medium bowl, and whisk it together to combine.
Add the butter, and using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, and work into flour until it resembles a coarse meal or chunky breadcrumbs. Add the water slowly, and lightly knead the dough until it comes together into a ball.
Step Two: Set the dough on a lightly floured surface, and cover it with an overturned mixing bowl. Leave the dough to rest for about 15 minutes.
Step Three: Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, to a thickness of around an eighth of an inch. Cut the dough into half inch squares, rectangles, or diamonds (depending on your preference).
Transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet, and space the crackers out as much as you can.
Step Four: Bake it until the crackers are starting to show color around the bottom edges of the cracker (which should take about 15 minutes).
Turn the oven off, and crack the door open by about five inches. Leave the crackers inside to cool down and continue to crisp, which should take around 30 minutes.
Remove the crackers from the oven, season lightly with salt, and allow them to completely cool. The crackers can be stored in a sealed container, and should stay fresh for about a week.
Ranch Oyster Crackers
Ingredients
One ounce of ranch style dressing mix
Half of a teaspoon of dried dill weed
A quarter of a cup of vegetable oil
A quarter of a teaspoon of lemon pepper (options, and down to your personal preference).
A quarter of a teaspoon of garlic powder.
Five cups of oyster crackers.
Method
Step One: preheat your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120 degrees Celsius).
Step Two: In a big mixing bowl, combine the dressing mix, dill weed, vegetable oil, lemon pepper, and garlic powder. Add the plain oyster crackers, and then toss them to coat the crackers. Spread them evenly on a baking tray.
Step Three: Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in your heated oven, stirring them gently every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and then allow them to cool before you serve them.
Sweet And Spicy Oyster Crackers
Ingredients
A quarter cup of pure maple syrup.
Three tablespoons of sriracha.
Two tablespoons of unsalted butter.
Four cups of oyster crackers.
Six sprigs of fresh thyme.
Method
Step One: Start by preheating your oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small saucepan, combine the syrup, sriracha and butter. Bring this to a boil, and stir until it is all combined. Toss the crackers with the thyme.
Step Two: Spread the crackers onto a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, and bake them until all the coating is set, stirring a few times, until about 45 minutes.
Let the crackers cool completely before serving. If stored in an airtight container, and should stay fresh for up to a week.
Fire Oyster Crackers
Ingredients
Unsalted saltine crackers.
Ranch dressing mix.
Red pepper flakes.
Garlic powder.
Canola oil.
Method
Step One: Combine the oil and seasonings together in a small book.
Step Two: You need to place the saltines and crackers in some kind of sealable container, or ziplock bag. After the crackers are in a bag, cover them with the oil and seasoning mixture.
Turn the bag or container over every five minutes for 30 minutes, to ensure that the crackers are evenly coated.
Step Three: This is a no-bake recipe, so all you need to do is leave the crackers in the bag til you are ready to serve them.
Italian Oyster Crackers
Ingredients
A package of oyster crackers.
A quarter of a cup of olive oil.
A package of zesty Italian salad dressing mix.
Half of a teaspoon of garlic powder.
Half of a teaspoon of dried basil.
Method
Step One: Preheat your oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step Two: Place all the crackers into a large glass mixing bowl, and combine the dressing mix, olive oil, garlic powder, and a quarter of dried basil together in a smaller bowl.
Step Three: Pour this mixture over the crackers, and gently stir/toss well, so that all of the crackers are coated in the seasoned oil mixture.
Step Four: Place all the crackers on a foil-covered baking sheet, and then bake for 10 minutes. Flip the crackers over, and then return them to the oven to bake for an additional ten minutes. Allow the crackers to cool, and then store in an airtight container so that they remain fresh.
Maple Vanilla Spice Oyster Crackers
Ingredients
Four cups of oyster crackers.
Three quarters of a cup of salted butter.
Three quarters of a cup of brown sugar
Two teaspoons of vanilla extract of maple extract.
One teaspoon of Kosher salt.
Half of a teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
Method
Step One: Preheat your oven to a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step Two: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment/greaseproof paper, and lightly spray the sheet with cooking spray, to ensure that nothing sticks. Spread the crackers over the baking sheet.
Step Three: In a large pan, melt the butter over a medium heat, add the brown sugar, and then stir until it has all totally dissolved.
Step Four: Turn up the heat to a medium high temperature, until the mixture starts to boil. Stir it while it boils for about three to four minutes, and gets lighter in color. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla or maple extract.
Step Four: Quickly pour this mixture over the crackers, and mix them gently with a silicone spatula, until all the crackers are completely covered in the sweet sauce. Sprinkle it with salt and cayenne pepper to your personal preference.
Step Five: Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, but take care to ensure that they don’t burn. Let the crackers cool, and then break them into pieces, like peanut brittle. You can store it in a ziplock bag, and it will stay fresh for around a month.
To Conclude
All of these recipes are great to serve alongside oyster soups, or delicious homemade chowder, or even just as a tasty snack. There is bound to be something for everyone on this list, regardless of your taste preferences.