In the past few decades, the world has gone crackers. For well over a century, the only store-bought crackers readily found on American grocery store shelves were saltines, typically served with soup or given to teething babies to gnaw on. Since the 1960s, the variety of available crackers has exploded and whole grocery aisles can barely contain the assortment. 

Cooking and Baking with Crackers

Breading poultry, fish and meat with cracker crumbs is nothing new but there are other ways to incorporate the crispy biscuits into recipes to impart flavor and texture. When using crackers as ingredients, take into account their saltiness and reduce the amount of salt normally used. If using crackers as a binding ingredient, crush them as finely as possible in a blender or food processor. 

Butter ‘Em Up

Buttery crackers have enough flavor to be enjoyed naked, right from the box, and they become even tastier when crushed and mixed with other ingredients. The distinct bite of Dijon mustard and texture of slivered almonds are highlighted by butter-flavored crackers in Almond-Crusted Chicken Dijon. This type of cracker adds richness and flavor to Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Shrimp and transforms simple butternut squash into a show-stopping side dish in Baked Squash Casserole. 

Wild for Shredded Wheat Wafers

Shredded wheat wafers look like shredded wheat cereal smashed thin but they pack tremendous flavor and crunchiness. Their bold texture is crusty enough to hold up to moist foods when used as a crust in the hot appetizer dish Hot Broccoli Basket. This wafer type adds a crunchy layer to Turkey Divan Strata and you would never know it was a savory cracker when it’s mixed with the sweet and creamy components in Raspberry-Cream Cheese Danish Bars.

Simple Saltines

Used to make meatloaf and meatballs lighter – not to mention make them “stretch” when unexpected dinner guests show up – saltines also add consistency and bulk to appetizers such as Black Bean Cakes, a spicy Mexican-inspired starter with a sour cream garnish. Stuffed Pasta Taco Shells combine the pungent spices of tacos with crushed saltines in stuffing for pasta shells, a satisfying baked supper dish that nicely melds the flavors of Mexico and Italy. Delight your family with a dessert of Chocolate Caramel Peanut Bars and award an extra helping to anyone who can guess they have a full sleeve of saltine crackers in them.

Flavored Crackers

In savory dishes, experiment with flavored crackers to add interesting tastes. Many types and brands of crackers come in a wide range of flavors that include herbs, cheese and other tastes that complement various ingredients.