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{{Short description|Flat, dry baked biscuit}}
[[Image:DSCF3525 cheezit macro sm.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A [[Cheez-It]] cracker.]]
{{About|the baked good|other uses|Cracker (disambiguation)}}
[[Image:Crackers with herring and garlic sauce.jpg|thumb|200px|Crackers as part of a [[snack]] with [[herring]]]]
{{more citations needed|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox food
| name = Cracker
| image = Crackers with herring and garlic sauce.jpg
| image_size = 200px
| caption = [[Water biscuit]] crackers with [[herring]] and [[garlic sauce]]
| alternate_name =
| country = various
| region =
| creator = unknown
| course
|date = 2004
| type =
| served =
| main_ingredient = [[flour]], [[water]]
| variations = ''[[papadum]]'', ''[[senbei]]'' and ''[[num kreab]]''
| calories =
| other =
}}
A '''cracker''' is a flat, dry [[baking|baked biscuit]] typically made with [[flour]]. Flavorings or [[seasoning]]s, such as [[Salt#Edible salt|salt]], [[herb]]s, [[seed]]s, or [[cheese]], may be added to the dough or sprinkled on top before baking.<ref name="Manley 2011"/> Crackers are often branded as a nutritious and convenient way to consume a [[staple food]] or [[cereal grain]].


[[File:Army and Navy hard tack.jpg|thumb|right|Reproduction of 19th-century [[hardtack]], in the Army (square) and Navy (round) styles]]
{{Refimprove|date=February 2008}}
Crackers can be eaten on their own, but can also accompany other food items such as cheese or meat slices, fruits, [[Dipping sauce|dips]], or soft spreads such as [[Fruit preserves|jam]], butter, [[peanut butter]], or [[mousse]]. Bland or mild crackers are sometimes used as a palate cleanser in food product testing or flavor testing, between samples. Crackers may also be crumbled and added to soup.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2009/01/21/the-right-moves-for-soup-sippers/|title=The right moves for soup sippers|work=tribunedigital-baltimoresun|access-date=2018-11-07|language=en|archive-date=2018-11-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107104435/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2009-01-21/news/0901190061_1_soup-oyster-crackers-spoon|url-status=live}}</ref> The modern cracker is somewhat similar to [[nautical]] ship's biscuits,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cookit.e2bn.org/historycookbook/904-hardtack-ships-biscuits.html|title=Hardtack (Ships Biscuits) recipe - Cookit!|last=Gooii|website=cookit.e2bn.org|access-date=2018-11-07}}</ref> [[military]] [[hardtack]], [[wikt:cracknel|chacknels]],<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wvkqAAAAYAAJ&q=chacknels&pg=PA230|title=The Experienced English Housekeeper: For the Use and Ease of Ladies, Housekeepers, Cooks, &c.: Written Purely from Practice, and Dedicated to the Hon. Lady Elizabeth Warburton, Whom the Author Lately Served as Housekeeper, Consisting of Near Nine Hundred Original Receipts, Most of which Never Appeared in Print ... with Two Plans of a Grand Table of Two Covers and a Curious New Invented Fire Stove Wherein Any Common Fuel May be Burnt Instead of Charcoal|last=Raffald|first=Elizabeth|date=1818|publisher=James Webster|language=en}}</ref> and [[sacramental bread]]. Other early versions of the cracker can be found in ancient [[flatbread]]s, such as [[lavash]], [[pita]], [[Matzah|matzo]], [[flatbrød]], and [[crispbread]]. Asian analogues include ''[[papadum]]'', ''[[senbei]]'' and ''[[num kreab]]''.


The characteristic holes found in many crackers are called "[[roller docker|docking]]" holes. The holes are poked in the dough to stop overly large air pockets from forming in the cracker while baking.
A '''cracker''' is a type of [[biscuit]] that developed from military [[hardtack]] and nautical ship biscuits.
==History==
In 1792, John Pearson of Newburyport, Massachusetts, made a cracker-like bread product from just flour and water that he called "pilot bread." An immediate success with sailors because of its shelf life, it also became known as hardtack or sea biscuit.


==Names==
But the real evolutionary moment in the life of the cracker came in 1801 when another Massachusetts baker, Josiah Bent, burnt a batch of biscuits in his brick oven. The crackling noise that emanated from the singed biscuits inspired the name -crackers- and a bit of ingenuity, as Bent set out to convince the world of the product's snack food potential. By 1810, his Boston-area business was booming. And, in later years, Bent sold his enterprise to the company we now know as Nabisco.
In American English, the name "cracker" usually refers to savory or salty flat biscuits, whereas the term "[[cookie]]" is used for sweet items. Crackers are also generally made differently: crackers are made by layering dough, while cookies, besides the addition of sugar, usually use a [[Leavening agent#Chemical leavens|chemical leavening agent]], may contain eggs, and in other ways are made more like a cake.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/18476/original-nestle-toll-house-chocolate-chip-cookies/?recipeBrand=tollhouse&gclsrc=aw.ds&?gclid=Cj0KCQiAlIXfBRCpARIsAKvManwkaes5n--1Ov68ShxbCU7ksAKVgugVGLF7PX5g02SqaOOvYoM7T24aAqPyEALw_wcB&gcls|title=Original NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Chocolate Chip Cookies|website=NESTLÉ® Very Best Baking|language=en|access-date=2018-11-07}}</ref> In British English, crackers are sometimes called [[water biscuit]]s,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/water-biscuit|title=Water biscuit definition and meaning {{!}} Collins English Dictionary|website=www.collinsdictionary.com|language=en|access-date=2018-11-07}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lostinthepond.com/2013/04/british-vs-american-english-food.html#.W-J6sHpKgkg|title=British Vs. American English: Food Terminology|website=www.lostinthepond.com|access-date=2018-11-07}}</ref> or savoury biscuits.


==Types==
In 1999, the cookie and cracker industry in the United States employed 37,857 people, with sales exceeding $10 billion.<ref>[http://www.census.gov/epcd/susb/1999/us/US311821.HTM US Census data]</ref>
Crackers come in many shapes and sizes, such as round, [[Rectangle|rectangular]], [[Triangle|triangular]], or irregular. Crackers sometimes have [[cheese]] or [[spice]]s as ingredients, or even [[chicken]] stock, such as [[In a Biskit]], which is sold internationally with various flavors.


[[Saltines]] and [[oyster cracker]]s are often used in or served with [[soup]]. Similar crackers include [[cream cracker]]s and [[water biscuit]]s.
==Types==
The holes in crackers are called "docking" holes. The holes are placed in the dough to stop air pockets from forming in the cracker while baking.


[[Cheese cracker]]s are prepared using cheese as a main ingredient. Commercial examples include [[Cheez-It]], [[Cheese Nips]] and [[Goldfish (cracker)|Goldfish]].
In U.S. English, the name "cracker" is most often applied to flat biscuits with a savory, salty flavor, in distinction from a "[[cookie]]," which may be similar to a "cracker" in appearance and texture, but has a sweet flavor. Crackers may be further distinguised from cookies by the manner in which they are made. Crackers are made by layering dough and cookies are made in any manner a cake would be made. Crackers sometimes have [[cheese]] or [[spice]]s as ingredients, or even [[chicken]] stock. Some crackers are salted, [[flour]] products.


[[Graham cracker]]s and [[digestive biscuit]]s are also treated more like cookies than crackers, although they were both invented for their supposed health benefits, and modern [[graham cracker]]s are sweet. Similarly, [[animal crackers]] are crackers in name only. Animal crackers and Graham crackers may have docking holes.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}
Brands including [[Captain's Wafers]], [[Club Crackers]], [[Town House Crackers]], [[Ritz Crackers]], [[Cream cracker]]s and [[Water biscuit]]s are used spread with [[cheese]], [[pâté]], or [[mousse]].


==Brands==
[[Saltine]] and [[Oyster cracker (food)|oyster cracker]]s are often used in or served with [[soup]].
Cracker brands include [[Bremner Wafer]]s, [[Captain's Wafers]], [[Cheese Nips]], [[Club Crackers]], [[Goldfish crackers]], [[In a Biskit]], [[Jacob's]], [[Ritz Crackers]], [[Town House cracker]]s, [[Triscuit]], [[TUC (cracker)|TUC]], and [[Wheat Thins]].


==Gallery==
[[Apple pie#Apple pie in American culture|Mock apple pie]] is made from Ritz (or similar) crackers.
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Arare.jpg|[[Arare (food)|Arare]], small Japanese rice crackers
File:NY-Deli-Bagel-Chips.jpg|[[Bagel]] chips
File:Cheez-It-Crackers.jpg|[[Cheez-It]] crackers made by Kellogg
File:Goldfish-Crackers.jpg|[[Cheddar cheese]] flavored [[Goldfish crackers]]
File:Graham-Cracker-Stack.jpg|[[Graham cracker]]s which are lightly sweet rather than savory
File:Oyster Crackers.jpg|A bowl of [[oyster cracker]]s
File:RitzCrackers.jpg|[[Ritz Crackers]]
File:Saltine-Crackers.JPG|[[Saltine cracker]]s
File:Japanese Senbeis.jpg|Japanese [[Senbei]] rice cracker
File:Triscuit-Crackers.jpg|[[Triscuit]] shredded wheat crackers
File:WaterBiscuit-Trio.jpg|Trio of Water biscuits: Left: Supermarket own brand, Right: Excelsior from Jamaica, Top: Carr's Table Cracker
File:Flickr stuart spivack 8254492--Beaten biscuits.jpg|[[Beaten biscuit]]s are a relative of crackers
</gallery>


==See also==
[[Animal cracker]]s are the subject of debate as to whether they are cookies, or crackers. One side states that they are a cracker, an exception to the rule-of-thumb "crackers are salty/savory; cookies are sweet." Plus, the manner in which animal crackers are made (layered dough) classifies them as crackers. However, the sweet taste and texture of the dough would lead the other side to believe that they are, in fact, cookies. Some animal crackers contain trace amounts of meat and are unsuitable for vegetarians.
{{portal|Food}}

{{div col}}
[[Graham cracker]]s and [[digestive biscuit]]s are also eaten as cookies, although they were both invented for their supposed health benefits.
* [[Cheese and crackers]]

* [[Kerupuk]]
A popular snack is crackers with [[cheese]] as a topping. thats wat she said
* [[List of crackers]]
* [[Matzah|Matzo]]
* [[Pretzel]]
* [[Saltine cracker challenge]]
* [[Tortilla]]
{{div col end}}


==References==
==References==
{{reflist|refs=
{{Reflist}}
<ref name="Manley 2011">{{cite book | last=Manley | first=D. | title=Manley's Technology of Biscuits, Crackers and Cookies | publisher=Elsevier Science | series=Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition | year=2011 | isbn=978-0-85709-364-6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v5NwAgAAQBAJ | access-date=October 8, 2017 }}</ref>
}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}
{{commonscat|Crackers (food)}}
*[http://www.bentscookiefactory.com/ Website of Bent's Cookie Factory in Milton, MA, purveyors of "water crackers" and hardtack during the American Civil War]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061205021806/http://bentscookiefactory.com/ Website of Bent's Cookie Factory in Milton, MA, purveyors of "water crackers" and hardtack during the American Civil War]
* [http://savoryseasonings.blogspot.com/2008/10/cheddar-goldfish-crackers.html Make your own cheddar crackers]
* [http://savoryseasonings.blogspot.com/2008/04/wheat-thin-crackers.html Make your own thin wheat crackers]

{{Wheat}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Crackers (food)| ]]
[[Category:Crackers (food)| ]]
[[Category:Snack foods]]

[[Category:Wheat dishes]]
[[de:Cracker (Gebäck)]]
[[fr:Cracker (biscuit)]]
[[he:קרקר]]
[[nn:kjeks]]
[[ru:Крекер]]
[[simple:Cracker]]
[[sv:Kex]]
[[zh-yue:克力架]]
[[zh:梳打餅]]

Latest revision as of 14:43, 27 November 2024

This article is about the baked good. For other uses, see Cracker (disambiguation).
Cracker
Water biscuit crackers with herring and garlic sauce
Place of originvarious
Created byunknown
Main ingredientsflour, water
Variationspapadum, senbei and num kreab

A cracker is a flat, dry baked biscuit typically made with flour. Flavorings or seasonings, such as salt, herbs, seeds, or cheese, may be added to the dough or sprinkled on top before baking.[1] Crackers are often branded as a nutritious and convenient way to consume a staple food or cereal grain.

Reproduction of 19th-century hardtack, in the Army (square) and Navy (round) styles

Crackers can be eaten on their own, but can also accompany other food items such as cheese or meat slices, fruits, dips, or soft spreads such as jam, butter, peanut butter, or mousse. Bland or mild crackers are sometimes used as a palate cleanser in food product testing or flavor testing, between samples. Crackers may also be crumbled and added to soup.[2] The modern cracker is somewhat similar to nautical ship's biscuits,[3] military hardtack, chacknels,[4] and sacramental bread. Other early versions of the cracker can be found in ancient flatbreads, such as lavash, pita, matzo, flatbrød, and crispbread. Asian analogues include papadum, senbei and num kreab.

The characteristic holes found in many crackers are called "docking" holes. The holes are poked in the dough to stop overly large air pockets from forming in the cracker while baking.

Names

[edit]

In American English, the name "cracker" usually refers to savory or salty flat biscuits, whereas the term "cookie" is used for sweet items. Crackers are also generally made differently: crackers are made by layering dough, while cookies, besides the addition of sugar, usually use a chemical leavening agent, may contain eggs, and in other ways are made more like a cake.[5] In British English, crackers are sometimes called water biscuits,[6][7] or savoury biscuits.

Types

[edit]

Crackers come in many shapes and sizes, such as round, rectangular, triangular, or irregular. Crackers sometimes have cheese or spices as ingredients, or even chicken stock, such as In a Biskit, which is sold internationally with various flavors.

Saltines and oyster crackers are often used in or served with soup. Similar crackers include cream crackers and water biscuits.

Cheese crackers are prepared using cheese as a main ingredient. Commercial examples include Cheez-It, Cheese Nips and Goldfish.

Graham crackers and digestive biscuits are also treated more like cookies than crackers, although they were both invented for their supposed health benefits, and modern graham crackers are sweet. Similarly, animal crackers are crackers in name only. Animal crackers and Graham crackers may have docking holes.[citation needed]

Brands

[edit]

Cracker brands include Bremner Wafers, Captain's Wafers, Cheese Nips, Club Crackers, Goldfish crackers, In a Biskit, Jacob's, Ritz Crackers, Town House crackers, Triscuit, TUC, and Wheat Thins.

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Manley, D. (2011). Manley's Technology of Biscuits, Crackers and Cookies. Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition. Elsevier Science. ISBN 978-0-85709-364-6. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
  2. ^ "The right moves for soup sippers". tribunedigital-baltimoresun. Archived from the original on 2018-11-07. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
  3. ^ Gooii. "Hardtack (Ships Biscuits) recipe - Cookit!". cookit.e2bn.org. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
  4. ^ Raffald, Elizabeth (1818). The Experienced English Housekeeper: For the Use and Ease of Ladies, Housekeepers, Cooks, &c.: Written Purely from Practice, and Dedicated to the Hon. Lady Elizabeth Warburton, Whom the Author Lately Served as Housekeeper, Consisting of Near Nine Hundred Original Receipts, Most of which Never Appeared in Print ... with Two Plans of a Grand Table of Two Covers and a Curious New Invented Fire Stove Wherein Any Common Fuel May be Burnt Instead of Charcoal. James Webster.
  5. ^ "Original NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Chocolate Chip Cookies". NESTLÉ® Very Best Baking. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
  6. ^ "Water biscuit definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary". www.collinsdictionary.com. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
  7. ^ "British Vs. American English: Food Terminology". www.lostinthepond.com. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
[edit]

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