Fitness / March 9, 2024

Fire Crackers

Tired of the same old snack? Throw Fire Crackers into the mix and take your humble cracker to the next level.

Table of Contents

Toggle

Once you go from a teen who eats mostly takeout to a young adult who realizes, for the sake of their bank account, they need to start buying groceries, you begin to look for the “homemade” potential of every dish you encounter. It happened to me (it still does, in fact!). Whenever I’m in a chain restaurant, I immediately scan the menu for meals I can make a healthier version of at home. I feel like a culinary Terminator!

I even do it with the boxed/bagged food I buy at the grocery store, which brings me to this recipe. Flavored crackers. I took one look at them and thought, I could make these… and I did!

I’m particularly proud of this one. It’s one thing to make traditional dinners yourself, but it’s another to take prepackaged foods and give them the “homemade” treatment. I also love the fact that I could supply my family with healthier versions of a staple in their snack-food rotation. Crackers, while not exactly candy, aren’t health food, either.

But enough talk, it’s time to get crackin’! (Yeah, you knew that pun would be used at some point in this recipe.)

Are Fire Crackers Healthy?

In and of themselves, fire crackers aren’t nutritionally dense. But when compared to store-bought salted crackers, they are a healthy variant. We keep it simple with this recipe, taking oyster crackers and adding seasoning you would typically add to broths and soups. Unfortunately, as it stands, the recipe doesn’t really lend itself to any particular diet save for vegetarian. That said, you can find whole-wheat, low-carb, and gluten-free crackers; use them if the gluten in this recipe presents a problem.

What Are Oyster Crackers Made Of?

Are you really asking, Are they made with oyster? Well, the answer is no. It got its name from being served regularly with oyster stew, a popular dish in 19th-century America. The recipe has largely stayed the same: enriched wheat flour, baking powder, salt, vegetable oil or shortening, sugars, and malt extract. In today’s health-conscious world, you can find updated versions of the cracker, so check out the ingredients list to ensure it agrees with your particular diet, should you be on one.

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp ranch seasoning mix
1/2 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 1/2 cups plain oyster crackers

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix

Combine the dry seasonings in a bowl.

Melt

Gently melt the butter in a skillet.

Toast

Toss the crackers in the skillet until they’re perfectly crisp and buttery.

Season

Evenly distribute the spice mix over the crackers.

Cool & Serve

Allow the crackers to cool, then serve them up for a satisfying crunch.

DEVOUR!

FAQs & Tips

How do I store these crackers?

Once the crackers have fully cooled, you can put them in an airtight container and leave them out for a week at room temperature for up to a week. I like to put them in little Ziploc bags first, then I put them all in a larger paper bag and leave them out on the counter. Then, each morning, I take a couple and add them to my kids’ lunches.

Can I use a different sort of cracker?

Of course, though you may need to change up the baking time for each. As I mention above, there are now low-carb, whole-wheat, and gluten-free varieties of oyster cracker you can try.

What is in ranch seasoning? Can I make my own?

Ranch seasoning usually consists of dried herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. If you have these ingredients, then you can for sure make your own.

Can I use salted butter?

You can, but I’m not sure you need to. The seasoning already contains a considerable amount of sodium; using unsalted butter is an easy way to keep that number from escalating.

Can I make these vegan?

You can if you switch out the butter and use, say, olive oil. The taste, and perhaps the texture, will be affected.

Serving Suggestions

When I have people over, I like to put bowls of these Fire Crackers out along with various cheeses, veggies, and dips, like this tasty Cottage Cheese Dip. I also suggest to my guests who are sipping a red wine to sample the crackers if they haven’t already done so. The spices in the cracker work well with your merlot. And if you’re looking for other cracker recipes, here’s one for ones made with almond flour, though I’m not sure how they will taste if substituted in for this recipe.

Fire Crackers

Tired of the same old snack? Throw Fire Crackers into the mix and take your humble saltine to the next level.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 141kcal

Author FoodFaithFitness

Ingredients

1 tbsp ranch seasoning mix
1/2 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 1/2 cups plain oyster crackers

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine the ranch seasoning, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the oyster crackers to the skillet, stirring to coat with the melted butter. Cook for 4-5 minutes until lightly toasted.
Take the skillet off the heat and sprinkle the seasoning mix over the crackers, tossing to coat thoroughly.
Let the crackers cool completely, then serve and enjoy!