I’ve always considered Wheat Thins (or WHHHeat Thins, as Stewie from Family Guy pronounces it) to be an almost dessert-like cracker (good with Cool WHHHip, perhaps?). But there’s a fine line between crackers and pie crust, and a homemade version of a Wheat Thin can slip easily onto the wrong side of that line if the balance is off. My solution? Malted milk powder, which brings a roasty richness to the cracker that plain old white sugar just can’t pull off.
YIELD: about 10 dozen crackers
TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes
DIFFICULTY: 2
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: food processor or stand mixer, pastry or pizza cutter
1 cup (4 ounces) whole wheat or white whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon malted milk powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons whole or reduced-fat milk
2 tablespoons water
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat liners.
Using a food processor or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whir the flour, sugar, malt powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together for a few seconds until combined.
Add the butter cubes and pulse in 3-second on/off turns in the food processor or stir at medium speed with the mixer until a crumbly dough forms, resembling moist cornmeal. Add the milk and water and continue to pulse/stir until a soft dough forms.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and divide into 2 pieces. Lightly dust one of the pieces with flour and roll into a rough 12-inch square no more than 1/8 inch thick. (Make it as thin as you can, because the crackers will puff up when baked.) Cut into 1-1/2-inch squares using a pastry or pizza cutter, then transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat the process with the second piece of dough.
Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until golden brown and crispy at the edges. Transfer the crackers to a wire rack and let cool completely.
Store the crackers at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.