If the only firecrackers you know are a type of firework, then do I have a treat for you! Because when someone says the word firecrackers, I do think of sparklers, roman candles, and little paper chickens that would scream when lit (I was fond of these as a child!). But I also think of these savory, crunchy, and absolutely irresistible snacks. For generations, home cooks in the south have been turning humble, shelf-stable ingredients into these savory little crackers that everybody loves. Simply marinate a couple sleeves of saltine crackers in a perfectly seasoned oil mixture, and once they’ve soaked up all that flavor, bake them until they are crisp and toasty. That’s it! They’re a staple at southern parties and holiday gatherings and this is my very own rendition for you to try.
FIRECRACKER RECIPE INSPIRATION
When developing my own firecracker recipe, it was important to add a little extra spice to pay homage to their name. (But don’t worry, you can make yours a little less fiery if you want.) The point of this firecracker recipe is to take a cheap and accessible pantry staple and doctor it up into something special enough to serve guests or give as a gift. They’re extremely versatile and customizable and I promise they’ll be a hit no matter what you do.
FIRECRACKER INGREDIENTS
This article from Taste outlines some of the many variations on this classic snack. It also includes some interesting history about saltine crackers, whose origins date back to sailor’s hardtack and Jewish matzoh. For my firecracker recipe, I prefer the 365 saltines from Whole Foods, as I like the quality, but you could use whatever brand or size, including mini saltines or even gluten free-ones, if you ‘d like.
After the crackers, the next main ingredient is the oil. Some old-school Southern recipes swear by Ranch dressing seasoning packets, crediting the buttermilk powder for keeping the crackers crispy. That may help, but just using oil does the trick on its own while keeping the recipe fully vegan! I like to use a lighter, virgin olive oil (I love the “Sizzle” Oil from Graza) or any other neutral oil paired with a small amount of cold-pressed olive oil for flavor.
FIRECRACKER SPICES
Now let’s talk about the spices: firecrackers are an explosion of flavor in the mouth, so heat is the name of the game. I use 2 tablespoons of red pepper flakes, as well as a good amount of smoked hot paprika, as I love its smoky flavor, and ground mustard powder for added depth of flavor. If this intimidates you, cut back on all three at first. Combine the oil, half the amounts of those three spices, and the regular amounts of everything else. Mix well and spoon some marinade over a saltine, then give it a taste. If you want to add the full amount of the spices now, you’ll have a better idea of what you’re in for. The combination of garlic and onion powder and nutritional yeast provide an incredible amount of savoriness. This creates the perfect blank canvas for the spiciness.
MIXING AND MARINATING THE FIRECRACKERS
For mixing, I like to do this in a few stages. First you gently add the crackers, seal the container, and move it around a bit. Then flip it upside down and let it sit. After that, you can continue moving the container around and tossing occasionally. I also include an optional step of tossing by hand that just adds a bit of TLC to the recipe. It’s not necessary, but rubbing each cracker with the marinade to ensure they’re all fully saturated with oil and perfectly seasoned is a labor of love that doesn’t go unnoticed. Once you’re done, you can leave these for a few hours but ideally overnight. Toss them every so often (or whenever you remember), and they’re good to go! Technically you can eat them at this stage, but a little toast really takes them over the top.
SHORTCUT TECHNIQUE
If you are in a rush, you can make these more quickly. (Although, I do prefer to let these marinate overnight). If you need them to be done faster, mix the marinade, gently toss and hand rub each cracker with the marinade and go straight to baking. Once the crackers are fully colored and saturated with the mix, they are ready to be baked. (Even with the shortcut, you will still have great results.) It just takes a little more effort from mixing with your hands to quicken the process of marinating the crackers.
BAKING THE FIRECRACKERS
For baking, you want the oven at the low heat of 250°F (121°C). This allows you to toast the crackers quite gently. You can do just 15 minutes on one side, but flipping them and adding an additional 10 minutes takes them to the next level. Basically, this recipe is a crowd-pleaser no matter how you make it. You could eat these without toasting, after just baking 15 minutes on one side, or with this extra step baking them a total of 25 minutes. They’re amazing all three ways, but you’re definitely rewarded if you put in the extra effort.
STORING THE FIRECRACKERS
The last and final step is transferring your beautiful firecrackers into your favorite jars or airtight containers. Once tightly sealed, these firecrackers will stay fresh and crisp for weeks but I can’t imagine them lasting that long. Enjoy some for yourself, of course, and then gift some to friends and family. I love to tie a little string or ribbon around the top with a note if I’m feeling extra cute for the holidays.
ENJOY THESE FIRECRACKERS
And there you have my Firecracker Recipe… I cannot wait to hear what y’all think! If you do make this, please leave a comment and a rating below. This greatly helps my recipes to be seen online. Lastly, if you share it on social media, please tag me. I love to see it. Happy cooking, y’all!
–Timothy
OTHER SEASONAL RECIPES TO TRY
¾ cup light olive oil or other neutral oil (such as sunflower or avocado) Combine the marinade: To a large container with a tightly fitting lid or a gallon-sized sealable bag, add the lighter oil, extra virgin olive oil, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, mustard powder, sugar, black pepper, and salt. Stir well to combine. At this point, you can spoon a bit of the seasoned oil onto a saltine and taste it. If you’ve started with a smaller amount of red pepper flakes, this is a good time to try it and see if you can handle the full 2 tablespoons. It’s also a good time to taste for salt and add another pinch if you’d like Add the crackers and marinate: When you’re happy with the marinade, carefully add 2 sleeves of saltines. (Don’t worry if any pieces break though, those are a treat for the chef!) Seal the container and toss it around gently. Flip it upside down and leave it for a bit, and then continue to gently move the container around, rotating it around all angles until the crackers are fairly evenly coated. At this point, you can speed up the marinating process by doing a toss with your hands. Simply do a few gentle tosses with your fingers, and if you’d like to be extra thorough, you can rub the spiced oil over each cracker. Then let the crackers sit overnight, or as long as you can, tossing and turning the container every few hours if you can. Bake the firecrackers: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 250° F (121°C) and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment. Technically this step is optional, as the crackers already taste great once they’re marinated, but a quick toast takes them to the next level! Simply line up the crackers on the baking sheets, leaving a bit of room between them, and gently rubbing any remaining marinade on the crackers as you go. Once they’re all lined up, place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then if you have the time, flip the crackers and return them to the oven, switching the position of the two trays. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until fragrant and toasty. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving or storing in an air-tight container. There are a few different levels of how easy these firecrackers can be:
Ingredients
¼ cup good, cold-pressed olive oil
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes (less if desired)
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika (sweet or hot)
1 ½ teaspoons mustard powder
1 teaspoon unbleached sugar
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 sleeves saltine crackers (desired brand / 8 ounces or 227 g)Instructions
notes
Easiest: Marinate the firecrackers for a few hours/overnight and enjoy.
Medium: Marinate the firecrackers overnight, then bake on one side for 15 minutes and enjoy.
Labor of love: Marinate the firecrackers overnight, spreading the marinade by hand. Let sit overnight. Then bake for 15 minutes, flip each cracker, and bake for an additional 10 minutes, rotating the pans’ positions in the oven. Then enjoy the absolute best version of these firecrackers!
Food styling, photography, & recipe by Timothy Pakron
Text by Hannah Kearing and Timothy Pakron
10 comments
What kind of cheese spread would you recommend for these?
I LOVE the dairy free Boursin garlic cheese spread that they have at Trader Joe’s (and I’ve seen it at Costco!). I also think Monty’s cashew cream cheese would be excellent with these.
Omg how serendipitous, just bought saltines for vegan chili! Making the marinade now – can’t wait to try them tomorrow!
So happy to hear this, Kaley!! I hope you love the marinade. It’s got a kick!
Good Morning!!! Well its morning here right now :D. I was wonder if you could give an approximate weight for the crackers. I didnt get Saltines but saw you suggested the 365 brand. WE dont have Whole Foods here so I went to Trader Joes and picked a box that looked like the 365 brand. The 365 box is 8 oz. and the TJ box is 9 oz. Would LOVE your input! Thank you!!!
Hi! I would just eat a few crackers and then use the rest for the recipe! The total weight should be around 8 oz (although, I still think it would be fine if you used 9 oz). I have also updated the recipe with a weight. Thank you and happy cooking!
Thank you!!!!!!!!!! So I made them and …. are you serious? They are delectable! However….like, I mentioned, I used TJ’s crackers and didnt see that they have added sugar, so they are a little sweet like a Wheat Thin type of cracker. So I didnt put in the sugar from your recipe. Anyway, my husband said “OMG theses are addicting”….I want to try them with an unsweetened cracker next. Just a headsup on the TJ’s brand …. Thank you!!!!!! Delicious!
Oh so happy to hear this!! Now I am curious to try the TJ version to see what they are like slightly sweeter! Thanks for the info and for being here. Happy holidays!
I was just searching for crackers like this but didn’t know what they were called! You don’t typically see these at holiday parties in Texas but when I lived there, a family from Louisiana always brought these to an annual holiday party and I’ve been thinking about making them for the holidays. They served them with a cream cheese and crab dip. I can’t wait to make your version with a veganized cream cheese dip. Thanks so much for sharing!
These would be so good with some vegan cream cheese! (Have you had Monty’s?? Order some, it’s crazy good). I hope you love these!