These are Indian crackers, not the bland water biscuits you find in a box. The dough has chopped onion, green chilies, curry leaves, mint, and coriander folded into a base of flour, butter, and oil seasoned with paprika and asafoetida. Rolled thin, cut into pieces, and baked at high heat until they snap clean.
Corn flour and milk powder in the dough change the texture. Lighter. Crispier. The sesame seeds on top toast in the oven and add crunch. These keep well in a tin for a week, which is useful because a single batch goes fast. A keeper for the recipe box.
How to Make Baked Onion Crackers
Build the Dough in Stages
Sift the dry ingredients first: flour, corn flour, milk powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and paprika. Then fold in the fresh ingredients: chopped coriander leaves, mint, curry leaves, onion, green chilies, asafoetida, and toasted sesame seeds. Add the melted butter and oil, then sprinkle water a few spoons at a time until you get a stiff dough. Stiff, not soft. A wet dough makes floppy crackers. 
Refrigerate the dough for 15-20 minutes before rolling. The chill firms the butter and makes it easier to roll thin.
Roll as Thin as You Can
The thinner you roll the dough, the crispier the cracker. Aim for about 2mm. Thick crackers stay chewy in the middle instead of snapping. Use a lightly floured surface and a heavy rolling pin. Cut into strips, squares, or whatever shape you like.
Bake on a parchment-lined sheet until golden and dry to the touch. They crisp further as they cool, so do not wait for them to be fully crunchy in the oven or they will burn.
Baked Onion Crackers
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Makes 24 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Sweet and spicy, these herb-filled crackers are addictive. Enjoy them with cheese or dip, or all by themselves!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (473 ml) all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp corn flour
- 2 tsp milk powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- Salt
- 1 tsp paprika powder
- 2 tsp sugar
- 4 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves
- 2 tbsp mint leaves
- 10-12 curry leaves
- 1 large onion
- 2 green chilies
- a large pinch asafetida
- 1-1/2 tbsp white sesame seeds
- Water
Instructions
- Sift together the all-purpose flour, corn flour, milk powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Add the sugar and mix well.
- Add chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves, curry leaves, asafetida, chopped onion, green chilies, toasted sesame seeds, melted butter, and oil. Mix well.
- Sprinkle water a few spoons at a time, mixing to form a stiff dough. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 15-20 minutes.
- Divide the dough into four portions and roll each portion into a 1mm thick disc. Use a cookie cutter to cut out the crackers into desired shapes and prick holes in the dough using a fork.
- Alternatively, pinch small lemon-sized balls, place them between two plastic sheets, and press to flatten into discs.
- Arrange the crackers on a prepared baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 356°F (180°C) for 15-20 minutes, flipping once after 10 minutes.
- Repeat the procedure with the remaining dough.
- Allow the crackers to cool completely before storing them in airtight containers.
Notes
- For a stronger onion flavor, caramelize the onion before adding it to the dough.
- To prevent burning, use parchment paper on your baking sheet.
- These crackers store well; keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Oven-Baking
- Cuisine: Indian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 crackers
- Calories: 100
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 100
- Fat: 5
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 5
Frequently Asked Questions
What is asafoetida and can I skip it?
Asafoetida (hing) is a pungent spice that adds a deep, savory, almost onion-like flavour when cooked. Use a tiny pinch. You can skip it, but the crackers will taste flatter without it.
Can I fry these instead of baking?
You can deep-fry them for a different texture, more like a poori. But baking gives a drier, snappier cracker that stores better. Fried versions go soft within a day.
How do I store these?
In an airtight tin at room temperature for up to a week. They stay crisp as long as moisture does not get in. Do not refrigerate, as the humidity softens them.
Would these still bake up properly without the asafoetida if I cannot track it down at my regular grocery?
Yes, the asafoetida is basically umami-like salt but in a funkier way (substitution). You can use garlic powder and onion powder, but it won’t taste as “Indian”…
These CRACK clean every batch.
My grandmother kept a tin of similar crackers on the counter when I was little, slightly different spice blend but same texture and crunch. Asafoetida is one of those ingredients I always pass at the Indian grocer thinking I would never use it, picked some up yesterday for this. It is pungent, but man it makes food taste good!!!! Thank you!!!
These had curry leaves and chopped onion folded into the dough exactly as written, baked up so crisp my husband walked out of his Zoom for one, fantastic snack with a cold beer. Thanks!