I made these cute little crackers for my husband for Valentine’s Day, since he doesn’t like me to get him sweets. We took them to a dinner party were they were a big hit among our friends. We didn’t bring a single one home. This is the second year I’ve made them, first trying them out with the kids I watch. It’s such a fun and easy kid craft. They love rolling the dough and cutting out shapes, then, of course, eating them.
I first got this idea from Pillsbury, although I came up with my own seasoning and used a cultured pie crust from Whole Foods with no hydrogenated oils. Also, the idea on the Pillsbury website doesn’t give very detailed instructions, so I have my own. You will need your own cookie cutters. I used a heart shaped cookie cutter for Valentine’s Day but any will do. It’s the only cookie cutter I have besides a ginger bread man! I am not much of a baker.
I made half cinnamon sugar and half herb seasoned crackers. Both are equally delicious. Favorites depend on who’s eating. It’s a perfect treat for the kids and the Valentine who doesn’t eat sweets!
Ingredients:
2 refrigerated pie crusts, set out for 15 minutes
Vegetable oil
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Mrs. Dash’s Garlic and Herb Seasoning
Sea Salt
Flour for dusting
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine sugar and cinnamon mixture in a small dish.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper, make sure you spray on the cooking oil. Unroll pie crust onto a cutting board and roll over with a rolling pin to flatten and thin.
3. Cut as many shapes as you can into the rolled out crust, then lift the excess pie dough and set aside. Carefully lift the pie dough shapes and lie them on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet in three rows of four, or however many you can fit. Repeat with the second pie crust then set excess dough aside. If you run out of space on the cookie sheets, just cut a large square of parchment paper and place the dough shapes on the paper to wait for an available pan.
4. Combine and roll out the excess dough (dusting with flour if it becomes sticky) onto the cutting board and cut more shapes. Repeat until the amount of dough is too small to make a shape.
5. Brush pie dough shapes very lightly with vegetable oil. Sprinkle one tray of shapes with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Sprinkle the other tray of shapes with the garlic and herb mixture followed by a little sea salt.
6. Bake for six minutes, until crackers are lightly browned. Don’t leave them in for too long! They will burn very quickly. Let them cool for a few minutes, then set the crackers on a platter to enjoy. You can also arrange them in some cellophane and ribbons for a little gift.
