Spicy Seasoned Saltines with Hot Honey
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Inspired by Southern fire crackers, these seasoned saltines are sweet, savory, and spicy thanks to a drizzle of hot honey! My favorite way to eat these crackers is with a smear of homemade boursin cheese, but they’re also amazing with creamy whipped feta or this 5-minute whipped goat cheese. Even better, this recipe makes lots of servings for parties, holidays, or even homemade gift boxes!
I come from a big cheese-and-crackers-as-an-appetizer family. Boursin with water crackers. Extra sharp cheddar with Wheat Thins. Cheddar cheese spread with saltines. You get the picture.
So, I thought I’d go back to my roots and keep this year’s first happy hour on the patio simple and stress-free. And not that there’s anything wrong with classic crackers, but this sweet-savory-buttery version is beyond amazing.
The recipe is based on the fire crackers my grandma used to serve when I was a kid. But after I saw All Recipes post a hot honey crackers video on TikTok, I knew I needed to hop on the bandwagon. The glaze has hot honey, good butter, and rosemary, because I always love rosemary in a sweet-spicy situation. (I swear, it’s been my go-to flavor combo ever since I was in culinary school.)
You can add these crackers to individual charcuterie cups, but I really love them with dips like whipped brie or even my crispy baked boursin. Plus, these crackers last for weeks so you can make them well ahead of time!
Crackers you can use
Even though this recipe calls for saltines, you can really use whatever plain crackers you like here. Oyster crackers are fun for a bite-sized version, but I also think they’d be good with Club crackers if you like something a little sweeter.
I use classic saltines, but if you choose lightly salted or salt-free, make sure to add a little extra salt to the glaze!
Glaze & bake
After 15 minutes, use a butter knife to flip the crackers and bake them for another 3-5 minutes. They might be a little sticky, but they will harden as they cool!
Watch the edges
Depending on the heat distribution in your oven, the crackers on the edges might get a little crisp. Feel free to take them out earlier, or move them to the middle of the pan to make sure the crackers get evenly baked.
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Sweet & Spicy Seasoned Saltines
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup good quality unsalted butter melted (115 grams)
- 1/2 cup olive oil (120 milliliters)
- 1/2 cup hot honey (170 milliliters)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes more or less, to taste
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt more to taste, I use Morton
- Black pepper to taste
- 1/2 pound Saltine crackers (225 grams/2 sleeves)
Equipment
- 2 large sheet pans
- Parchment paper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large measuring cup, combine the melted butter, olive oil, hot honey, red pepper flakes, rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth. (It may separate a tad, but that's ok!)
- Spread the saltine crackers in a large, rimmed pan (I use a 9×13 cake pan). Or, add them to a large zipper bag. Pour the glaze over the crackers. Very gently toss the crackers until they are coated in the glaze.
- Then, line the crackers side-by-side in a single layer on the prepared sheet pans. (It's ok if they're touching on the edges.) If there is any leftover glaze, spoon it evenly over the crackers.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Then, use a butter knife to gently flip the crackers. (Be very careful, the glaze will be hot like caramel!) Bake for another 3-5 minutes, until the crackers are mostly dry and deep golden-brown. (They may be a little sticky, but they will harden as they cool.)
- Remove the pan from the oven and cool the crackers completely, until the glaze is hardened. Gently break the crackers apart and enjoy right away or store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
