Talk about disappointing and frustrating…I thought I was getting a good deal when I bought a box of saltines on sale last week. Come to find out, there was a very good reason the store was trying to move them out. They were old and stale as stale. (I know, you’re thinking “Well why in the world didn’t you check the expiration date?” Always a good idea…it’s my bad.)

Anyway, stale crackers are nothing new. Shoot, mine have gone stale just lingering in my snack drawer. So, assuming you can relate to this fairly common issue, I thought I’d investigate uses for them and maybe salvage this box of disappointment.

First, though, I discovered that they can actually be re-crisped. (In honesty, I haven’t tried this, so this might just be Internet bologna.) The pros at Cooks Illustrated, the magazine for the TV show “America’s Test Kitchen,” say they go stale because moisture from the atmosphere gets absorbed by the item's starches, which soften and rob it of its crisp texture. Luckily, this process is reversible. And as long as you keep the re-crisped items dry by storing them in an airtight container or zipper-lock bag, they will stay crisp.

The method for re-crisping: Spread your crackers (and even stale chips) in a layer on a rimmed baking sheet (avoiding overlap). Place the sheet on the middle rack of a 225-degree oven for 15 to 25 minutes (the timing will vary, depending on the item), until the food is crisp again, stirring halfway through baking.

Now if you just want to do some cool things with your stale crackers, here are some terrific ideas. I wrote about this two years ago (https://www.dvo.com/newsletter/weekly/2015/5-22-632/cooknart5.html). Back then, the hit of the list was for saltine toffee, but since that time more ideas have bubbled up, so this topic bears another visit. For instance:

Let’s start with some savory approaches. How about PIZZA NIBBLERS? Cookbook author (My Kind of Cooking, www.mykindofcooking.blogspot.com), Linda Burgett, came up with this fun use. All you need is pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni slices (or even sliced mushrooms, and other favorite veggies).

GEORGIA CRACKER SALAD is another wonderful idea. Paula Deen first introduced this recipe on www.food.com, and it’s had rave reviews ever since. It only takes 10 minutes to make, and it’s scrumptious!

3 green onions, finely chopped

1 tomato (large), diced

1 hard cooked egg, chopped

½ cup mayonnaise, or to taste

1 sleeve saltine crackers

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

In a medium size bowl, coarsely crush the crackers with your hands - you should have big cracker pieces. Add the remaining ingredients, mix well, and serve immediately. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

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And then there’s this NO-bake cracker cake! All you do is line a 9x13 dish with saltine crackers (maybe 2 sleeves-worth). Then mix 2 large boxes of instant vanilla pudding according to package directions. Next, cover the crackers with a layer of pudding. Top the pudding with a thick layer of sweetened whipped cream. Repeat the layers two more times and refrigerate this for 24 hours. Garnish with fruit (sliced strawberries or bananas work well).

Or how about CHOCOLATE COVERED PEANUT BUTTER CRACKERS? Many thanks to recipe creator Amy of www.shewearsmanyhats.com for this super easy and delicious idea!

40 saltine crackers

¾ cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy…it doesn’t matter)

12 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate for melting

1. Line baking sheet or tray with wax paper or silicone mat, and create space in refrigerator for tray to fit for a short time.

2. Melt chocolate according to packaging directions. If using an electric fondue pot, gradually melt on low heat, stirring occasionally until smooth. Leave fondue pot setting on low, checking consistency and stirring occasionally throughout process

3. Make peanut butter crackers by evenly spreading about 1½ teaspoon on one side of a saltine cracker then top with another saltine cracker. Repeat until complete.

4. Place peanut butter cracker into the melted chocolate, using a fork flip over, gently lift out and let excess chocolate drip off. Carefully slide onto waxed paper lined baking sheet.

5. When all crackers are dipped, place tray in refrigerate for about 10-15 minutes or until chocolate hardens. Serve right away, or store covered until ready to devour. (Or if you're like me, hide, I mean store, in the vegetable drawer of the fridge behind the broccoli.)

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And one last idea from the great site, www.isinginthekitchen.com, CRUNCHERS. This has become one of the all-time-favorite recipes on Pinterest. It’s certainly an all-time-favorite at our house!

80 Keebler Club® Crackers (or use Nabisco Waverly Crackers or a similarly buttery cracker that has a rectangular shape.)

1 cup butter

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Line an ungreased 9 X 13-inch baking pan with foil, allowing foil to extend about an inch on either end. Line the foil with 1 layer of club crackers, cutting to fit if necessary.

2. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, milk and sugar. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. (Begin timing 5 minutes from when you see the first bubbles.)

Note: Since “medium heat” can be different on various models of stoves, it’s recommended that you watch the mixture and at the 3 to 4 minute mark remove from the heat if the consistency is that of a thickened pudding.

3. Remove from heat and spread half of graham mixture evenly over crackers. Place another single layer of crackers evenly over graham mixture, cutting to fit if necessary. Spread remaining graham mixture evenly over crackers. Top evenly with remaining crackers.

4. In a small saucepan, combine peanut butter and chocolate chips. Melt over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Spread evenly over top of crackers. Cover, and chill for at least 1 hour.


5. Lift foil overhang and remove Crunchers from pan. Cut into bars.

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I definitely think these recipes do a terrific job of saving the day and salvaging my box of disappointment. So next time your crackers go stale, that might be the time to applaud!