What are soda crackers made of?

November 8, 2025 •

3 min read

Soda crackers, also widely known as saltines, date back to the 19th century and get their signature texture from a few simple ingredients. This guide explains exactly what are soda crackers made of, from the core components to the leavening process that makes them so crisp.

Quick Summary

Soda crackers are typically made from a dough of white flour, water, and fat, leavened with baking soda, and sometimes yeast, to achieve their signature crispiness. The dough is rolled thin, perforated, and baked, with coarse salt often sprinkled on top. They are known for their dry, brittle texture and neutral flavor.

Key Points

Core Ingredients: Soda crackers are made from a basic combination of wheat flour, water, a fat like shortening or oil, and salt.
Baking Soda is Key: The name "soda cracker" comes from the use of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) as a leavening agent, which creates their characteristic porous and brittle texture.
Yeast for Flavor: Many traditional recipes also use yeast during a long fermentation process to develop a deeper, more complex flavor profile.
Essential Perforations: Small holes, called docking holes, are poked into the dough before baking to allow steam to escape and ensure the crackers bake flat and uniformly crisp.
Topping with Salt: Coarse salt is typically sprinkled on the surface before baking to enhance the flavor and create a salty crust.

Core Ingredients of Soda Crackers

At its heart, a soda cracker's recipe is surprisingly simple, yet the combination of a few key ingredients is what produces its iconic texture and flavor. The fundamental building blocks include:

Flour: The primary ingredient that forms the structure of the cracker is typically enriched, unbleached wheat flour. Some recipes may incorporate other types, but wheat flour provides the gluten necessary for the cracker's shape.
Leavening Agents: The name "soda cracker" comes directly from the use of sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda, as a primary leavening agent. In many commercial and traditional recipes, yeast is also used during a long fermentation process. The baking soda is often added late in the process to neutralize the acidity from the yeast, or used on its own with an acid to create carbon dioxide.
Water: Used to hydrate the flour and other ingredients, water is crucial for forming the dough. The amount is carefully controlled to achieve the correct dough consistency for rolling out thin sheets.
Fat: A small amount of fat, such as vegetable shortening or oil, is added to the dough. This contributes to the flakiness and tender crumb of the finished product.
Salt: Both for flavor and for controlling the yeast activity, salt is a crucial component. Coarse salt is also sprinkled on top of the crackers before baking for the familiar salty crust.

The Role of Leavening in Texture

Many people are surprised to learn that both baking soda and yeast can play a part in creating soda crackers. The texture of a soda cracker is a direct result of the leavening process, which can vary between different recipes and manufacturers.

Yeast Fermentation

In traditional or artisanal soda cracker recipes, the dough is allowed to ferment for an extended period, often overnight. This yeast-driven fermentation develops flavor and creates some of the gas needed for lift. The long fermentation also helps to relax the gluten, resulting in a more tender cracker.

Baking Soda's Chemical Reaction

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is added to the dough to react with acidic components. This reaction releases carbon dioxide gas, which creates small air pockets within the dough. This process is key to achieving the cracker's light and airy interior texture.

The Baking and Docking Process

The final crispy, flat texture is not just from the ingredients but also from the way the crackers are prepared and baked. The thin dough is perforated with small holes, a process called "docking." These holes serve a specific purpose: they allow steam to escape during baking, which prevents the crackers from puffing up into balloons and ensures they remain flat and uniformly crispy. The crackers are baked at high temperatures for a short period, and sometimes brushed with additional melted butter or oil to enhance flavor and browning.

Comparison of Standard Soda Crackers vs. Gourmet Crackers


Feature	Standard Soda Crackers (Saltines)	Gourmet Soda Crackers
Flour	Enriched, unbleached white wheat flour	Often use specialized flours, like Italian-style or whole wheat
Leavening	Yeast and/or baking soda	Can use yeast, baking soda, or other leavening agents
Fermentation	Shorter process for mass production	Often involve a longer, overnight fermentation period
Fat	Vegetable shortening or canola/soybean oil	High-quality butter or olive oil
Salt	Coarse salt sprinkled on top	Can feature artisanal sea salt, smoked salts, or other toppings
Flavor Profile	Subtly salty and neutral	Enhanced with specific herbs, seeds, or fats
Texture	Dry, crisp, and porous	Can be flakier, richer, or denser depending on ingredients

Conclusion: The Simple Formula Behind a Staple

In essence, the ingredients that make up a soda cracker are a testament to how simple components can create a widely loved staple. The basic recipe of flour, water, fat, and leavening agents like baking soda and yeast is a time-tested formula for a thin, crisp, and neutral-tasting cracker. Whether known as a saltine or a soda cracker, its composition allows it to pair perfectly with a vast array of toppings, soups, and dishes, making it a truly versatile pantry item. The simple, robust nature of its ingredients and production process is what has cemented its place in kitchens for generations.

King Arthur Baking Company offers detailed recipes and ingredient insights for homemade crackers.

Frequently Asked Questions

The cracker is named for its use of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) as a key leavening agent. This ingredient reacts with acids to produce carbon dioxide, giving the cracker its light, airy texture.

Yes, for the most part, soda crackers and saltines are the same thing. The name 'saltine' became popular in the U.S. due to its marketing focus on the salt on top, but it refers to the same thin, square, baking-soda-leavened cracker.

Water biscuits are a type of unleavened cracker made from flour and water. In contrast, soda crackers are leavened with baking soda (and often yeast), giving them a lighter, more porous texture.

The holes in soda crackers are known as 'docking holes.' They are created to allow steam to escape during the baking process, which prevents the dough from puffing up unevenly and ensures the crackers bake flat and crispy.

While many traditional and commercial soda crackers use a sponge-and-dough fermentation process with yeast, some modern recipes rely solely on chemical leavening with baking soda.

Yes, soda crackers are relatively easy to make at home. The basic recipe typically involves flour, water, salt, a fat, and leavening agents like baking soda or yeast.

The fat used can vary, but commercial products often use vegetable shortening or a blend of soybean and/or canola oil. Homemade recipes might call for butter, oil, or shortening.