(recipe) Gluten-Free Common Crackers

These mild crackers bake up light and crisp and are the perfect accompaniment to a bowl of soup or a hearty chowder.

Keep your eye on the crackers as they bake. They take a surprisingly long time to bake, about 30 minutes. Bake until the edge of the crackers turn a light golden brown. If the crackers overbake, they become unpleasantly hard.

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1 cup (4 ounces) white rice flour
1/2 cup (2 ounces) sweet rice flour
1/2 cup (1 ounce) tapioca starch
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (2 ounces) solid vegetable shortening
2/3 cup cold water, plus more as needed

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with flat paddle attachment, combine white rice flour, sweet rice flour, tapioca starch, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix for 20 seconds on low speed to combine.

Add shortening. Mix on low speed until no large pieces of shortening remain, about one minute. Mixture should resemble a coarse meal. With mixer running, add water. Mix until sturdy dough forms, about 30 seconds. If dough is dry, add an additional tablespoon of water.

Lightly white rice flour your work surface. Roll dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with round 2-inch cutter and place dough rounds on prepared baking sheet. Space dough about one inch apart. Prick tops of dough rounds three times with a fork. (This allows steam to escape the baking crackers and ensures the crackers bake up light and crispy.)

Bake until edges are lightly golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer crackers to a wire rack to cool. Gathering the remaining dough, roll and repeat. Store cooled crackers in a sealed container for up to four days.