I have a cracker recipe that I developed, but it is not exactly simple. I'll simplify it a bit here, and you can adapt it further and make it simpler:

Lars Flatbread

Ingredients

1-1/3 cups water (lukewarm)
2 tbsp dried malt extract (or 1 tbsp sugar)
1 tbsp instant dry yeast (or one package)
1/2 cup oat bran
1/2 cup rice bran
1/2 cup rice flour
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tbs olive oil
2 tsp salt
3 to 3-1/2 cups unbleached flour

Toppings:
1 egg + 1 tbsp water (for brushing on top of dough)*

Pour lukewarm water into a mixer bowl and add sugar (in your case). If you use liquid extract, you will have to double the amount and use less water. Whisk in yeast until all is dissolved. Then stir in oat bran, rice bran, and rice flour.

Allow this mixture to rest for half an hour or more, and then add the oils. You can add less oil if you want a harder cracker. Then add 2 to 2-1/2 cups flour that has been sifted with the salt, and put the bowl in the machine with the dough hook. Mix at high speed (with the splash guard on) until blended. Then add flour in small increments until the dough makes a ball that is not too sticky. Finish kneading by hand, or simply place in a bowl that is lightly greased with olive oil, and allow to rise for a couple of hours, or leave it in the refrigerator covered overnight. I let my dough rise twice.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pinch balls of dough about 2-1/2 to 3" diameter and roll the dough on a floured surface into a rectangular shape as thin as possible. Prick the dough all over with a fork or docker and brush lightly with egg wash. Cut the dough into squares using a pizza cutter or ravioli cutter into the sizes you want.

Transfer the dough, using a metal spatula, onto an ungreased baking sheet, and bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until toasty in appearance. You will need to watch them closely towards the end, as they will burn easily, once they are done. I use a toaster oven for most of them, but sometimes I bake them in the regular oven until almost done and then finish the untoasted ones in a toaster oven at a lower temperature - about 350ð for 2-5 minutes. You can always toast underdone ones later.

*Note: My normal recipe uses a lot of seeds plus onion and garlic granules for toppings, which is why I use the egg wash. You can possibly omit the egg wash. Do not omit the rice bran and rice flour if you want the crackers to be crispy/crunchy. The oat bran also helps the crunchiness. You can make these crackers whatever size you want, which would be the advantage to making your own. I like the flavor when made with malt, but you probably will not want that.

Lars

Whatever recipe you choose, my advice is to turn off the oven and let them dry out in there overnight. In my experience, they will be disappointingly non-crunchy otherwise.

Graham Crackers
2 1/2 - 3 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup honey
2 Tbsp molasses or dark corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/4-1/2 cup milk

Combine 2.5 cups flour with brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix oil, honey, molasses, vanilla and 1/4 cup milk in a measuring cup or bowl. Add liquid ingredients to the dry mixture. Mix well. Use your hands to finish mixing. If the dough is too sticky, add 1/2 cup more flour. If dough is too dry, add 1/4 cup milk. Form dough into a ball. Preheat oven to 300*. Divide dough in half. Roll dough directly onto greased cookie sheets to cover the entire sheet. Use a knife to cut dough into 2.5inch squares, but do not separate. Prick the surface with a fork. Bake for 15-25 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned. Remove from oven and let crackers cool before removing from cookie sheet. Store in airtight container. Makes 2-3 dozen

Homemade Crackers
4 cups flour
3 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
1 cup milk

Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Cut in butter with 2 knives or a pastry blender until mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in enough milk to make a stiff dough. Roll about 1/4inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into squares with a pizza cutter. Prick with a fork several times on each cracker and brush lightly with milk. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 425* for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Makes several dozen.

Soda Crackers
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk
1 egg

Combine flour, salt and soda in a bowl. Cut in margarine with a pastry blender or two knives. Stir in buttermilk and egg. Form a ball and knead a few times. Divide dough into several pieces and roll out very thin on a floured board. Lay rolled-out dough on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt and prick with a fork. Cut into 1.5inch squares with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Bake at 400* for 10-12 minutes. Makes several dozen.

Nancy, I've only tried the first one, which was very good but might be too strongly flavored for your jams. If you try the others, I hope you'll let us know how they turn out!

I make a homemade cracker but it has cheddar in it so probably not what you are looking for.

I haven't tried this one, but the recipe and the pictures look good.

Homemade Crackers

If you don't like this one, check out some of the others on
Tastespotting.

These are easy, plain, and quick to make. They are sort of free-form crackers, so I think to break them up in smaller portions when no one is looking might be the way to go.

Kraxy Krackers

2 3/4 cups unbleached flour
2-4 TB sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 cup real mayonnaise
8 oz. carton plain yogurt

In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, salt, and soda. With a pastry blender, cut in mayonnaise until well mixed and coarse crumbs form. Stir in yogurt. With your hands, firmly press dough into a ball. Cut into 16 equal pieces: first cut ball of dough into quarters, then cut each quarter into fourths. On a pastry cloth with a covered rolling pin, roll each piece to 1/16-inch thickness. Each quarter will be an uneven round. Place a few inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets and sprinkle lightly with salt. Prick all over each cracker with a fork.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven until lightly spotted brown - 6-7 minutes. With a wide metal spatula, remove to wire racks to cool. Store in a tightly covered tin until ready to serve. Makes 16 huge crackers.

How about using pretzel sticks - the small skinny ones. I've seen that done at farmer's markets here in AZ.

This isn't a homemade suggestion, but have you considered the miniature Stoned Wheat Thins? They are quite small (a little smaller than a wheat thin), thin, neutral-flavored, and delicious....

I'd go to Big Lots and get what's cheap. They have "gourmet" crackers of all sorts that are still really cheap. Break them into pieces if they are too big.

Otherwise, I would do the thin pretzel stick. That's what they have in the Gourmet Chef stores for dipping in all their sample sauces.

Nancy, the link below is for a site that sells the crackers that we used when I worked at Am Spoon. I'd be careful though with using any crackers as people will eat you out of house and home. Make sure you are making enough profit to be able to absorb the cost. We did use pretzel sticks also but keep what ever behind the counter. People will take handfuls if they can.

If you opt to make your own crackers, factor in your ingredients and time. I know you will, but I have to say that.

I'd think twice about offering anything. People will glob on as much as they can. The Neva crackers were too big. It is a no win situation. On a busy day we would easily go through 3-4 cases of crackers in a day, there's 36 pkg in a case.

Nancy

Here is a link that might be useful: Neva Betta Crackers.

The Neva Betta crackers are what we used when I was in retail also. They are rather big and not cheap, but quite good and sturdy too.

Teresa

When I was doing something similar,
I used Premium Saltine Bite sized crackers.
Just a regular saltine,
Nothing fancy,
But in a 'just right' bite size.
I haven't bought them in a couple of years now,
So have no idea how they might be,
Price wise.
They used to be about the same price as Oyster crackers.

Rusty

I don't want something salty when I am trying to taste a jam or jelly. Pretzels are ok with mustards and spicy condiments, but not for grape jelly.
If you really feel it's necessary to offer something to put the jam on, why not small cubes of dry bread....like unseasoned croutons....or make your own and make them a little larger. Dry in the oven and if they absorb a little humidity, so be it.

You can always make Melba Toast from French or Italian bread. Slice the bread very thinly (about 1/8" thick, if possible), cut the slices to the size you want, and then bake on a cookie sheet or jellyroll pan for 15-20 minutes at 225 to 250 degrees. If you are afraid of burning them, you can bake them at 200 degrees for 30 minutes. I usually turn them once half-way through. Watch them closely the first time you make them.

Lars

at the amish market a few weeks ago, they had they oyster crackers for jams... pretzel sticks for stuff like mustards, and tortilla chips for salsas.

super yummy. and yes, I went around a tried ALOT of different varieties of things I'd never normally try... but we also walked out of there buying a fantastic peach salsa, a pumpkin butter, and a variety of small jellies for my jelly-loving step father...

(& yes, while oyster crackers may not be ideal for jelly tasting, I didn't see anyone turning their noses up at it. :-) )