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Oyster Crackers

Many people enjoy oyster crackers simply for snacking, but they were originally intended to accompany soup. We wondered which brand would perform both functions best.

Published Jan. 1, 2012. Appears in America's Test Kitchen TV Season 13: Two Ways with Fish
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Editor&aposs Note:UpdateJuly 2013

We have received somewhat cranky emails from readers who love OTC Crackers, which we did not recommend, because the big, hard, spherical crackers were difficult to eat. The method known to aficionados is to put one cracker in each hand and crush them together, before dropping them into soup. While we appreciate the tip about how to avoid breaking teeth, the crackers themselves struck our tasters as a bit stale and bland (even though they were well within their expiration date).

Top Pick

WinnerSunshine Krispy Soup & Oyster Crackers

Tasters repeatedly praised Sunshine’s hexagonal crackers for their “addictive,” “wheaty, toasty flavor.” Although their texture “adds crunch to soup,” their “flaky,” “delicate,” “melt-in-your-mouth” quality also made them a cracker that tasters could “nosh on all day.”
Price at Time of Testing: $3.49 for 11 ounces
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Tasters repeatedly praised Sunshine’s hexagonal crackers for their “addictive,” “wheaty, toasty flavor.” Although their texture “adds crunch to soup,” their “flaky,” “delicate,” “melt-in-your-mouth” quality also made them a cracker that tasters could “nosh on all day.”
Price at Time of Testing: $3.49 for 11 ounces
Learn More
See Everything We Tested

What You Need to Know

How oyster crackers earned their name is long forgotten, but either their shell-like shape or traditional pairing with seafood chowders must have played a part. Today they’re available in various forms, from more archetypal versions resembling dense hardtack to light, flaky disks. Many people enjoy oyster crackers simply for snacking, but they were originally intended to accompany soup, and we wondered whether traditional or modern versions would perform both functions best.

We evaluated four nationally distributed brands for their taste and texture, both alone and in tomato soup. The crackers ranged from small and hexagonal to large and almost spherical, with some featuring the typical crimped edges. Our tasters panned the largest and most traditional cracker for being too “dense,’’ “bland,’’ and even “raw’’-tasting. The winning cracker, by contrast, was better suited for straight-from-the-box snacking, with its “tender,” “flaky” texture and “wheaty” taste, yet it also held its crispness in soup. The more classic runner-up closely rivaled it in the rankings, also retaining its crunch after soaking in soup. This brand had a pleasantly “floury” flavor that was deemed “just what an oyster cracker should be.”

Bottom line: Tasters want an oyster cracker that not only stays crunchy in soup but also can be eaten on its own.

02:15

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Everything We Tested

Highly Recommended

WinnerSunshine Krispy Soup & Oyster Crackers

Tasters repeatedly praised Sunshine’s hexagonal crackers for their “addictive,” “wheaty, toasty flavor.” Although their texture “adds crunch to soup,” their “flaky,” “delicate,” “melt-in-your-mouth” quality also made them a cracker that tasters could “nosh on all day.”
Price at Time of Testing: $3.49 for 11 ounces
Tasters repeatedly praised Sunshine’s hexagonal crackers for their “addictive,” “wheaty, toasty flavor.” Although their texture “adds crunch to soup,” their “flaky,” “delicate,” “melt-in-your-mouth” quality also made them a cracker that tasters could “nosh on all day.”
Price at Time of Testing: $3.49 for 11 ounces

Olde Cape Cod All-Natural Soup & Chowder Oyster Crackers (also sold as Westminster Crackers)

Tasters enjoyed the “puffiness” and “mild, creamy” flavor of these round, pale crackers. Their traditionally “light,” “floury” quality was deemed “just what an oyster cracker should be.”  In soup, the crackers “stayed crisp” and “held up well.”
Price at Time of Testing: $2.69 for 8 ounces
Tasters enjoyed the “puffiness” and “mild, creamy” flavor of these round, pale crackers. Their traditionally “light,” “floury” quality was deemed “just what an oyster cracker should be.”  In soup, the crackers “stayed crisp” and “held up well.”
Price at Time of Testing: $2.69 for 8 ounces

Recommended with reservations

Premium Soup & Oyster Crackers (by Nabisco)

Eaten plain, these round, crimped crackers were praised for their “toasty,” “nutty” flavor and “nice crunch,” but in soup we found that they quickly turned “mushy” and “soggy.”
Price at Time of Testing: $3.59 for 9 ounces
Eaten plain, these round, crimped crackers were praised for their “toasty,” “nutty” flavor and “nice crunch,” but in soup we found that they quickly turned “mushy” and “soggy.”
Price at Time of Testing: $3.59 for 9 ounces

Not Recommended

OTC Oyster Crackers

The “giant,” “unwieldy” knob-shaped OTC crackers (for Original Trenton Cracker, made in New Jersey since the mid-19th century) prompted comparisons to “jaw breakers.” Their “stale,” “too-hard” texture and “raw” flavor yielded comparisons to “dog biscuits.”
Price at Time of Testing: $2.88 for 10 ounces
The “giant,” “unwieldy” knob-shaped OTC crackers (for Original Trenton Cracker, made in New Jersey since the mid-19th century) prompted comparisons to “jaw breakers.” Their “stale,” “too-hard” texture and “raw” flavor yielded comparisons to “dog biscuits.”
Price at Time of Testing: $2.88 for 10 ounces

*All products reviewed by America’s Test Kitchen are independently chosen, researched, and reviewed by our editors. We buy products for testing at retail locations and do not accept unsolicited samples for testing. We list suggested sources for recommended products as a convenience to our readers but do not endorse specific retailers. When you choose to purchase our editorial recommendations from the links we provide, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices are subject to change.

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The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing. Have a question or suggestion? Send us an email at atkreviews@americastestkitchen.com. We appreciate your feedback!

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