Many newbie trekkers and campers make the mistake of packing everyday snacks with them instead of nutritious and healthy foods.

They are unaware of their choices and often complain about not having enough nutritious, healthy, and caloric-dense options.

I have a solution for them that is free of preservatives and easy to make – hardtack.

In this article, I am sharing how to make hardtack, the best hardtack recipe variations, and tips. 

Let’s dig in!

What is Hardtack?

Hardtack is a simple, low-calorie cracker, survival ration, made from flour, salt, and water. If you make hardtack properly, hard tack can have a shelf life of 100+ years!

It is so hardy that museums today have hardtack from the mid-1800s. Amazing, isn’t it?

Hardtack is inexpensive to make, easy to store, and long-lasting, making it a popular food source during long trips.

In the past, soldiers carried it during long military missions, and it was named pilot bread, cabin bread, ship biscuit, and sea bread.

If you want softer crackers, you could add sugar, milk, or butter; however, it will significantly decrease the cracker’s shelf life.

In a single serving of hardtack (9-10 pieces), you can expect about 100 calories, a small amount of fat, a fair amount of sodium, some potassium, and a healthy mix of essential vitamins.

What you need to make hardtack?

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups of water
• 3 cups of white flour or almond flour
• 2 teaspoons of salt (as per taste)

Other utensils and tools

• A mixing bowl
• A cookie sheet
• A fork or any pointy object
• A knife that is at least 3 inches long

Method to Make Hardtack

1. Preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit

Set your oven to preheat to 375° Fahrenheit to optimize your time and process. This way, your oven will preheat as you prepare the mixture.

2. Mix dry ingredients

Add your dry ingredients into a mixing bowl: 3 cups of white flour and 2 teaspoons of salt.

Be sure to mix those ingredients thoroughly.

Courtesy of IslanderHero

3. Steadily add water to dry mix until dough forms

Next, add 1.5 cups of water to the ingredients and mix it well. With clean hands, mix the ingredients by pressing and balling them repeatedly until a dough forms.

Courtesy of IslanderHero

4. Roll out the dough until it is 1/4 an inch thick

Now, use your rolling pin to roll your dough out to get a nice flat piece of dough.

Roll it around ¼ of an inch thick.

Courtesy of IslanderHero

5. Cut the dough into squares using a knife

Ideally, the pieces should be two to three inches long and wide.

Courtesy of IslanderHero

6. Poke 9-25 holes in the dough

Using a fork or other pointy object, poke 9-25 holes in the dough. This step ensures that the pieces stay even in the oven.

You don’t want to poke all the way through.

Ideally, you want to make a dent that pierces at least halfway through.

Courtesy of IslanderHero

7. Bake the hardtack for 30 minutes

Bake the hardtack in your preheated oven for around 30-45 minutes. Once the hardtack survival bread is a tan brown, flip them to cook them on the other side.

Courtesy of IslanderHero

8. Let it cool, and then enjoy!

Once your hardtack is cooked and cooled, you can enjoy that golden brown survival hard bread with tea or coffee. I dip mine in my morning coffee, but there are other ways to eat this.

For example, you can fry it in animal fat, crumble it into a stew or soup, or cover it in gravy.

And, if you are feeling adventurous, you can eat them by dipping them in applesauce or syrup. All those options are perfect.

Hardtack crackers can be stored for an extended period if stored properly. Any container or bag with a seal is a good option: I like to use a ziplock bag.

I recommend you store some in your hiking bag and car for eating later.

Hardtack Recipe Variations

1. Swedish Hardtack

This version incorporates sugar into the original recipe, giving it a bit of sweetness without straying too far from its authentic nature. To do this simply add 2 tablespoons of white granulated sugar to your dough mixture before adding water.

Note: If you’re concerned about shelf life reduction due to added sugars, consider using honey as an alternative sweetener instead- approximately 2 tablespoons of honey will not decrease the shelf life drastically, and it also adds a nice flavor to your hardtack. Also, using whole wheat flour instead of white can bring about more body into these crackers.

However, do remember that additions like these may significantly alter both the texture and taste of traditional hardtacks.

2. Cheese Hardtack

Ideal for cheese lovers! Simply mix in roughly one cup (or less as per preference) of grated cheddar or any other dry & firm type cheese while you are preparing the dough.

3. Herb-infused Hardtack

To give your hard tack an extra dimension with herbs de Provence or Italian spice blend – either ~1 tablespoon should be sufficient without overwhelming its basic nature-. Or perhaps red pepper flakes if spiciness is what appeals to you- however, use this sparingly!

4. Rye Flour or Cornmeal Hardtack

Another variation results by substituting some (or all) of the white flour with rye flour or cornmeal, which gives these crackers an entirely different taste profile along with being nutritionally superior versions- up to two cups should be the ideal amount-. Feel free to experiment until you find the right balance between various flours!

Remember that while creating variations might sound fun and exciting, it is important to note that straying far too much from the original recipe may impact its longevity. So if preserving hardtack for a long time is your main goal, sticking with the traditional simple ingredients of flour, salt, and water would be best.

Can You Add Sugar to Hardtack?

Yes, you can add sugar to hardtack – this is to make Swedish Hardtack.

Adding sugar will flavor your hardtacks but will decrease the shelf life of the hardtacks.

Adding honey is an alternative that will not substantially decrease hardtacks’ shelf life.

You can add a few teaspoons of honey to add a sweet touch.

How to Make Soft Hardtack

To make soft hardtack, you’ll need some different ingredients. The ones I use include:

• Oat wheat flour
• Applesauce
• (optional) Honey

The following steps are similar to the method of making the regular hardtack.

Instead of an oven, it’s typically best to use a dehydrator to extract moisture. But, if you don’t have that available, set your oven to the lowest possible setting.

By the way, if you’d like to learn some killer possum recipes, click there.

Does Hardtack Taste Good?

Hardtack taste is subjective and largely depends on individual preferences. Traditionally, hardtack has a very plain and basic flavor as it’s essentially a cracker made of flour, water, and sometimes salt – this can result in it tasting bland to many people.

The primary purpose of its creation was preservation for long sea voyages or periods without access to fresh food rather than culinary enjoyment; hence, it is not appealing to today’s palette accustomed to much more flavorful foods.

However, some individuals might appreciate it when consumed alongside preserved meats or cheese, which adds moisture (since dryness) and flavors to their instance-taking qualities that are missing from Hardtacks itself.

History of Hardtack

While we are on the subject of making hardtack, I want to share with you some interesting facts and the history of the cracker.

The history of hardtack goes back thousands of years, way before the time of processed cereals.

Sailors from Egypt ate an older version of hardtack and called it Dhourra cake, and the Romans also had an older version of hardtack, known as Bucellatum.

Throughout history, people like King Richard I of England ate an older version of hardtack (mixed grain, bean flour, rye.)

Hardtack crackers were a popular food choice because it’s full of fibers and helps with digestion.

Soon enough, people noticed that hardtack would soften under humidity. So to avoid that, they made it as dry as possible to ensure it won’t soften in humid conditions.

Hardtack soon became one of the main foods for long voyages and was kept as an essential food item by many travelers.

With time, hardtack became so hard and dry that the only way to consume it was to dunk it into the brine, coffee, or soups.

In the 1700s, New England used hardtack as a thickener for their seafood chowders because they ground and pounded the hardtack into a fine powder.

In the 1800s, hardtack started gaining popularity in the US and became the primary food source of gold prospectors.

Soon enough, this was a major food source in the American Civil War.

Soldiers joked about their food’s poor quality and even made songs such as Hard Tack Come Again No More.

Closing in on the late 1800s, the British Royal Navy also included hardtack into their rations.

Now, traditional hardtack is used by preppers, travelers (sailors, backpackers), and many more as one of the best survival rations.

How to Store Hardtack?

The best way to store hardtack is in an airtight container, such as a large Tupperware or mason jar. If possible, line the container with foil or mylar before adding the crackers since this will help keep them from drying out.

Make sure to seal the container tightly and store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight or sources of heat or moisture for best results.

FAQs

Can you add flavor to hardtack?

Yes, you can add flavor to hardtack by incorporating things like spices and herbs into the dough before baking; however, adding perishable ingredients should be avoided as it negates the long shelf-life of traditional hardtack.

What is cowboy hard tack?

Cowboy Hard Tack is a form of bread or cracker made with simple ingredients (flour, water, and salt), which was used during cattle drives in 19th-century U.S.A for sustenance on journeys where fresh food couldn’t last.

How do you make hard tack more nutritious?

You can make hardtack more nutritious by adding non-perishable items such as seeds, nuts, or dried fruits during the mixing process; alternatively, you could use a mix of wholemeal and regular flour instead of only white for additional fiber content.

Why did hardtack have worms?

Hardtacks had worms because they were stored in damp or humid conditions over long periods on ships, causing them to breed weevils (the so-called “worms”).

Will salt dough harden without baking?

Salt dough will dry out naturally when left at room temperature, but it won’t get nearly as solid or durable compared to being baked — this might be okay, depending on what you are using your salt-dough creation for.

Final Thoughts

I hope you learned how to make hardtack and will give this recipe a try.

Enjoy this hardtack bread recipe and the extra tips and information I provided!

Check out how to make pemmican, an extremely nutritious prepper food that can last over 50 years. Also, here is a complete survival food list with all the best prepper foods.

Please consider following us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Also, consider sharing this content and subscribing to get 100+ free survival ebooks.