Savoury Shapes
Let’s be honest—if you grew up in Australia, Arnott’s Shapes were practically a food group. Whether you were sneaking a handful at a family BBQ or politely hoarding the pizza flavour at a school party, these crispy, flavour-packed biscuits are part of our culinary DNA. So, what’s a home baker to do when the cravings hit and the pantry is suspiciously short on store-bought biscuits? Make your own, of course! And trust me, once you’ve tried this homemade version (complete with the iconic red sprinkle), you’ll wonder why you ever settled for the packet. Keep reading for my best tips, a few laughs, and the secret to getting that perfect crunch every time.
The crackers come in various flavours; the first was the Arnott’s Savoury Shapes. Since then, there have been loads of other flavours to tease our taste buds. Two that come to mind are BBQ and Pizza varieties. Many of us have loved these little bite-sized snacks over the decades. However, just recently, there’s been a bit of pushback from loyal customers. Apparently, some savoury shapes and flavours have changed (shock, horror!). Well, mine have changed as well.
If you came here looking for my old recipe, it’s gone. I still have it, and if you’d like it, ask in the comments below. But seriously, these are much quicker and easier to make—no faffing around making a flavour paste and brushing it on with a pastry brush. I’ve made a few adjustments and added everything into the biscuit. If you want a bigger flavour hit, try the Red Sprinkle, which I’ve added to the notes section of the recipe card. I think they’re lovely without it, but if you’re serving them on their own, the sprinkle will give them a punch.
Substitutions:
- If you don’t have flaked salt, regular table salt will do, but go easy—flaked salt is less salty by volume.
- Dried bell pepper flakes can be swapped for a pinch of chilli flakes if you like a little heat. Bell pepper flakes are made from dried capsicum. Sweet!
- Full cream milk gives the best flavour and texture, but you can use low-fat if that’s what’s in the fridge (just don’t tell Nonna) 😁
Wikipedia tells us that
Over 53 million packets of Shapes are consumed each year in Australia.
Additional Information
Nutrition Information:
These homemade savoury shapes are free from preservatives and artificial flavours, and you can control the salt and fat content. Using real butter and tomato paste gives a richer flavour and a moreish crunch.
Tips for Best Results:
- Chilled butter is key for that perfect snap.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough—it makes rolling and cutting much easier.
- If you want your sprinkles to really stick, brush the tops with a bit of water before adding the sprinkle mix.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Swap the plain flour for a good-quality gluten-free blend with xanthan gum or similar. If the dough feels dry, you may need to add a touch more milk and let it rest longer.
Absolutely. The dough freezes well—just thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling. Baked shapes can be frozen and crisped up in a low oven.
Of course! I feel the red sprinkle is classic, but feel free to experiment with parmesan, sesame seeds, or your own spice blend. I often switch it up.
When you try them, I don’t want you to think of these as any specific flavour. Taste (and enjoy) them for what they are, and I dare you to stop at just one.
Savoury Shapes
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becs-table.com.auEquipment
- 1 Thermomix
Ingredients
- 250 g Plain flour
- 4 g 1 scant tsp baking powder (Not bicarb)
- 3 g 1 tsp flaked salt
- 2 g 1/2 tsp paprika
- 2 g 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 g 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 g 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 g 1 tsp dried bell pepper flakes
- 120 g unsalted butter chilled and cut into small cubes
- 90 g milk full cream works best
- 30 g tomato paste
Instructions
Thermomix Guided recipe
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Start here:
- Weigh in the dry ingredients: 250 g Plain flour, 4 g baking powder, and 3 g flaked salt to the Thermomix bowl.
- Weigh the 2 g (3/4 tsp) garlic powder 2 g (1/2 tsp) paprika 2 g (1 tsp) onion powder 1 g (1 tsp) dried oregano 1 g (1 tsp) dried bell pepper flakes into the Thermomix bowl.
- Add the 120g unsalted cold butter cubes last (as they need to go on top of your dry ingredients)
- MC In Mix for 6 sec/speed 5
- Weigh the 90 g milk 30 g tomato paste into the bowl (try to miss the blades)
- Mix for 8 sec/speed 7 until the mixture resembles crumbled dough.
- Knead Mode 30 sec
- Remove the dough onto a clean bench and bring it together by hand.
- Wrap and chill in the fridge. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 170°C fan-forced. Line a few baking sheets with baking paper.
- Roll and Cut the Dough: Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about the thickness of a 10-cent piece. Or, if you own a pasta machine, you can use that. I rolled mine out, starting at 0 and incrementing down until I got to 5 for a nice thin cracker.
- Use a pastry docker, if available, or a fork to prick holes. Optional: Lightly sprinkle some flaked salt over the top for extra flavour (don’t overdo it), or check my tips below for a more flavourful sprinkle.
- Shape and Bake: Use a cookie cutter, roller, or knife to cut the dough into your desired shapes. Place the shapes on the prepared baking sheets. In my oven, they take 12 minutes to bake. You're looking for lightly golden. * See notes
- Allow the shapes to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely and crisp up.
Video
Notes
- 1 tablespoon of bell pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp flaked salt
- 1 tsp of sweet paprika
- Mix for 10 seconds/speed 10
- Sprinkle very lightly over the crackers before baking.
Want to know more?
Got an excess of sourdough starter? Try these sourdough starter crackers 🙂
Or perhaps learn how to make gourmet feta cheese and a wide range of crackers with our online course.
This dough is so very forgiving. I left it in the fridge overnight and it was still soft and moist the next day. Rolled out perfectly using pasta machine to number 5 thinness. Beloved Huspain and myself scoffed the smaller first batch we tested in the oven. Next batch I added an extra tiny sprinkle of salt flakes and a pinch of Sumac to the ‘Red Sprinkle’ dust to meet my salt cravings. The dough smells so good Becs even before it is cooked. Could you use it as eggless pasta dough do you think?
Hey Alina, it’s worth a try. I would suggest removing the baking powder and possibly replacing the butter with an equal amount of water or milk. I’m concerned that the butter might cause the pasta to fall apart while it’s cooking.