You’ll love this Easy Homemade Matzo, a simple from-scratch matzah cracker recipe that’s perfect for Passover. Flour and water combine to make a crispy and golden, unleavened baked bread that’s ready in only 18 minutes, according to classic kosher tradition!
What Is Matzo or Passover Bread?
Matzo, sometimes referred to as matzah, matzoh or matza, is a thin unleavened bread made from flour and water that’s traditionally eaten during Passover. Its texture and taste are similar to a thick crispy cracker and usually topped with salt and a schmear of butter. Most Jewish families nowadays typically buy matzo packaged — but it’s so easy to make from scratch at home.
Tradition dictates that matzo be made fast, within 18 minutes from the moment you mix the flour and water until when you take the last batch of matzo bread out of the oven. It’s a hectic 18 minutes, but it is possible. Let me show you how!
Why You Will Love These Jewish Crackers
- This traditional matzo recipe has only 2 ingredients! Only flour and water (and a little heat) are needed to make this classic unleavened bread.
- Make it kosher (or not): I lay out how to make matzo in only 18 minutes, according to kosher standards. Make it fast and traditional, or take your time if kosher isn’t a concern.
- It’s a crispy, crunchy cross between a cracker and a flatbread. Matzo is the perfect combination of a big cracker and a piece of crunchy flatbread.
- Eat it alone or be creative! This matzo recipe can be eaten as a crunchy side, used as a toast replacement with toppings, or even used as a crunchy sandwich bread.
Traditional Matzo Kosher Rules
There are some seriously strict rules about food ingredients and food preparation during Passover, and making matzo traditionally kosher means abiding by the following rules:
- The 18-Minute rule: To keep this matzo kosher, you need to finish the entire process in 18 minutes flat. Those 18 minutes start when the water hits the flour until all of the matzo comes out of the oven (I was very grateful for my double ovens when I made these).
- The flour rule: The other thing that can be an issue is the flour that you use. The flour that I used in this recipe is a certified kosher all-purpose white flour. Regular all-purpose flour can be used, but know that it may not be 100% kosher.
Recipe Tips For Getting Perfect Passover Matzo
- Find your favorite flour. While a certified kosher all-purpose flour is traditional, feel free to test this recipe with different flours. Whole wheat flour or gluten-free flours like spelt, chickpea, or almond flours can also work well. (Be mindful if you’re following kosher standards).
- Use room-temperature water. While cold or warm water will work, I’ve found the best matzo texture using room-temperature tap water. I fill a measuring pitcher with water 20 minutes before baking. That way it’s had time to adjust to room temperature before I mix it with the flour.
- Flour is your friend when kneading. Is your matzo dough too sticky? Add more flour. Is your dough sticking to your counter or rolling pin? Add more flour. Don’t be afraid of flour, but make sure the dough isn’t too dry before baking.
- Keep an eye on the oven. Because matzo cooks up quickly, keep your eye on the oven or it will easily become too brown and overcooked.
- Use 2-3 baking sheets. If you’re making matzo according to the 18-minute kosher rule, having 2 extra baking sheets will speed up the process. Have one in the oven, one prepped, and one backup. You can let one sheet cool when you remove it from the oven. (Let’s make our matzo burn- and injury-free!).
Storing & Freezing
- Storing: Store leftover matzo in an airtight storage container on the countertop for up to three days or up to four days in the refrigerator.
- Freezing: For the best taste and texture, I do not recommend freezing matzo bread after it has been baked. You can prep the matzo dough ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to two days or in the freezer for a month or more. Let it thaw before baking. Storing in the refrigerator or freezer will mean this recipe is not kosher. It will not fall in the 18-minute timeframe.
What Is Matzo Meal?
Matzo meal is simply ground matzo. Just break up the matzo in smaller pieces and grind it, preferably using your blender or food processor. You can buy matzo meal, but you will enjoy making it from this homemade recipe.
FAQs
What is the difference between matzo and matzah?
Matzo, matzah, matzoh, and matza. These are all different ways of spelling and pronouncing the name for the traditional unleavened flatbread eaten at Passover in the Jewish tradition.
Why does homemade matzah have to be made within 18 minutes?
The kosher rule for making matzo in 18 minutes is because only unleavened bread products are allowed during Passover. Natural fermentation begins within that time frame when flour and water are mixed. To avoid the natural fermentation, and therefore make the bread unleavened, it must finish baking before 18 minutes.
What kind of flour is kosher for Passover?
Passover dietary restrictions exclude any grain that can ferment or become leavened, which includes wheat, barley, oats, rye, and spelt. The only bread that is allowed during Passover is matzo. Matzah is typically made from wheat flour and made in a way that ensures it is unleavened.
What do you serve with matzo?
Matzo is usually served at the center of the table. Either as a side dish or accompaniment with traditional Passover foods like brisket, roast chicken, fish dumplings, and potatoes.
Homemade Matzo (Matzah recipe)
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon plain salt optional
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Get everything that you need ready before you start. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Get a rolling pin, pastry brush, and fork out.
- Set your timer for 18 minutes.
- Mix together 2 cups of flour with ½ teaspoon salt (if using), then stir in 1 cup of water.
- Knead the dough on a well-floured board until it comes together, about 3-4 minutes. If the dough is really sticky add flour a tablespoon at a time until it isn’t anymore.
- Cut the dough into 8-12 chunks. Roll them out as thinly as you can. Make sure that you flour everything really well, this dough is sticky.
- Put the flattened dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick with a fork. Brush off some of the excess flour. This dough does not spread so you can put a bunch on a sheet. Put in the preheated oven and start working on the next batch.
- After 3-4 minutes, they will be golden brown and crispy.
I regularly eat Streitz’s Whole Wheat matzoh, and I have wanted to learn about to make these from scratch. I used half unbleached white flour and whole spelt flour while preparing these. The taste difference between store bought matzoh and your recipe is huge, and you really cannot compare the two. Next time I will try 100% whole spelt flour while making these. I definitely did not make these under 18 minutes, as they took me 90 minutes. These certainly are chametz, but as a goy, they would be anyway. 😝 Thank you for posting this recipe. I will be making these regularly from now on.
So glad to hear you like this recipe! Thank you for reading.
I see different seeds in the pictures for the matzah crackers but nothing in the recipe directions as to when to add them.
You can sprinkle them on right before baking. Just brush a little water or oil on top of the dough so they stick, then add sesame, poppy, or whatever seeds you like.
It was great but the matzah didn’t get as crispy as I would have liked how thin should I roll the dough, and can I raise the temperature to make it get more crispy faster? By how much?
You should roll the dough as thin as possible—almost paper-thin. The thinner it is, the crispier it will get. You can also try increasing the oven temperature to 500°F (260°C) to get a crispier result, but keep an eye on them because they’ll bake faster, probably in 2-3 minutes instead of 3-4.
The process of mixing the dough is the same as making pasta dough. I am wondering if one could also roll the dough balls out using a pasta machine?
That’s a great idea! Just run the dough through gradually thinner settings until it’s nice and thin. Might actually make the process easier and more even!
Using a tool like a pasta machine is a great idea, but before it can be used to make kosher for Passover matzos, it needs to be specially cleaned (Koshered) for use. This goes for all of the baking trays, utensils etc., otherwise, the matzo is not considered kosher for Passover.
Great point, thanks a lot Roger.
The bread should be cooked on the rack after being pierced. A bag with 3 pockets is used. The bread is of equal size in all pockets. The middle piece is taken out and broken in 2. Half is “hidden” from the seekers; the other is broken and passed around. That is much more serious than a wafer size.
That’s a great explanation of the Afikoman tradition!
When is the salt used? It’s in the ingredient list.
Hi Bonnie, you can mix it with the flour. I have updated the recipe so it is a bit more clear now.
The Matzah recipe lists salt but does not give instructions for it. How much and when? Is it optional? Thanks
Hi Karen, I have updated the recipe. You can use 1/2 teaspoon mixed with the flour but it is optional.
The recipe says salt and a pastry brush but no instructions
Thanks for flagging Sharla, I have updated the recipe.