How to Make Hardtack: The Survival Cracker That Lasts for Years

 

The Pioneer Cracker That Fed Sailors, Soldiers, and Settlers for Centuries

Hardtack may not be the most exciting cracker you'll ever eat, but it has earned its place in history. Made from just a few simple pantry ingredients, this humble cracker helped feed sailors crossing oceans, pioneers heading west in covered wagons, U.S. Army soldiers, and even served as an emergency ration aboard the Titanic.

If you're looking for an inexpensive food storage staple that you can make yourself, hardtack is hard to beat.

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Easy Homemade Hardtack Recipe

Makes: 12–16 crackers

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: About 1 hour

Shelf Life: Several years when thoroughly dried and stored properly.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup water (add a tablespoon more if needed)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
2. Mix the flour and salt together.
3. Slowly stir in the water until a stiff dough forms.
4. Knead for about 3–5 minutes until smooth.
5. Roll the dough to approximately ½ inch thick.
6. Cut into squares about 2½ to 3 inches wide.
7. Using a fork or skewer, poke holes across each cracker. These help moisture escape during baking.
8. Bake for 30 minutes.
9. Turn each cracker over and bake another 30 minutes.
10. Turn the oven off and allow the crackers to cool inside the oven with the door cracked open. This helps remove as much remaining moisture as possible.

The finished crackers should be completely dry and very hard.

Homemade Hardtack Crackers

How Long Does Homemade Hardtack Last?

One of the reasons hardtack became famous is because of its incredible shelf life.

If properly baked until completely dry and stored in an airtight container, homemade hardtack can easily last several years.

For even longer storage:

• Store in a cool, dry location.
• Vacuum seal with oxygen absorbers.
• Protect from moisture.

Museum collections have preserved Civil War-era hardtack for well over a century. While those crackers aren't considered food today, they demonstrate just how durable properly dried hardtack can be.

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Hardtack Cracker tin found on Lifeboat from the Titanic 

Hardtack Aboard the Titanic

When I visited the Titanic Museum, one display especially caught my attention.

It was a small metal emergency tin that had been placed aboard the Titanic's lifeboats.

Inside these tins were emergency supplies—including hardtack biscuits.

The crackers were selected because they were lightweight, inexpensive, durable, and capable of remaining edible for years if kept dry.

Standing there looking at that small tin, it reminded me that preparedness isn't a new idea. More than a century ago, people understood the value of keeping simple foods that could survive almost anything.

Ways to Eat Hardtack

Let's be honest—most people don't eat hardtack because it tastes amazing.

Historically, people softened it before eating.

Some favorite ways include:

• Dipped in hot coffee
• Crumbled into soups or stews
• Topped with peanut butter
• Spread with butter and honey
• Served with cheese and summer sausage
• Crushed into breadcrumbs
• Paired with canned meats
• Used as a camping or emergency cracker
• 
  

Although I enjoy making homemade hardtack, I've also purchased Sailor Boy Pilot Bread to add to my preps. There are other versions of hardtack on the market out there, but the recipe is simple and making your own costs only pennies and gives you another old-fashioned skill worth knowing.

Hardtack for long shelf life 

A Cracker with Hundreds of Years of History

Hardtack has existed in one form or another for thousands of years, but it became famous during the Age of Sail.

Long voyages across the Atlantic required food that wouldn't spoil. Fresh bread lasted only a few days, but hardtack could survive months aboard damp wooden ships as long as it remained reasonably dry.

It kept people alive. 

US Army Bread Hardtack

The U.S. Army's Famous Survival Cracker

Long before MREs existed, the United States government depended heavily on hardtack to feed its soldiers.

During the American Civil War, Union soldiers received hardtack as one of their primary daily rations. Government bakeries produced millions upon millions of crackers because they were inexpensive to make, lightweight to transport, and remarkably durable.

Soldiers often joked that hardtack was so hard it could break a tooth. Some nicknamed it "sheet iron crackers." Others softened it in coffee, fried it in bacon grease, or crumbled it into soups.

Even with all the jokes, it remained one of the most dependable foods carried by the U.S. Army throughout long military campaigns.

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Hardtack on the Oregon Trail

Families traveling west in covered wagons also packed hardtack.

The trip from Missouri to Oregon or California often lasted four to six months, making food preservation one of the greatest challenges pioneers faced.

A typical adult required roughly 1½ to 2 pounds of food each day. Along with flour, beans, bacon, rice, coffee, dried fruit, and salt pork, hardtack provided dependable calories that could survive the rough journey.

Unlike fresh bread, hardtack:

• Didn't mold easily.
• Traveled well over rough trails.
• Withstood changing weather.
• Stayed edible for months.
• Could be eaten dry or softened in coffee, milk, soup, or stew.

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Sometimes the Old Ways Still Work

Sometimes the best ideas are the ones that have already proven themselves for generations.

From sailing ships crossing the Atlantic, to U.S. Army rations, to covered wagons heading west, and finally to the emergency lifeboats of the Titanic, hardtack earned its reputation by doing one thing exceptionally well:

It lasted.

In a world filled with high-tech emergency foods, it's comforting to know that one of history's greatest survival staples can still be made today with little more than flour, water, salt, and an afternoon in the kitchen.

The 5 Cheapest Foods That Could Help Keep You Alive During Hard Times

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What Living History Taught Me About Modern Preparedness

 

Texas Pioneer Farms

With more than a decade of volunteering at a living history museum, I can honestly say I have no regrets about homeschooling my children and giving them what I often call a "Little House on the Prairie" upbringing.

Those experiences inspired both my book Mom's Pioneer Living Handbook and many of the articles I write today. Having grown up in the Ozarks and spent time living off-grid on family property in rural Missouri, I already had an appreciation for simple living. However, spending years immersed in a living history environment gave me a deeper understanding of how our ancestors lived, worked, and overcame challenges.

What Life Was Really Like Before Modern Conveniences

It's one thing to read about pioneer life in a book. It's another thing entirely to spend long summer days dressed in period clothing while demonstrating 1800s skills in the Texas heat.

When temperatures climbed above 100 degrees, visitors would often ask:

"Aren't you hot wearing that dress?"

The answer surprised many people.

Most of our clothing was made from cotton, which actually stays remarkably comfortable in hot weather. Long sleeves and long skirts also protected us from the sun and insects. After spending enough time outdoors, I quickly learned why our ancestors dressed the way they did.

You also learn very quickly why old homes were designed with dog runs and breezeways. Those architectural features weren't decorative. They were practical solutions that encouraged airflow through the house before air conditioning existed.

Cooking Before Electricity Was Hard Work

One of the biggest lessons I learned involved food preparation.

Cooking on a wood stove wasn't as simple as turning a dial and waiting a few minutes. Meals often required planning hours in advance.

Many families cooked during the cooler morning or evening hours because the stove itself could quickly heat the entire kitchen. After the meal was finished, water still had to be heated for washing dishes.

At our museum, we had access to a hand-pump well, which gave us a glimpse into the daily effort required just to obtain water. Even then, I often found myself wondering about the families who had to carry every bucket from a spring, creek, or nearby water source.

Modern conveniences have made us forget how much labor was once required simply to prepare a meal and clean up afterward.

Why Traditional Skills Mattered

The more time I spent living history, the more respect I gained for our ancestors.

Running a household required a tremendous amount of work. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, gardening, preserving food, caring for livestock, raising children, mending clothing, and homeschooling often filled every hour of the day.

These responsibilities weren't hobbies. They were essential skills necessary for survival.

Our ancestors developed a level of self-reliance that many of us have lost in today's convenience-driven world.

What Our Ancestors Can Teach Us About Preparedness

One of the most interesting realizations I've had is that our ancestors were not "preppers."

They simply lived in a way that required preparation.

Food was stored because winter was coming.

Seeds were saved because another planting season would arrive.

Firewood was gathered because cold weather was inevitable.

Extra supplies weren't purchased out of fear. They were stored because experience taught people what they would need in the months ahead.

That mindset is something worth remembering today.

Learning to Live With Less

Over the years, I've become increasingly grateful for modern conveniences.

Air conditioning.

Running water.

Refrigeration.

Washing machines.

Vehicles.

Grocery stores.

These are luxuries that previous generations could only dream about.

Yet I have also learned that becoming completely dependent upon these conveniences can leave us vulnerable when disruptions occur.

Power outages, severe weather, supply chain problems, and other unexpected events remind us how quickly daily life can change.

Having backup sources of light, water, cooking methods, and food storage isn't fear-based thinking. It's practical planning.

Why These Skills Still Matter Today

During my travels, I've visited places where people still live in ways that resemble life in the 1800s by modern American standards. Some families continue to live in tents, raise livestock, cook over fires, and travel seasonally with their animals.

These experiences reinforced something I have come to believe strongly:

Resilience comes from skills as much as supplies.

Knowing how to adapt, improvise, repair, preserve food, and make do with what you have can be just as valuable as anything stored on a shelf.

The Inspiration Behind the Miles Away Series

Many of these lessons influenced my recent Miles Away series, a grid-down family survival story built around realistic scenarios and practical challenges.

Rather than focusing on fantasy survival situations, I wanted readers to think about everyday questions:

• How would we cook without electricity?
• How would we get water?
• How would we preserve food?
• How would we handle sanitation?
• How dependent are we on modern conveniences?

In many ways, a prolonged grid-down event would force us to rediscover skills that previous generations considered ordinary.

Final Thoughts

I believe it's important to remember how our ancestors lived—not because we want to return to the past, but because their experiences still have something to teach us.

Preparedness isn't simply about storing supplies.

It's about developing resilience, learning practical skills, and understanding how people survived long before modern conveniences existed.

The more I learn about pioneer living, the more I appreciate both the comforts we enjoy today and the wisdom our ancestors left behind.

Perhaps the greatest lesson of all is this: self-reliance isn't about fear. It's about peace of mind.

This article may contain affiliate links to my books. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I may also earn royalties from books I have written.

Could we be forced back into the 1800's?  7 Things That Would Happen in the First 24 Hours After an EMP

Video Diary, Pioneer Farms: Six Years Volunteering at Pioneer Farms

Pioneer Farms from Helen Ruth on Vimeo.

A collection of photo's over the years of my family and friends. We've been working the living history museum for going on 6 years to supplement our homeschooling.

For more than six years, our family volunteered at Pioneer Farms, one of Austin's most unique living history museums. It became much more than a place to visit—it became an extension of our homeschool classroom, where history could be experienced instead of simply read about in a textbook.

A Step Back in Time

Pioneer Farms is a living history museum that preserves and interprets life in Central Texas during the 1800s. Historic homes, a blacksmith shop, schoolhouse, church, gardens, and working farm provide visitors with a glimpse into the daily lives of early Texas settlers. Throughout the year, volunteers dressed in period clothing demonstrate traditional skills such as woodworking, cooking over open fires, gardening, weaving, and other pioneer crafts.

One of the greatest lessons we learned was that history comes alive when you experience it firsthand. Whether baking bread in a wood-fired oven, tending a pioneer garden, or visiting with guests about life on the Texas frontier, every event reminded us just how resourceful early settlers had to be.

Looking back through these photos brings back wonderful memories of friendships, homeschooling adventures, and many weekends spent preserving a small piece of Texas history. Those years helped shape my appreciation for simple living, self-reliance, and the pioneer skills that continue to inspire this blog today.

You're Human: A Living History Conversation I'll Never Forget

We had several hundred students tour the farm yesterday. While answering their questions, one boy said, "How did those pioneers do their dishes?"

I pointed out, "Those pioneers were our ancestors. We ALL had ancestors that lived without electricity and running water."

The boy shook his head and said, "not me. MY ancestors were animals."

I thought he was joking. He repeated himself, "my ancestors weren't people, they were animals."

Another boy piped up, "They evolved!"...

A look must have crossed over my face, as the teacher wrapped her arms around him protectively and explained to the boy, "not everyone shares the same beliefs..."

I looked into the boy's eyes, wondering what I saw... Sadness? Emptiness? I couldn't figure it out.

Restoring the boy's dignity, I replied, "your ancestors were HUMAN."

Ignoring the look of the teacher, I said more firmly to the boy, "Your ancestors were human!"

One of the things I enjoyed most about volunteering at Pioneer Farms was answering children's questions. Every school tour was different, and you never knew what a student might ask next.

On this particular day, one young boy wanted to know how pioneer families washed their dishes before electricity and running water. It opened the door to a wonderful discussion about everyday life on the Texas frontier and just how much hard work our ancestors invested in the simplest household chores.

As the conversation continued, the discussion unexpectedly shifted toward where people came from and the beliefs different families hold. It reminded me that museums and living history sites often bring together visitors from many different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

For me, the most important lesson that day wasn't about winning an argument. It was realizing how important it is for young people to understand that history is personal. Every one of us has parents, grandparents, and generations of ancestors whose lives helped shape the families we belong to today. Learning about their daily lives—how they cooked, farmed, worked, and cared for one another—helps us better appreciate the comforts we often take for granted. 

This is also one of the reasons why I think travel is so important - to study other cultures and to appreciate other people's world views, whether we agree or not. 

Volunteering at Pioneer Farms gave me countless opportunities to encourage curiosity about history. If one child left with a greater appreciation for the resourcefulness and determination of those who came before us, then it was a day well spent.

May Festival: Music, History & Family Fun at Pioneer Farms

May Festival at Pioneer Farms: Stepping Back into Texas History

One of our favorite family traditions during our homeschooling years was volunteering at Pioneer Farms in Austin, Texas. Whenever special events were held, the entire property came alive with period music, demonstrations, costumed interpreters, and families eager to experience a little Texas history.

May Festival has long been a celebration of spring, and it was the perfect setting to step back into the 1800s for the day.

Living History Comes Alive

Before enjoying the festivities, I started the wood-burning stove inside the Homestead cabin. One of the things I loved most about volunteering was helping visitors experience everyday pioneer life. Cooking over wood fires, working with hand tools, and answering questions about daily life helped make history feel real rather than something found only in textbooks.

A Tradition Rooted in Spring

May Day celebrations have been observed throughout Europe for centuries as communities welcomed warmer weather and the arrival of spring. One of the best-known traditions is the Maypole dance, where colorful ribbons are woven around a tall pole as dancers circle in celebration. Although customs have changed over time, many historical festivals continue this cheerful tradition today.

Music of the 1700s and 1800s

Throughout the day, visitors enjoyed traditional folk music that echoed across the grounds. Hearing songs played on period instruments while standing among historic cabins created an atmosphere that was surprisingly easy to imagine. Music was one of the most important forms of entertainment for pioneer families, bringing communities together for celebrations, dances, and social gatherings.

More Than a Museum

What has always impressed me about Pioneer Farms is that it isn't simply a place to look at old buildings—it's a place to experience history. Watching blacksmiths at work, hearing period music, seeing children participate in old-fashioned games, and talking with historical interpreters helps visitors appreciate the skills and determination of those who settled Texas long before modern conveniences.

Days like this remind me why I fell in love with living history. Every festival offers another opportunity to learn something new while keeping Texas history alive for future generations.

Today was May Festival at Pioneer Farms. After getting the wood stove going at the Homestead, I had an opportunity to enjoy some live music and to visit with friends. What a great crowd!

Enjoyed some good 1700 and 1800 music. Beautiful lyrics!

Gunslingers

Maypole dance, with the Biscuit Brothers.

What You'll See at Pioneer Festivals

• Historic log cabins
• Blacksmith demonstrations
• Living history interpreters
• Wood-burning cookstoves
• Traditional folk music
• Maypole dancing
• Historic firearms demonstrations
• Children's pioneer activities
• Farm animals
• Heritage gardens

Colonial II: Sewing a Colonial Gown for Living History Events

I still need to hem, add more lace, ribbons, and pearls, but at least this gives you a general idea.

One of my favorite parts of volunteering at living history events is dressing the part.

This colonial gown has been a fun sewing project that's still a work in progress. It still needs a hem, a little more lace, ribbons, and perhaps a few pearls, but it's finally beginning to look the way I imagined.

Colonial gowns were everyday clothing for many women during the 1700s. While styles varied depending on social class and location, most dresses featured a fitted bodice, full skirt, and layers of petticoats that provided both warmth and shape. Fabrics ranged from simple homespun linen and wool to finer printed cottons and silks for special occasions.

One thing I've learned through living history is that clothing was almost entirely handmade. Every seam, hem, buttonhole, and trim represented many hours of careful work. Sewing wasn't simply a hobby—it was an essential household skill passed from one generation to the next.

Although my gown uses modern sewing techniques in places, I enjoy creating clothing inspired by the past. Wearing period clothing during demonstrations helps visitors imagine what daily life may have been like more than two centuries ago.

There are still a few finishing touches left before I can call it complete, but seeing the project finally come together has been incredibly rewarding.

Did You Know?

• Colonial gowns often required several layers underneath, including a chemise, petticoats, and sometimes stays (supportive undergarments).
• Most women owned only a few dresses, making clothing an important investment that was carefully repaired and handed down.
• Sewing and mending were everyday household skills in colonial America.

Sewing a Colonial Gown for a Father-Daughter Dance

Dutch oven: How to Bake Biscuits in a Cast Iron Dutch Oven Over a Campfire

Why We Love Dutch Oven Cooking

Cast iron Dutch ovens have been used for centuries because they distribute heat evenly and can be used almost anywhere. Whether you're camping, living off-grid, cooking at a historical reenactment, or simply enjoying a backyard fire pit, a Dutch oven makes it possible to bake bread, biscuits, cobblers, stews, chili, soups, and even cakes without electricity.

One thing I've learned is that Dutch oven cooking teaches patience. Building a proper bed of coals often takes longer than preparing the food itself, but there's something incredibly satisfying about slowing down and cooking the way many of our pioneer ancestors once did.

Today was a sunny 65 degrees, and just perfect for outdoor cooking. As you can see, I'm playing SMOKE OUT while trying to get the fire started. We had some drizzle this week and even some ice, so all the wood is a little damp.

I sent the girls to fetch some water so we could have hot tea, water for the recipe, and also for clean-up.

I selected a nice cast iron pot to hang from the hook.

I love how I can adjust my temperature by raising or lowering the pot over the fire.

Pamela made us a batch of country biscuits. Nothing fancy.

COUNTRY BISCUITS

• 4 cups of flour

• 5 tsp butter

• 1 tsp baking soda

Mix in just enough warm water to dampen and shape dough

We're using the dutch oven for our baking.

Biscuits are placed in the iron pot.

Shoveling the embers, we placed the dutch oven on top of ashes, and covered the lid. The red hot embers heats the inside of the pot just like an oven. We can raise or lower our temperature by adding or taking away embers from the bottom and top of the pot.

Dutch Oven Tip

Rotate the Dutch oven a quarter turn every 10–15 minutes while also rotating the lid in the opposite direction. This helps prevent hot spots and encourages more even baking.

 

The biscuits were good slathered with creamy butter and honey.

Cooking biscuits pioneer style sure placed things into perspective. By the time we got the fire good and ready (with enough hot ashes) and cooked the biscuits, it took over two hours.

Like they say, food tastes better cooked outdoors, but I sure do appreciate my INDOOR kitchen! Imagine all you had was this outdoor kitchen, like some of our ancestors. Rain or shine, snow or sleet, food needed cooked!

Imagine laundry day back then... that's another story.



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WEDDING DAY: Rustic Wedding with Handmade Dresses at Pioneer Farms

Our son and daughter-in-law were married at Pioneer Farms, a living history museum in Austin, Texas. The historic buildings, country setting, handmade wedding dresses, bluegrass music, and hayride reception created a memorable rustic wedding that perfectly matched their vision.

Well, the big day had finally arrived.

The ceremony was so beautiful and Caitlin's wedding dress was STUNNING. The wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses were all handmade. After the ceremony, we walked a trail to the creek for the reception and enjoyed some live music from the Bluegrass band, The Old Holdouts.

What a lovely country wedding! I can't believe my son is married.

Mother and Son.

Alan (Josh's dad), Nathan (brother) and Josh.

Jonathan - rehearsing tunes for the wedding.

Boarding the hayride to the German farm for wedding.

Here comes the bride.

Husband and Wife.

The girls did a reenactment of how Caitlin and Josh met.

The first dance.

Tossing the garter.

A hug from little sister.

Leaving for honeymoon.

Rehearsal the night before.

Josh and Caitlin.

Handmade Wedding Dress: Timeless Elegance Created by a Talented Seamstress