Gluten Free + Vegan Chewy Crackers
My crackers must be hearty. They also must be filling, wholesome, and heavy on the seeds. I like to feel as much like a bird as possible when eating my crackers. I also like them to curb my hunger, not increase it.
My crackers must be hearty. They also must be filling, wholesome, and heavy on the seeds. I like to feel as much like a bird as possible when eating my crackers. I also like them to curb my hunger, not increase it.
- Carbohydrate 6.14537129613402 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.497541851850753 g
- Fiber 0.430792598384156 g
- Protein 0.898639259246945 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0744851481477942 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (9g)
- Sodium 49.5282795125387 mg
- Sugar 5.71457869774986 g
- Trans Fat 0.0330671666667225 g
- Calories 33 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 300F.
- Cook rice and quinoa according to package directions in two separate small pots.
- Cool rice and quinoa after cooking.
- In a food processor, blend together cooked rice, quinoa, ground flax, water, herbs, tahini, salt.
- Stir in sesame, flax, and chia seeds (or just press them on top of dough like I did in some pictures).
- Scoop mixture onto a greased baking sheet (or line with parchment paper).
- Flatten with wet hands and spread out.
- Roll with a pastry roller to smooth.
- Take a pastry cutter (or pizza slicer) and cut dough into desired cracker shapes.
- Bake in the oven for 35-40 mins. until golden.
- Watch carefully after 30 mins. to avoid burning the crackers.
- You might want to flip the crackers half way through cooking.
- Crackers will also firm up while cooling.
- Cool for 15 mins. on baking sheet and carefully break apart.
Watch the oven closely after thirty minutes at three hundred degrees Fahrenheit to prevent the seeds from scorching before the interior moisture evaporates. Seed-heavy flatbreads and hard crackers trace their origins to ancient preservation methods where grains and seeds were combined into portable, nutrient-dense rations that could withstand long journeys without refrigeration. Incorporating whole seeds like sesame and chia provides structural integrity while requiring careful thermal management, because unhulled seeds possess natural oils that turn bitter if subjected to excessive heat.
Technique and Texture
Using freshly cooked brown rice and quinoa yields a pliable dough that binds more effectively than dry-grain flours, though fully cooling the grains before processing is essential to prevent a sticky, unmanageable mash. When transitioning from fresh grains to pre-cooked or dehydrated alternatives, adjust the added water by half a teaspoon at a time because older grains absorb varying amounts of moisture during storage. Flatten the dough evenly with a pastry roller on parchment paper, ensuring a uniform thickness of roughly one-eighth of an inch so that the edges do not char while the center remains soft.
- If the dough cracks excessively during rolling, dampen hands with water to mend the surface without adding excess liquid.
- Bake until the edges turn a deep golden brown, then allow the sheet to rest undisturbed for fifteen minutes as residual steam dissipates.
- Store cooled pieces in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week to maintain crispness.
