Homemade Crackers For Christmas And Beyond
Healthy homemade crackers (savoury biscuits) are a breeze to make and you can tailor them to your liking. These ones are made with spelt flour and seaweed, but there are lots of other options in the recipe. They make fabulous gifts at Christmas and are a welcome addition to any cheese board.
It’s hard to buy wholemeal savoury biscuits, especially wholemeal spelt ones. So why not make your own? They’re a lot easier than you might think.
Healthy Homemade Crackers
Whether you’re hosting or looking for gift ideas, homemade crackers are a must at Christmas. They’re pretty useful throughout the rest of the year too.
These healthy spelt crackers are naturally vegan and really versatile. I’ve added seaweed this time, but you can add a whole host of ingredients to make them more interesting or more to your liking. You can see some suggestions for this further down the post.
The dough is a lovely one to handle. As long as you rest it for fifteen minutes, it rolls like a dream. It doesn’t stick nor does it fall apart.
Ingredients
There’s no mega list of ingredients for these simple homemade crackers. They require little else other than flour, oil and water. You don’t need to add anything apart from salt. They’re perfectly good plain. But I like to up their game a little.
Flour
As regular readers know, spelt flour is my go to for baking biscuits and cakes. Click the link to find out why. I’ve thus used a mix of wholemeal (whole wheat) and white spelt for these crackers. It’s fine to use standard wheat flour though if that’s what you have. It’s a lot cheaper after all.
I’ve found that a mix of two thirds wholemeal and one third white gives the best result. But by all means go the whole way with 100% wholemeal flour if you prefer.
Olive Oil
For the best flavour, go with extra virgin olive oil. It really does make a difference. This is especially true for these seaweed crackers where the seaweed flavour needs a bit of extra support.
However, you don’t have to use olive oil at all. You could go for a more neutral tasting one like sunflower oil instead. In fact, if you’e adding strong flavours, a cheaper oil is probably all to the good.
Seaweed
Seaweed gives these crackers a subtle taste of the sea. It’s also incredibly good for you. It’s a good source of dietary iodine and is a veritable powerhouse of vitamins and minerals.
I used dried nori flakes. These are dead easy to use and relatively easy to get hold of. Alternatively use dried dulse or hijiki and chop the pieces as finely as you can.
If seaweed doesn’t do it for you or you can’t get hold of any, I have a whole heap of alternative flavour suggestions further down this post.
How To Make Homemade Seaweed Crackers: Step-by-Step
My recipe for homemade savoury biscuits (crackers) is super simple and requires little time or effort. They’re bound to become a firm favourite.
Step 1. Make Dough
Place the flour and salt in a medium or large mixing bowl. Add the seaweed followed by the olive oil and warm water. Warm water makes the dough more pliable and easy to work with.
Stir it together with a flat bladed knife or mix with your hands until it comes together as a dough. Turn it out onto a work surface and knead if for a couple of minutes until it’s smooth and cohesive. There should be no need for any additional flour.
Cover the dough with a clean cloth and leave it to rest for fifteen minutes. This step is important as it allows the gluten to relax, which means you can roll the dough without it springing back.
Step 2. Roll Dough
Unless you have a large baking tray, divide the dough into two. Cut out two pieces of baking parchment the size of two small baking tins or the size of one large one.
Roll one dough half out on the baking parchment as thinly as you can. Then cut it into small squares, rectangles or whatever shape you like with a sharp knife. You can do this as neatly or rustically as you like.
Collect any offcuts and roll again. Then do the same with the second dough half. I made thirty biscuits.
Transfer the sheets onto the baking trays. Either leave as is, or move the raw crackers so that there’s some space around them.
Prick your homemade crackers two or three times with the tines of a fork. This stops them rising up too much.
Top Tip
I used the edge of a ruler as a guide whilst cutting. This meant not only was I able to keep track of the measurements, but I kept a straight line too.
Step 3. Bake Crackers
Place the crackers in a hot oven and bake for twelve to fifteen minutes. Swap the trays around half way through baking and keep a sharp eye on them towards the end.
The trick is to bake them so that they’re lightly bronzed, but not brown. You want them crisp, not bendy, but also not burnt. Inevitably some of the edges will get darker though.
Transfer the crackers to a wire rack to cool. As soon as they’ve cooled, pack into an air tight container.
How Long Do Homemade Crackers Last
These homemade crackers will store in an air tight container for at least seven days. If they lose their crunch, just put them back in a hot oven or air fryer for a couple of minutes. This will get rid of any moisture that they’ve absorbed and you’ll have lovely crunchy crackers once again.
Alternatively place silica gel sachets in the container to absorb any excess moisture.
You can also freeze the crackers in a suitable container for up to three months.
How To Serve Homemade Crackers
Everyone loves a cracker. They’re perfect for entertaining or for snacking on when you’re feeling peckish.
Cheese Board
Crackers are incredibly useful little bites of savoury crispy biscuit. They’re perfect for eating cheese after a meal, as a snack or as a full on help-yourself platter extravaganza.
Just add a few dips or spreads such as hummus, mushroom pâté or vegan cream cheese. Add a jar of chutney, a bowl of olives, almonds and walnuts, dried figs and apricots and / or fresh apples and grapes. And don’t forget a bowl of pickles. My carrot pickles are fab for this.
Appetiser
Impress your guests with homemade crackers to whet their appetite before dinner. Either top with one of the items mentioned below or serve with a dip for scooping.
Party Fare
Top the crackers with things like hummus, pesto or cream cheese. Finish them off with roast tomatoes, pickled gherkins or pickled beetroot. Goat’s cheese with cucumber or olives are also good. Lay them all out on plates and you have some very moreish pick-up-and-go party snacks.
Edible Gift
Wow your friends and family with a pretty bag or tin of these homemade crackers as a festive gift. All you need to do is accompany it with a jar of homemade chutney and a wedge or two of good cheese – vegan or otherwise. My spiced apple chutney is a firm favourite.
Homemade Crackers: Variations
Whilst seaweed crackers are one of my favourites, they’re not to everyone’s taste. And as I always say, it’s good to have options. Here are a few suggestions for other cracker flavourings.
Seeds
Seeds make a lovely cracker addition. They’re full of flavour, crunch and healthy phytochemicals. Use any of the ones listed below, on their own or mix a few of your favourites. Do you have any favourites not listed here?
- caraway seeds – 1 teaspoon
- cumin seeds – 2 teaspoons
- flax seeds (linseeds) – 1 tablespoon
- poppy seeds – 2 teaspoons
- pumpkin seeds – 1 tablespoon
- sesame seeds – black are particularly striking – add one tablespoon to the dough mix
- sunflower seeds – 1 tablespoon
Top Tip
If you want to add seeds, it’s best to incorporate small seeds such as poppy seeds or sesame seeds into the dough itself. If you add them to the top, they’re likely to fall off once baked. For larger seeds such as pumpkin seeds, sprinkle them over the top, then press them lightly into the dough.
If you really want to have smaller seeds sprinkled on top of your crackers, then use a rolling pin to lightly press them into the dough.
Herbs
- chives – using scissors, finely snip ten chive leaves into the dough mix
- oregano – add a teaspoon of dried oregano to the dough
- rosemary – finely chop fresh rosemary needles to make up one tablespoon and add to the dough
- thyme – use one teaspoon of dried thyme or one tablespoon of freshly chopped leaves
Spices
Add any of these spices or spice mixes directly into the dough, except for the sea salt flakes which are best sprinkled on top. Black pepper and sea salt flakes work nicely as a combination.
- black pepper – ground or crushed – up to on teaspoon, depending on how peppery you like it
- chilli powder – half to one teaspoon, again it depends on how fiery you like your crackers
- dukkah – a tablespoon
- sea salt flakes – lightly brush the raw crackers with water, then scatter a few flakes over the top
- smoked paprika – one teaspoon
- za’atar – a tablespoon
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these homemade seaweed crackers or any of the variations, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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If you’d like more pastry recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.
Choclette x
Homemade Seaweed Crackers. PIN IT.
Homemade Seaweed Crackers
Ingredients
- 100 g wholemeal flour (whole wheat) (I used wholemeal spelt)
- 50 g plain flour (all purpose flour) (I used white spelt)
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp nori seaweed flakes (I used nori)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 80 ml warm water
Instructions
- In a medium sized or large mixing bowl, pour in the flour, salt and seaweed.100 g wholemeal flour (whole wheat), 50 g plain flour (all purpose flour), ¼ tsp sea salt, 1 tbsp nori seaweed flakes
- Add the olive oil and water, then mix with a flat bladed knife or your hands until the mixture comes together to form a dough.2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 80 ml warm water
- Turn the dough out onto an unfloured surface and knead for a couple of minutes until smooth.
- Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with a cloth and leave to rest for fifteen minutes. This allows the gluten to relax, which means you can roll the dough without it springing back.
- Set the oven to 200℃ (400℉, Gas 6). It’s not a good idea to use a fan oven for these as they’re very light and might blow around.
- Meanwhile prepare your baking trays. You’ll need two small ones or one large one. Cut a piece or pieces of baking paper to fit the trays.
- Roll the dough out on the paper to no more than 2mm (0.8 inch) in thickness. If using two trays, half the dough before rolling.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into your desired shape. Squares and rectangles are easy and look good. I made rectangles of 4 x 6 cm 1 ½ x 2.4 inch). Re-roll any scraps until all your dough is gone.
- Prick each cracker two or three times with the tines of a fork. This helps to stop the crackers rising and thus getting misshapen.
- Bake as near to the centre of the oven as you can manage for 12 to 15 minutes. If using two trays, swap them over half way through baking. The crackers should be golden, but not brown.
- Transfer the crackers to a wire rack to cool, then pack away in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
I’m sharing this recipe for homemade seaweed spelt crackers with Feast Glorious Feast for #CookBlogShare.
i haven’t seen seaweed flakes around here but i do have sheets of nori that i could blitz up for these. they sound delightful.
Yes, good idea to blitz nori sheets – not that I’ve tried it. Let me know if it works.
So delicious and fresh! A new first, homemade crackers!
Glad you enjoyed them Jenn. It’s always fun to bake something new I find.
Delish, I love seaweed in a cracker, adds such a great taste of umami and its great with cheese too!
Yes, yes and yes. I couldn’t agree more. Bring on the seaweed crackers.
A quick, straight forward and delicious recipe!
It’s such a useful recipe and these crackers are ever so easy to make.