Flaxseed crackers are the ultimate snack food. Their flavor profile is nutty and incredibly distinct, and the texture is sturdy enough to scoop a lot onto these crackers Since the only ingredient in this recipe are flaxseeds, these crackers are naturally vegan, paleo, low-carb, and keto friendly.
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Have you ever heard of Flackers? Flackers are flaxseed crackers that are made entirely from flaxseeds. They are vegan, paleo, keto, nut-free, raw, kosher, non-GMO, … you can slap onto them pretty much any label you can think of. They are growing tremendously in popularity because of their nutritional profile and the short list of ingredients.
However, Flackers are also quite expensive for what they are. I mean, would you pay close to $7 for a small bag? I thought so.
Fortunately, flaxseed crackers are really easy to make. I call them the ultimate snack crackers because not only are they sturdy enough to scoop up the thickest dip, but they are also great for traveling. I make them for our road trips around the Island, ferry rides to Vancouver, flights to Europe … they never brittle or break. We love these crackers. Love’em.
Tips for Making Flaxseed Crackers
Ingredients
There are two types of flaxseed crackers – flax crackers made from whole flaxseeds (also called linseeds) and flax crackers made from flaxseed meal. You can also use a mix of whole and ground flaxseeds or add some other seeds into the mix (like I did in these multi-seeded crackers). I used golden flaxseeds because they have a more subtle flavor than brown flaxseeds, but you can use either. Generally for recipes where flaxseeds are the main ingredient (such as this flaxseed loaf of bread or these flaxseed tortillas), I use golden flaxseeds.
Note: the crackers made from whole flaxseeds are not nearly as sturdy and strong as the crackers made from ground flaxseeds.
Salt is really important here. Without salt the crackers are quite bland, which brings me to herbs and spices. Use them! So far I have tried basil, cumin, garlic powder, rosemary (my favorite!), and thyme.
Technique
Flaxseed Crackers from Whole Flaxseeds
The downside to flaxseed crackers from whole flaxseeds is that you have to soak the flaxseeds overnight (~12 hours). When flaxseeds absorb water and swell, they release a gel-like substance called mucilage. This little trick makes flaxseeds act as an efficient binding agent. In this instance, the flaxseeds turn into a flaxseed “dough”.
Once soaked, transfer the flaxseeds onto a piece of parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment paper on top and roll the “dough” out into a thin sheet. The thinner you roll out the flaxseeds, the crispier the crackers will be. Don’t roll the dough out too thin though (ideally, you would have about 2 layers of flaxseeds) or the flaxseeds crackers will be too brittle.
I like to dehydrate these crackers. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can bake the crackers at a low temperature in your oven. Or you can use the sun. It takes a few days, if the weather complies, but then you have yourself some pretty cool sun-dried crackers.
Flaxseed Crackers from Ground Flaxseeds
Ground flaxseeds don’t require any soaking. Simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl with a spatula until the flaxseed meal forms a dough. The dough is slightly sticky. So, roll the dough out between two pieces of parchment paper. The fine texture of the flaxseed meal allows you to roll the dough out as thin or as thick as you like. Thinner crackers cook faster and are crispier. However, they are also more delicate and prone to breaking. Thicker crackers are better for scooping up dips.
Peel off the top piece of paper and keep the crackers on the bottom piece. Carefully slide the piece of parchment paper with the cracker onto a baking sheet. Using a knife or a pizza cutter, score the dough into shapes before baking.
Dehydrate or bake the crackers until the borders and the center are crispy and golden brown.
Tools You’ll Need
1. Blender (Vitamix 5200) | 2. Square Pan (12-Inch, Lodge, Cast Iron) | 3. Mixing Bowls (Set of 3, Pyrex, Glass) | 4. Measuring Cup (1 Cup, Pyrex, Glass) | 5. Knives Set (Utility, Stainless Steel) | 6. Rolling Pin (20.5-Inch, J.K. Adams, Maple) | 7. Measuring Cups (Set of 6, Bellemain, Stainless Steel) | 8. Measuring Spoons (Set of 6, 1Easylife, Stainless Steel)
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- 1 cup flaxseeds*
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- herbs and spices, optional
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Add the flaxseeds and salt into a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the water and stir once again. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator for 12-18 hours.
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After 12 hours, transfer the flaxseed mixture onto a piece of parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment paper on top and roll the "dough" out as evenly as possible. I like the dough to be about two layers of flaxseed thick. If the crackers are too thin, they tend to be quite brittle.
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Remove the top layer of parchment paper. Using a knife or a pizza cutter, score the dough into shapes (squares, rectangles, triangles ...). If you roll out the dough too thin, you might find that the flaxseeds adhere to the top layer of parchment paper. If that's the case, just bake the cracker with both pieces of parchment paper. (The only downside is that you won't be able to score the dough before baking).
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You can dehydrate or bake the crackers.
Dehydrate the crackers at 110°F/45°C for ~ 6 hours, until dry and crispy. Flip the crackers halfway through dehydrating to promote even even browning.
Bake the crackers at 300ºF/150ºC for ~ 40 minutes, until crispy and golden brown. (The time will depend on how thin/thick you roll the dough out). If you find that most of the crackers are cooked through but a few right in the center are a little soft, you can just bake those few again for ~5 minutes until they've dried out more. -
Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then break the "cracker" along the scored lines.
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Store the crackers in an air-tight container for up to 3 weeks.
*I used golden flaxseeds because they have a more subtle flavor and lighter color than brown flaxseeds.
Prep time does not include soaking the flaxseeds (~12 hours).
- 1 cup flaxseed meal*
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds, optional
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- herbs and spices, optional
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Add the flaxseed meal, sesame seeds (if using), and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Add the water and stir again. The flaxseed meal and water will begin to form a dough. The longer you let the flaxseed "dough" rest, the drier it will get.
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Place the dough onto two pieces of parchment paper, and use a rolling pin to roll it out as evenly as possible. If the dough is really sticky (it will always be slightly sticky), sprinkle extra flaxseed to slightly dry it out and make it easy to roll. The thinner you roll out the dough, the crispier the crackers will be.
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Remove the top layer of parchment paper. Using a knife or a pizza cutter, score the dough into shapes (squares, rectangles, triangles ...). I usually cut the crackers into 40 (4"x 4") squares.
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Bake the crackers at 350°F/(180°C for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown. I recommend checking the crackers every 5 minutes after the first 15 minutes of baking. (If your crackers are thinner then mine, they will bake faster). If you find that most of the crackers are cooked through but a few right in the center are a little soft, you can just bake those few again for ~5 minutes until they've dried out more.
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Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then break the "cracker" along the scored lines.
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Store the crackers in an air-tight container for up to 3 weeks.
*I used golden flaxseeds because they have a more subtle flavor and lighter color than brown flaxseeds.
Thank you for the recipe! The crackers turned out great.
Thank you so much for the feedback, Paula! ❤️ So happy you enjoyed the recipe.
me encanto la receta mañana la preparo gracias ! exelente tus recetas gracias!!
Thank you so much! ❤️
I added a boatload of rosemary and granulated garlic and used a tortilla press to make rounds. I put the the round on parchment paper and use a pizza cutter to cut into strips. Convection baked at 350 F for about 15 minutes. Perfect! I think I would even up the spice level the next time.
Thank you so much for sharing your tips and feedback, Patrick! That’s really helpful. So happy you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Hello,
I just printed your recipe “Flaxseed Crackers from Whole Flaxseeds’ In instruction number 4 you state to dehydrate the crackers and in the sentence right after you say to bake. Is it either/or, or, do I have to do both steps, dehydrate and bake?
Thank you
Hi Margaret – I am sorry for the confusion! I will fix it. But to answer your question, no, you don’t have to do both. Either dehydrate or bake the crackers 🙂
How well do they keep crisp and can you freeze?
Yes, you can totally freeze the crackers. I would recommend freezing them in an airtight container to help protect the crackers from moisture and freezer burn. The crackers are crispy for a few days but do soften with time. If that happens, just bake the crackers for a couple of minutes and they will be crispy again 🙂
I used whole flax seeds and the recipe still turned out wonderful I added everything bagel seasoning. Next time I will grind the whole flax into meal.
Thank you so much for your feedback, Christin! ❤️ So happy the recipe turned out great.
I love this recipe and the crackers were delicious. Thank you for sharing it.
Thank you so much for the feedback, Savera! So happy you enjoyed the recipe. ❤️
I love this simple flax cracker recipe. I eat them with my vegan stew for lunch and dinner. And snack with hummus. I used sesame and rosemary. I bake them a little longer to get out the flavors.
Thank you so much for the rating and feedback Alexia! I really appreciate it. ❤️
Omg the crackers were amazing
So happy to hear that, Shifa! Thank you so much for your feedback!❤️
Hello! When you say “flip the crackers” does that mean flip them over? Will the crackers still be attached to the parchment paper or you remove the parchment paper when you flip them over?
Hi Sylvia – at that point, the crackers won’t be attached to the parchment paper anymore. You will be able to easily lift them up. You can leave the parchment paper on the baking sheet and just flip the entire “cracker” over.
Thank you! I tried it and it was quite nice.
Thank you for the feedback, Sylvia! So happy you enjoyed the crackers 🙂
I’ve already tried this 3x (the ground one) already and the first 2 tries they edges were burnt but the middle were soft and some inflates not every piece came out the same. I like the taste and the ingredients are very simple that’s why i wanted to try again. The last one i did Baked it for a lower temperature 300f and longer time (Maybe double the time) and poke holes using a fork and they came out great
Great recipe for cracker. The net carbs is one or zero ,if we get out the fiber gr. Thank you.
Thank you Ioanna!