Seed crackers seem to be all the rage these days. They are crunchy, flavorful, and really easy to make. Since the crackers don’t contain anything but seeds, the recipe is vegan (dairy-free, egg-free), grain-free (gluten-free), soy-free, nut-free, and refined sugar-free.
Flax seeds play a really important role in creating gluten-free baked goods with great texture. They are a type of hydrophilic binder (they gel upon contact with water-based liquids) and require time to work (they need a few minutes to create a “glue” to keep the baked goods together).
Flax seeds are effective enough to be used alone in recipes, but work the best in combination with other hydrophilic binders, such as chia seeds and psyllium. This is because out of the three main hydrophilic binders – flax, chia, and psyllium – flax seeds have the weakest binding effect. The binding effect does increase when the seeds are ground, but it is still weak.
So, for best result, flax seeds shouldn’t make up more than 75% of a binder. The one exception is when flax seeds themselves constitute 50% or more of the entire recipe.
Tips for Making Seed Crackers
Ingredients
The best thing about seed crackers is that they are so versatile that you don’t have to get too caught up on the ingredients themselves. You can experiment with different flavors to find your perfect combination. Like sun-dried tomatoes? Throw them in there. Appreciate a little bit of a kick? Add some black pepper. The only two things you don’t want to change are the ratio of seeds to water and the amount of flax seeds.
- Flax seeds: if you like a nutty flavor, you will really appreciate flax seeds. Of course, the main purpose of flax seeds in this recipe is to bind all the seeds together, but they also add a wonderful nuttiness and earthiness. If you’re not a fan, you could use them in combination with chia seeds, which are practically tasteless.
- Sunflower seeds: shelled sunflower seeds have a mild, nutty flavor and a firm yet tender texture. They add to the textural variety in these crackers, but are not an essential ingredient. If you don’t have them on hand, you can substitute them for coarsely chopped pumpkin seeds or more sesame seeds.
- Sesame seeds: just like sunflower seeds, white sesame seeds have a mild, nutty flavor but are sweeter and chewier. Black sesame seeds are great as well, but taste slightly bitter as a result of the hulls being present. I typically use a mix of the two.
- Salt: doesn’t salt just make everything taste better? It adds savoriness, brings out nuttiness, and enhances the overall flavor of these crackers. Pink Himalayan salt is my favorite as it is the ultimate mineral-rich seasoning.
How to Make Seed Crackers
Homemade crackers are one of those things that seem to be more effort than they’d be worth. But in reality, making crackers, especially these seed crackers, is surprisingly easy. Ready to learn how to make crackers?
- Mix together the dry ingredients. Add all the seeds and salt into a large bowl and stir everything until well combined.
- Add the water. Add the water into the dry ingredients and stir for about a minute or so. You will notice that the mixture begins to thicken.
- Let the mixture rest. The key to making these crackers work is to allow the flax seeds absorb all the water and gel. A couple of minutes should be all you need. If you don’t let the mixture rest for long enough time, the water will settle out of the mix once you spread it onto the baking sheet. If you let it rest for too long, you’ll have a hard time getting the mixture spread thinly enough.
- Spread the mixture out. Transfer the mixture onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet (you might need to use more than one) and spread it into an even, thin layer. Make sure you spread the mixture as evenly as possible. The thickness of the crackers is up to you. Thinner crackers will be more delicate but more prone to breaking. Thicker crackers will be sturdier. Score the mixture into desired shapes. If you’re going for a more rustic look, skip the scoring.
- Bake/dehydrate. You can either bake or dehydrate the crackers. Personally, I prefer the baked version. The higher oven temperature just gives the crackers more of a golden color and toastier flavor. When baking, start with a low temperature, about 300ºF/150ºC, so the crackers dry out without getting brown too early. You can adjust the baking time (+/- 10 minutes) depending on how golden and crispy you prefer your seeds to be. You can also increase the oven temperature to up to 350ºF/177ºC, but keep an eye on the crackers because they can burn quickly.
- Cool. Transfer the baked cracker onto a cooling rack, so air can circulate and no condensation — the killer of crunch — takes hold. The higher the baking temperature, the more condensation can form. Once cool, break the cracker along the scored lines. If you haven’t scored the cracker beforehand, just break it apart into pieces.
Seed Crackers Variations
The most amazing thing about this recipe is customizability. There are endless possibilities and combinations to explore. Like garlic? Mince it and throw it in there. Italian herbs? Delicious. Sun-dried tomatoes? A great idea! You can also reduce the amount of salt, half-dip the crackers in dark chocolate, and let them set. It’s the perfect mix of sweet and salty.
I usually divide the mixture and make a few different types of crackers from one batch.
More Seed Crackers Recipes
Judging from the number of crackers recipes with nuts and/or seeds on my blog, I am clearly a fan.
- Flaxseed crackers: these crackers are perhaps the most popular on the blog. They are made entirely from flaxseeds, so other than being slightly nutty, they are very neutral in flavor. Flax seeds are a weak binder, but since there are no ingredients to bind (other than the flax seeds themselves), the crackers are quite sturdy.
- Nut & seed crackers: my absolute favorite seed crackers. Nutty, crunchy, and because the main binder is psyllium – a strong binder – the crackers are also very sturdy.
- Chia seed crackers: if you’re looking for seed crackers with a bread-like texture, this recipe is it! These crackers have a slightly sweet, nutty flavor and a crunchy, bread-like texture. They are also sturdy enough to scoop up the thickest dip.
If you try any of these recipes, please, leave a comment and rate the recipe below. It always means a lot when you do.
Seed Crackers
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup golden flax seeds , coarsely ground
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/3 cup sesame seeds*
- 1/2 cup water
- sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Heat the oven to 300ºF/150ºC.
- Mix together the dry ingredients. Add all the seeds and salt into a large bowl and stir until well combined.
- Add the water. Add the water into the dry ingredients and stir for about a minute or so. You will notice that the mixture begins to thicken.
- Let the mixture rest. The key to making these crackers work is to allow the flaxseeds absorb all the water and gel. A couple of minutes should be enough.
- Spread and score the mixture. Transfer the mixture onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet (you might need to use more than one) and spread it into an even, thin layer. A spatula is great for this, but if you don’t have one, just wet your hands and kind of pat it down. Try not to leave any holes. The thickness of the crackers is up to you. Thinner crackers will be more delicate but more prone to breaking. Thicker crackers will be sturdier.Score the mixture into desired shapes.
- Bake. Bake the "cracker" for 30 minutes and then carefully flip the cracker.** Peel the parchment paper off the back and then bake for additional 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. You can adjust the baking time (+/- 10 minutes) depending on how golden and crispy you prefer your seeds to be.
- Cool. Transfer the baked/dehydrated crackers onto a cooling rack and let cool completely. Then break the cracker along the scored lines.
- Store. Leftover crackers in an airtight container at a room temperature for up to 2 weeks. For longer term storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Recipe Notes
**The easiest way to flip the cracker is to slide the parchment paper from the baking sheet onto a big cutting board. Then cover the cutting board with the baking sheet and flip the cutting board over.
***Nutrition information is approximate and may contain errors. Please, feel free to make your own calculations.
Dear Petra!
These are simply delicious! So crispy and airy… I made them this morning and just made a second batch (no it’s not all gone! – but just to have a stash for us 4)
These are a good source for additional iron during pregnancy, are they not?
All the best, Elisabeth
These are delicious! Thank you very much for the recipe. I baked mine, and my oven is not great at keeping temperature, so had to bake for 20min before flipping them and baking for 20min more. The result is yummy! Hope my 3yo daughter agrees too. She’s mad for bready things and oatcakes, so hope this would be a nice alternative for her at least some of the times. If you have a recipe for oatcakes or oat crackers that you can share, I’d be most grateful!
i found you recently. Thank for sharing your great job,evi
Thank you so much, Evi!❤️
Do you have nutrition information on these crackers? My boyfriend is on Keto and needs to keep his carbs in check.
Thanks
Hi Chris – for sure! The recipe makes 24 large crackers. According to my app, 1 cracker has 60 calories, 5.0 g fat, 2.6 g carbohydrates (1.5 g fiber and 0.2 g sugar), and 2.1 g protein. Let me know if you have any more questions 🙂
Hi Petra,
I just made these, my kitchen smells wonderful! After several attempts at perfecting a grain free cracker, my search is over. This recipe is so simple and delicious. And best of all, no oil needed. There are enough healthy fats in the seeds. Do you know if the healthful omega-3 fatty acids are destroyed by oven baking all of these wonderful seeds? Fabulous recipe, love your videos!
Hi Lindsay – I am so happy the recipe turned out so well! Before I answer your question, I just wanna mention that there are different types of omega-3 fats (animal-based and plant-based). When it comes to flaxseeds and sunflower seeds specifically, research has shown that the ALA in these seeds can withstand high temperatures – meaning that baked breads, crackers, muffins, etc. with flaxseeds and sunflower seeds still offer this heart-healthy fat. Please, let me know if you have any other questions 🙂
I have a power air fryer /oven/ dehydrator with metal trays. Will that be OK?
Hi, is it possible to dehydrate those crackers on very low temperatures? Cause I wanna make them raw. Will it work?
Hi Diana – yes, definitely! The instructions for dehydrating the crackers are in the recipe box in the “Instructions” section (point 2).
Hello Petra,
Thank you for the recipe. I just bought a dehydrator and I’m really new to this.
I’d like to do these crackers with honey. What do you recommend ? Thanks for your help.
Hi Emilie – to to honest, I have never tried this recipe with honey, so I’m not sure how it will turn out. I have made sesame brittle in the past, but not raw (only cooked).
Can I use roasted sunflower seeds instead of raw sunflower seeds?
Hi Peppa – since the baking temperature is so low, the recipe should work even with roasted sunflower seeds.
I don’t have a dehydrater. Can I use the oven at 115 degrees?
Hi Sandy – you certainly can or you can follow the instructions for baking the crackers in the oven (in the recipe box, under instructions, point 3).