These vegan gluten-free quinoa crackers are so easy to make and loaded with healthy whole grains, flavorful herbs, and crunchy seeds.
I’m kinda unimpressed with the commercial gluten-free crackers I’ve tried. So for tackling this homemade version they had to fit some specific criteria:
- Have a crunchy, slightly crumbly texture, NOT be like cardboard in other words.
- Be flavorful and rich-tasting.
- Be loaded with seeds and herbs.
To my happy surprise, the first go-round came out wonderful. A few recipe tests later and this recipe is definitely a keeper. I recommend doubling the recipe if you have hungry appetites in your home!
Tip: Try my sourdough discard cracker recipe next!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Quinoa Flour – I suggest using sprouted quinoa flour to assure the naturally occurring saponins that coat quinoa grains were washed off. Otherwise, the saponin coating, which is like a natural soap to deter fungus and pests, can cause indigestion and sometimes will create an allergy to quinoa. Substitutions: try swapping quinoa flour with buckwheat flour.
Corn Flour – Not to be confused with cornstarch, which is also known as cornflour in the UK, corn flour is an actual milled flour made from whole corn kernels. It is not as coarse as cornmeal or polenta and has more of a wheat flour texture. This helps give the crackers a crumbly texture. Substitutions: try swapping it with rice flour.
Shredded Coconut – Shredded coconut is ground down into a meal for this recipe to add richness and also helps give the cracker a crisp and crumbly texture. Substitutions: try replacing it coconut flour instead of making your own coconut meal from scratch or swap it out with almond meal. Use 1/2 cup of corn flour and 1/2 cup of almond meal instead of the amounts listed in the recipe.
Seeds – These crackers contain a mix of sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds and caraway seeds. All. of these seeds add flavor and crunch to these gf crackers. Substitutions: feel free to omit any f the seeds and replaces them with another variety or they can be swapped with finely chopped nuts if you prefer.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – This adds moisture and flavor to these vegan crackers. Substitutions: swap it with any other oil of your choice like avocado oil or grapeseed oil.
Seasonings: Aside from the basics of salt and pepper, a little bit of garlic powder and dried herbs add a punch of savory flavor to these little crackers. Use any herbs that you like or have on hand such as thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, chives, etc. Dried or fresh herbs can be used.
How to Make Gluten-Free Crackers From Scratch
Step 1: First process the shredded coconut into a coarse meal in a food processor. Then combine all of the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
Step 2: Stir the olive oil into the dry ingredients with a fork until the mixture becomes crumbly. Then stir in water until the dough comes together into a ball. The dough will be sticky to the touch at this point. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let sit for 10 minutes.
Step 3: Divide dough in half and roll each half out to about 1/8″ thickness between two pieces of parchment paper. Peel back the top piece of paper and sprinkle the dough with sesame seeds and caraway seeds. Replace wax paper and gently use the rolling pin to press seeds into the dough.
Step 4: Cut the dough into approximately 1″ squares with a pastry cutter, pizza cutter, or knife. Note: The sunflower seeds may catch on the blade so if you want clean lines chop the seeds into smaller pieces before adding them to the dough.
Step 5: Slide parchment with the dough onto each baking sheet and bake at 350˚F for 35-40 minutes. Switch pans halfway through baking. The crackers are done when they are golden brown with crisp edges. Transfer pans to cooling racks and cool for 10 minutes before serving.
FAQs
Yes, the dough can be made ahead of time, wrapped, and refrigerated for up to 3 days before rolling it out and baking the crackers. I have not tested freezing the dough but you should be able to freeze the rolled out and cut crackers on the sheet pans then transfer them to freezer bags once they are frozen solid. They will probably take a bit longer to bake if frozen, so add a few minutes to the bake time.
Pair these seeded quinoa crackers with your favorite cheeses or spreads. Anything goes! I served them with a homemade vegan herbed yogurt dip as pictured in the photos. To make the dip, use homemade vegan yogurt that has been strained to thicken it, mixed with chopped fresh herbs and scallions, a splash of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of kosher sea salt and cracked pepper, or whatever seasonings you like.
Once the crackers have cooled completely, store them at room temperature in an airtight container or bag. They will last for up 2 weeks if stored properly.
Love this recipe?
If you made my Vegan Gluten Free Seeded Quinoa Cracker Recipe I would love to hear your feedback! Please leave a star-rating review of the recipe and let me know what you think in a comment below. This small act is a great way to show your support for the food blogs you read and love.
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Easy Vegan Gluten-Free Seeded Quinoa Crackers
Ingredients
- 1 cup sprouted quinoa flour
- 3/4 cup corn flour not corn starch
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut
- 1 cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon flax seeds
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon dried herbs such as thyme or rosemary
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons caraway seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
- Cut two pieces of parchment paper to the length of your sheet pans. You'll need two sheet pans for this recipe.
- Process shredded coconut into a coarse meal, in a food processor or blender.
- In large mixing bowl whisk together dry ingredients: flours, coconut meal, seeds and seasonings. Stir in olive oil with a fork until mixture becomes crumbly. Stir in water and form dough into a ball. Dough will be sticky to the touch. Cover bowl with a tea towel and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Divide dough in half and pat each half into a rectangular shape. Place each half on the pieces of parchment paper. Cover with another piece of parchment or wax paper and roll out dough, trying to keep it into a rectangle as you go, to 1/8" thickness.
- Peel back the top piece of parchment and sprinkle dough with 1 tablespoon each of the sesame seeds and caraway seeds. Replace the paper and gently use the rolling pin to press seeds into the dough.
- Cut dough into approximately 1" wide squares with a pastry cutter, pizza cutter or knife. The sunflower seeds will catch on the blade, but this did not bother me. If you want a perfect clean cut, then you can chop seeds into smaller pieces before adding them to the dough.
- Slide parchment with the dough onto each baking sheet and bake at 350˚F for 35-40 minutes. Switch pans halfway through baking. The crackers are done when they are golden brown with crisp edges.
- Transfer pans to cooling racks and cool for 10 minutes before serving. Break apart the crackers and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Jasmin
Hi Kaity,
I found your blog thanks to these lovely crackers, which I love to make, but in a quite simpler version.
Making it with quinoa flour and dried herbs is wonderful idea, which I’ll have to try…
Kaity Farrell
Hi Jasmin! Thanks for stopping by. hope you like the cracker recipe! xx Kaity
Alison M Marras
Stunning! What a lovely recipe!!
Kaity Farrell
Thank you Alison! xx Kaity
Thalia
Never made my own crackers before.. thanks for the inspiration, I have to make these. Love your photography too.
Kaity Farrell
Thank you Thalia! I hope you like them! xx Kaity
Britt
I have been looking for a good cracker recipe like this! Can’t wait to try it! My hubby was diagnosed with Celiac Disease several months back (we’re both 100% gluten free now). We ate well already, but now I’m making everything to control our nutrition better. Thank you for your beautiful recipes 🙂
Kaity Farrell
Thanks Britt! If you can find sprouted quinoa flour use that. I’ve recently learned that not all quinoa flour is washed correctly before processing the grain into flour. There is a natural saponin coating on the grain which can cause digestive irritation or an allergy to quinoa everytime you eat it thereafter, if not washed off. I ate some packaged quinoa pasta and experienced this—ahhh! Hoping it goes away becasue I love quinoa! xx Kaity
Hannah
What a delicious, savory, crispy cracker! I’ve been looking for a recipe like this for quite some time, and it is perfect. I didn’t have sunflower seeds on hand, so I subbed 1 Tbsp chia seeds. I also used homemade toasted (but not sprouted) quinoa flour. Thank you, thank you!
Kaity Farrell
Thank you for the feedback Hannah!!! So glad you liked them and chia seeds sound like a delicious sub-in. xx Kaity
Kaity Farrell
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