Chia Seed Crackers...Gluten-free, Nut-Free, Egg-Free

Onion Flavored Chia Seed Crackers...Gluten-free, Nut-Free, Egg-Free. I love crackers.  And even though I haven't posted a new cracker recipe in quite a while, I've actually made a few new recipes... just haven't posted them. Sometimes it's hard to keep up with the recipes that come out of my kitchen:). But this particular cracker recipe I just had to share. The recipe came about one day when I realized I had a large bag of chia seeds in my fridge. I've been using the chia seeds in lots of dishes, but that day I decided to turn the chia seeds into healthy crackers... with minimal work.

I noticed most whole food stores sell these raw gluten-free crackers. They're crackers made mainly from flax seeds... with minimal ingredients. And they're sold in small snack packs that are quite expensive. I'll admit it's convenient to buy them ready made, and they're actually a better option when you want a quick snack to munch on. Yes, you do pay for convenience, but I'm always looking to see if I can eliminate the high price tag and make the product myself. So that's when I decided to make my own crackers at home... 

I had seen plenty of recipes for raw flax seed crackers online, and knew I could substitute chia seeds instead of the flax seeds. They both work to thicken liquids as they release this gel-like substance when soaked. So even though I couldn't  really make my crackers raw( no dehydrator)  I could still make them healthier than other crackers. The lowest heat I could go with my oven was exactly 170 degrees F, so that's the temperature I used. But if you have a dehydrator, it would probably be the way to go.

When making my cracker recipe, I chose to sort of use what I had on hand. Ingredient amounts were pretty much measured out to my liking. I had plenty of sunflower and pumpkin seeds, so I used more of those. But I am sure you can play around with amounts to suit your preference. And while I made the crackers nut-free, I am sure you could even add a variety of nuts. I also decided to flavor the crackers with onion, just because I love the onion flavor. But you can use whatever spices you like, and you can even make them spicy. It is important to note that the crackers do need a bit of salt, because if too little salt is used, then the crackers can be quite bland. I simply loved these crackers. Sturdy enough for any dip. Hope you enjoy...

Tip: Since you are using the oven for 2 hours of heating time, it's nice to double, or triple recipe. The crackers stay crisp for days.  

  

You will need:

1 cup chia seeds

1 cup water

2 TBS sesame seeds

2/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds

2/3 cup raw sunflower seeds

2 tsps onion powder

1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 170 deg F...  for a raw version use a dehydrator.
• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper 

1. Mix chia seeds and water... it will thicken rather quickly.

2. Add rest of the ingredients and mix to combine thoroughly.

3. Using wet or oiled hands spread mixture unto parchment paper and spread thinly and evenly... as thin as you can get it... maybe 1/4 inch thickness. 

4. Place in preheated oven and bake for 60-70 minutes.... turn cracker "sheet" over and bake another hour or so... depending how thin you spread the cracker.  If you find it difficult to turn the cracker(in case it breaks), use another cookie sheet to help you turn it over... as you would use a plate to turn over a big pancake in a skillet:).  

5. Turn heat off and allow cracker to dry out in the oven.  I just left mine overnight in the oven.

6. Break cracker sheet in smaller pieces. Serve as a snack or with dip of choice...