Ingredients You’ll Need and Why

I recommend using all raw seeds, and not toasted, for this recipe. The crackers bake for quite a while and toasted seeds get too dark in the oven. These are my notes from testing this recipe and you can find the full recipe card with complete measurements and instructions below.

• Flax: you can use whole or cracked flax seeds, but I don’t recommend ground flax for this recipe. Whole flax isn’t readily broken down in the body but cracked flax is better in that regard – if you can’t buy it already cracked, whiz it in the food processor just briefly not to grind into flour, but just to break it up a bit. Any colour of flax seed will be fine.
• Sunflower seeds: I have tried this recipe with pumpkin seeds but find them a little too large for comfort, and they can cause the crackers to break too readily. Sunflower seeds are about as large as will work here.
• Chia: if you don’t want to use chia, switch it out for more flax instead. Both will absorb the liquid as needed and cause the gelling effect that holds the crackers together.
• Sesame seeds: a relatively small amount packs a big flavour punch. You can increase the number of sesame seeds (replace some of the sunflower seeds) if you’d like a stronger sesame taste.
• Herbs: I like herbes de Provence and always have it on hand. Any dry herb blend that you like will work, or add whichever dried herbs you like most.
• Oil: olive oil makes for the best flavour, but any liquid oil can be used.
• Garlic: this boosts the crackers and really adds some punchiness but it can be omitted if needed. I haven’t tried with dried garlic or garlic powder.

How to Make Seed Crackers

Note that in these step-by-step photos I used brown flax seed, and in the other pictures of the finished crackers, I used golden flax. The colour changes slightly but the crackers taste the same.

Step 1: mix the seeds and other dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. While you could mix everything together all at once, I find that mixing the seeds first makes for better uniformity in the crackers. This way you don’t get a patch with mostly sunflower seeds, and so on.

Step 2: add the water, oil, and garlic to the bowl and mix to combine. It’s important to mix as soon as the liquid is added because the flax and chia will clump up right away and be tricky to mix throughout if left too long.

Step 3: spread into an even layer on a lined baking sheet. Use a wet soup spoon to spread this as well as you can and make sure the middle isn’t thicker to avoid uneven baking. It’s very important to line the baking sheet.

Step 4: bake until lightly golden – you’ll notice that the sunflower seeds will change colour the most – and the centre is dry and baked. Cool fully on the baking sheet before breaking into smaller crackers. You can cut with a sharp knife and you will get some squares or rectangles but will also have parts breaking off. I find it easiest to simply break up with my hands.

Expert Tips for the Best Crackers

• Use a large baking sheet, or use two: I use the typical European baking sheets (GN1/1, or 65 by 53 cm (about 26 by 21 in.) which are almost double the size of standard North American sheets. If yours are smaller, split the crackers between two baking sheets instead.
• Let it rest: the recipe is written so that the cracker mixture rests for a few minutes while the oven heats up, and that’s purposeful. It’ll seem too watery when first mixed and the chia and flax needs to soak up some of the water before it can be easily spread onto the baking sheet.
• Use a spoon or spatula: the back of a soup spoon or an offset spatula are best for spreading the cracker mixture. Wetting it will make it even easier.
• Spread in an even layer: if the middle is thicker, it will be too soft when baked, and the edges will brown too quickly.
• Score the crackers: a reader commented on the spelt seed crackers that she removes them from the oven and scores into her desired shape right on the baking sheet, ten minutes before the baking time is finished. It’s worth a try!

More Seed Recipes

• Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies – the base of these cookies is made with ground sunflower seeds and oats, with more seeds mixed in
• Cranberry Chocolate Chip Granola Bars – with sunflower, pumpkin, and chia seeds
• Grain Free Granola – made almost exclusively with seeds, it’s actually pretty similar to these crackers but in granola form
• Sunflower Seed Energy Bites – with dates, sunflower seeds, and cocoa

If you make these Seed Crackers or any other vegetarian snack recipes on Occasionally Eggs, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email.