Seed & Nut
Crackers
Dense, crisp crackers bound by flax and chia gel. Loaded with pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, hemp, and nigella seeds — no flour, no egg, no filler. Stays crisp for two weeks.
- 150 gGround flaxseed (linseed)
- 100 gChia seeds
- 60 gPumpkin seeds
- 60 gSunflower seeds
- 50 gSesame seeds
- 50 gHemp seeds
- 15 gNigella seeds (black onion)
- 80 gAlmond flour (ground almonds)
- 1 tspFine salt
- 1 tspSmoked paprika
- ½ tspGarlic powder
- ½ tspOnion powder
- 380 mlCold water (adjust to texture)
Scales well — double the batch, use a full sheet pan each time.
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1
Combine all dry ingredients
Add the ground flaxseed, chia seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almond flour, and nigella seeds to a large bowl. Add the salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix thoroughly until the spices are evenly distributed — no streaks of paprika.
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2
Add water and rest 15–20 min
Pour in 380ml cold water and stir until fully combined. Set aside for 15–20 minutes. The flaxseed and chia will absorb the water and swell into a thick, cohesive gel — like a dense porridge. It should hold its shape when pressed but still spread with a spatula. If it tears when spread, add 20ml water and rest 5 more minutes.
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3
Preheat oven 150°C · fan 130°C
Preheat your oven and line two large baking sheets with baking parchment or silicone mats. Do not use foil — the crackers will stick.
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4
Spread thinly 3–4 mm
Divide the mixture between the two sheets. Using a wet palette knife, wet spatula, or the back of a wet large spoon, spread as thinly and evenly as possible — 3–4mm is ideal. Wetting the spatula frequently prevents sticking. A thinner layer gives crisper crackers; anything over 5mm tends to stay chewy in the centre.
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5
Score into rectangles
Using a sharp knife or pizza wheel, score the surface into roughly 5×7cm rectangles. Do not cut all the way through — just score 1–2mm deep so the crackers break cleanly after baking. Scoring now saves wrestling with a fragile sheet later.
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6
Bake 50–60 min
Bake at 150°C for 50–60 minutes, rotating the trays top-to-bottom and front-to-back at the halfway point. The crackers are done when they are firm and dry to the touch across the whole surface, lightly golden at the edges, and beginning to pull away from the parchment. The centre should not feel soft or springy. Low and slow is the key — higher heat burns the edges before the centre dries out.
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7
Cool completely 20+ min
Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the trays for at least 20 minutes before breaking. They crisp up significantly as they cool — resist tasting them early. If any crackers in the centre feel soft once cool, return to the oven for another 5–10 minutes at the same temperature.
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8
Break and store
Snap along the scored lines. Store in an airtight tin, jar, or container at room temperature. They keep well for up to 2 weeks. Do not refrigerate — the humidity will soften them within a day.
Whole flaxseeds pass through the gut largely intact — you get very little ALA. Buy ground, or grind your own in a spice mill. Store ground flax in the fridge or freezer as the oils oxidise quickly once ground.
Do not skip the 15–20 minute rest after adding water. The flax and chia need time to absorb fully and form the gel that holds everything together. Rushing this step results in crackers that crumble.
The single biggest factor in crispness is thickness. 3mm gives a proper snap. 5mm and above produces a texture closer to a soft bar. Use a wet spatula and take the time to spread evenly, especially towards the edges.
150°C (fan 130°C) sounds too low — it isn't. Higher heat chars the edges before the centre is dry. Low and slow dehydrates the whole cracker evenly. If your oven runs hot, check at 45 minutes.
At 150°C for under an hour, ALA degradation is modest — studies suggest 5–15% loss depending on exposure time. The benefit of ground flax far outweighs this loss compared to whole seeds. For maximum ALA, also use ground flax on salads or in yogurt without heating.
Recipe doubles easily — use one full sheet pan per half-batch. The gel texture is forgiving; just ensure water is scaled proportionally. Bake time stays the same.
- Rosemary & sea salt Add 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary and swap fine salt for flaked sea salt scattered on top before baking.
- Cumin & cayenne Add ½ tsp ground cumin and ¼ tsp cayenne to the spice mix. Good with hummus or alongside soup.
- Nutritional yeast Add 2 tbsp nutritional yeast for a savoury, slightly cheesy note and a boost of B vitamins.
- Hazelnut flour Substitute half the almond flour with hazelnut flour (ground hazelnuts). Slightly richer, warmer flavour.
- Everything bagel Replace nigella seeds with a mix of poppy seeds, more sesame, dried onion flakes, and dried garlic. Finish with flaked salt on top.