Whether you call these crackers or Norwegian Crispbread (Knekkebrød), these golden, crispy seed crackers are a dream, both to make and to eat! 5 different varieties of seeds come together with the help of a little water and cornstarch to create one of the best homemade gluten-free crackers you'll ever have the pleasure of eating.
And the good news is that the process for making them couldn't be easier! I'm talking no more than 10 minutes of hands-on time here. Grab ALL THE SEEDS, a bowl and a sheet pan and let's get started!
Why This Recipe Works
- These 5 seed crackers are incredibly easy to make. Simply stir the ingredients together, spread the dough out on a sheet pan and bake. Done! Perfectly crisp, homemade gluten-free crackers.
- The mix of seeds included creates a tasty and nutritious cracker.
- This recipe contains NO FLOUR. Cornstarch and chia seeds serve to bind the crackers together.
What Makes This Recipe Nordic/Scandinavian?
Scandinavians eat a lot of crispbread, Swedes boasting the highest consumption, closely followed by Norway. It is considered a form of bread, not just a cracker, and serve it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and as a snack in between meals. It is often made with rye flour but can also include wheat, oats or barley and/or a variety of seeds such as flax or sunflower.
Norwegian Crispbread (Knekkebrød) is often made as a hearty seed cracker that is bound together with rye flour. This recipe is quite simply a gluten-free version which substitutes corn starch for the rye flour. This artisan crispbread from Norwegian Baked is an excellent example of the traditional variety (and a delicious option if you don't mind a little gluten (rye flour has a minimal amount) and don't want to bake it yourself).
Ingredients
- The stars of the show here are the seeds: Pumpkin (pepitas), sunflower, flax, sesame and chia. We've got them all! Not only do they bring great flavor to these crunchy crackers, the are each nutritious in their own way. See the FAQ section below for more on the nutritional value of seeds.
- Cornstarch helps bind the crackers together.
- Canola oil helps them brown and crisp in then oven.
Special Equipment Needed
- Parchment paper
- 13x18 Rimmed baking sheet
- Small offset spatula (not essential but helpful)
How To Make This Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Put all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add the boiling water and oil. Stir until well mixed. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes (it will thicken as it sits).
- Scrape the dough out onto the prepared pan. Spread into a thin layer (this is where the small offset spatula comes in handy) that reaches nearly to the edges of the parchment paper.
- Sprinkle with sea salt and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 90 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
- Allow the baked cracker to cool on the sheet pan until just warm. Transfer the parchment paper with the cracker on top to a wire cooling rack and let it cool completely.
- To serve, either break into randomly-sized pieces for a rustic look or use a serrated knife to cut into squares.
Expert Tips
- Take your time spreading the dough into a thin, even layer. This may take a few minutes so be patient. If you are having trouble, you can always dampen the spatula with water to help smooth things out.
- Rotate the pan occasionally if the crispbread is browning unevenly. Oven temperatures can vary from one corner of the oven to another. Rotating the pan helps everything become evenly golden brown.
FAQs
Yes, they are vegan.
Yes! Seeds are an excellent source of fiber, protein, healthy fats, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Flax and chia seeds also good sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
They keep well stored in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for at least a couple of weeks.
Yes! These crackers freeze very well. Simply place in a freezer bag or similar container, seal tightly and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
What to Serve with Seed Crackers
Quite honestly, the options are endless! Sliced cheese and/or cured meats, herring (embrace your inner Norwegian!), hummus, goat cheese, tapenade, hard-boiled eggs, jam.....let your imagination go wild. Here are some of my favorite toppings:
- Mashed avocado, olive oil, salt, pepper flakes and a squeeze of lemon
- Creamy Egg Salad with Dill and Capers
- Roasted Beet Hummus
- Creamy Split Pea Hummus
- Goat cheese and Nordic Summer Herb Sauce
- Cream cheese and Blueberry Cardamom Compote or Roasted Pear Compote with Cardamom, Vanilla and Ginger
- Almond butter and sliced apples
They are also quite nice alongside cozy soups and stews.
Related Recipes
Ready to try your hand at a few other Scandinavian crispbread or flatbread recipes? Give these a try:
Recipe
Gluten-Free Seed Crackers (Norwegian Crispbread)
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup sesame seeds
- ½ cup flaxseeds
- ½ cup raw pepitas pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup raw sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ tablespoons canola oil
- ¾ cup boiling water
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 13x18 rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Stir the seeds, cornstarch and salt together in a large bowl. Add the oil and boiling water. Stir to combine. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.
- Spread the batter into a thin layer on top of the parchment paper (a small offset spatula really helps this along). Sprinkle the top with sea salt.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for about 90 minutes or until golden brown and crisp, rotating the sheet pan as necessary to encourage even browning. Once it is cool enough to handle, move the parchment paper with the cracker on top to a wire rack to cool completely. To serve, break the crispbread into pieces for a rustic look or cut into squares using a serrated knife.
Video
Notes
- Take your time spreading the dough into a thin, even layer. This may take a few minutes so be patient. If you are having trouble, you can always dampen the spatula with water to help smooth things out.
- Rotate the pan occasionally if the crispbread is browning unevenly. Oven temperatures can vary from one corner of the oven to another. Rotating the pan helps everything become evenly golden brown.
Nutrition
If you loved this recipe, give it a star review! Also, snap a picture of your Gluten-Free Seed Crackers (Norwegian Crispbread) and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #truenorthkitchen and tagging me @true_north_kitchen.
Dale Wilson says
So easy, so tasty and much cheaper than buying these from grocery store
Susan Vegsund says
While this recipe is delicious, I found spreading in the pan took some time, too much time. I now put the mixture in a long heap along the centre of the long axis of the pan, put a piece of parchment on top and even it out with my hands. Any excess that climbed up the side of the pans I use to fill in thin spots with the offset spatula. Much faster.
Cathlene Smith says
Delicious! Low calorie yet abates the salty crunchy crave!!
Linda says
Love these crackers! Love, love, love them.
So happy to see a gluten free option on your site, too!
I made the recipe exactly as written and the crackers are crisp and very tasty.
I'm going to try the tip to cover with parchment paper and roll very thin with my next batch.
Thank you!
Kristi says
Thanks so much, Linda! Glad you love them as much as I do. They are a house favorite and I love how easy they are.
Kristi
Bonn diner says
Delicious and easy make. Be sure to score the dough for easy separation of crackers.
DawnJoey says
Great recipe and easy.to follow. Baking times not too accurate. I read the reviews and followed some of the tips. I baked for about 70 minutes and tastes overdone. I did rotate once. I also took out after 60 minutes and cut. It was crispy on the edges and should have not baked more then but wasnt sure about the middle. I counted the carbs for mine 3g per piece 20 pieces. Next time will rotate at 20, cut at 45 and stop at 60.
Paul says
What I could peel off was delicious, but majority of it stuck to the wax paper. Any thoughts on fixing that problem?
Kristi says
Hi Paul,
Are you using wax paper or parchment paper? Parchment paper is what the recipe calls for and definitely will prevent sticking. I'm guessing that is was wax paper that might have caused the sticking. I would get some parchment paper and try again!
Kristi
Jan McMillN says
Thank you Dear for this most tasty cracker recipe. I followed the instructions down to using the offset spatula for spreading onto the parchment paper. My results were delicious! I wish you and your family the best.
Lu says
Absolutely too delicious!
I can never leave a recipe alone…I used a mixture of brown rice, tapioca and potato flours instead of the cornstarch. I didn’t have any sesame seeds so used raw quinoa instead. I didn’t have canola oil so used EVOO. Worked great
Thank you so much for sharing
Kristi says
Hi Lu,
Love all of your substitutions! Thanks so much for leaving a comment. Glad you liked the crackers!
Kristi
Lu says
Absolutely too delicious!
I can never leave a recipe alone…I used a mixture of brown rice, tapioca and potato flours instead of the cornstarch. I didn’t have any sesame seeds so used raw quinoa instead. Worked great
Thank you so much for sharing
Rosemarie says
It’s great, but I did reduce the corn starch to 1/4 and oil to 2 tbls
Jdecor says
Great recipe! I used to buy these at the store but now I can make them at home and switch up the spices and recipe! I used arrowroot powder and olive oil, I took them out 20 minutes early and they’re definitely done and super crunchy. I find them a bit oily so I may fiddle around with the oil amounts/different oils. I used a slightly smaller pan and a wide rubber spatula to flatten, worked wonderfully. I took a tip from another reviewer and cut with a chef knife after 30 minutes, then returned to the oven. Very easy to have uniform crackers that way, they all broke from each other perfectly. Many thanks for the recipe! It will be a staple for sure! I can imagine giving them as gifts in a basket or bringing to brunches and parties with spreads or hummus.
Shannon M Tucker says
why are you using canola oil?
Kristi says
For neutral flavor. Feel Free to use any oil you like!
jo says
Love this recipe! I have made many batches and sometimes the crackers come out chewy. One half will be crisp and crack and the other half will be tough and chewy. Any tips on why? Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Kristi says
Hi Jo,
I'm not sure! As long as you are spreading them evenly in the pan, the only thing I can suggest is that you rotate the pan a few times during baking. That should help even things out. Thanks so much for your feedback!
Kristi
Felicia says
Faboulous recipe! Came out perfect the 1st time. Crunchy and tasty, excellent alternative to commercial crackers. Thanks!
Kristi says
You are welcome! Thanks for your feedback!
Kristi