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.
Kat says
I thought the crackers were a bit greasy. Has anybody tried reducing amount of oil?
My husband really liked these.
Kate says
Thanks so much for this excellent recipe, which was passed on to me from my friend. I ring the changes with herbs and spices depending on what's in the cupboard and what we fancy on the day. They are so popular, a simple recipe that never fails to impress.
Kristi says
Thanks, Kate!
FiDo says
You state the oven temperature should be 275 degrees is this Fahrenheit or Celsius?
Kristi says
Sorry for the late reply! It is 275 F.
Elaine farrah costello says
Granddaughter is allergic to sesame so I’ll try a substitute .
Kristi says
Hi Elaine, Feel free to just add more of any of the other seeds or a different seed if you would rather!
Kristi
Valerie Reiss says
Hello! I would like to make these Keto so can I leave out the cornstarch?
Kristi says
Hi Valerie,
Thanks for your question! You need something to help them bind together. Can you use arrowroot on a keto diet? That would definitely work. You can just replace the cornstarch with an equal amount of arrowroot.
Kristi
Michele Calderone says
Can you use arrowroot instead of cornstarch?
Kristi says
Yes! Absolutely. Just do a 1:1 swap. Enjoy!
Kristi
Mark says
Versatile, delicious, endless permutations and flavorings possible.
Quick, tasty, healthy
Everything you would want in a snack
Lyndell Bolton says
I made an error and forgot to add the oil. Next batch added oil. Nowhere near as good as the first batch. No oil is the way to go. Light and crispy. Just lovely.
Lisa says
I have roasted sunflower seeds not raw. Will the roasted work?
Kristi says
Hi Lisa,
Yes, they should be just fine!
Kristi
Marleen says
Absolutely delicious!!!! This is the first time I've made crackers and I love these!!! I will be making them often! Thank you for the fantastic recipe.
Marleen
Kristi says
Thanks for the nice comment, Marleen!
Marianne McCready says
OMG!!! I just pulled the pan out of the oven and tasted it. This cracker is divine!!! Thank you for the recipe. I also made your sourdough rugbrod today. I had a True North Kitchen day today.
Kristi says
So glad you liked the crackers! I love the idea of a True North Kitchen day. Hope it was a delicious one! 🙂
Kristi
Julie says
I made these crackers about a year ago and have been coming back to this recipe again and again. All my kids love them, and now my teen daughter makes them when we run out. Thank you!
Kristi says
That's so great, Julie! Thanks so much for your comment. I love that your teenage daughter makes them!
Kristi
KT says
Love this recipe, as do everyone I serve the crackers.
I’m really easy on measuring - I use any nuts ihave on hand, whatever flax, hemp seeds, etc. Always use chia for sure. I only use Avocado oil and it works great. I’ve taken to adding Everything ButThe Bagel seasoning (generic) and it adds great flavor. I always use corn starch.
I gauge the water based on the consistency ( want it to spread easily) and cooking time is frequently 120 min or more - until crispy. Awesome every time!
eila vinwynn says
This is delicious but the last two times it has stuck to the greaseproof. Like really really stuck. Any suggestions?
eila
Kristi says
That's surprising! Hav you changed the brand of paper you are using or anything else? You could always try greasing the paper or spraying it with Pam or something similar.
Kristi
Stephanie says
These are delicious. Have made with cornstarch and potato starch...both turned out very well. (I may prefer the cornstarch a little bit over the potato. Wanted to try both since I had them on hand.) Also subbed evoo for the canola oil. The trick is to spread the batter very thin - just before the parchment starts to show through.
Adriana says
Hi Kristy,
Thanks a lot for your recipie.It is delicious! Everyonethat Has tasted them have liked it a lot. I have made it several times now. First exactly as you worte it. I live in Mexico so here we have amaranth and it is nutritious and not expensive. So I added 1/3 cup of amaranth to the recipie and it turned out perfect and crispy. sometimes I use flax seed flour and the flax seeds. other times have used different amounts of the seeds and each time they come ut great. I also used parchment paper on top at the time of spreading the dough in the pan. I take them out at 45 min and scource the dough. It is much easier and crackers are even. I want to try them with amaranth flour instead o f the cornstarch. How did you do it to find out how many grams of fat and protein etcc. in eahc cracker? Thank you sooo much! and congratulations! May God bless you
Kristi says
Hi Adriana,
Thanks so much for your review and for including some tips and variations! My recipe plug in automatically calculates the nutrition facts for the recipes. I publish.
Thanks again!
Kristi