Homemade Seed Crackers
Simple seed crackers are crispy, crunchy and the perfect snack food! These homemade seed crackers are so easy to make and are incredibly inexpensive! Never buy store bought crackers again!
Even better these sunflower seed crackers have just 5 ingredients (plus water) and require little to no baking skills to make!
Why you will love this seed crackers recipe
- Crackers are the best for snacking but finding a good quality gluten free cracker that is budget friendly can be tough. These 3 seed crackers are the perfect solution and are easy enough to make and have on hand anytime!
- Perfect for parties or weekday snacking! These crackers only have 5 ingredients and are vegan, nut free, egg free, paleo, low cab, keto and Whole30 (although probably considered SYPO). Serve them with your favorite dip or with a charcuterie board and watch them disappear!
- Homemade seed crackers are sturdy enough to make your own open face sandwiches (I’ve used them for avocado toast, for tuna salad and hummus and they are the perfect vehicle for all of these and more). They bake up in about 30 minutes and can sit on the counter for up to 3 weeks, so you can make them in advance and always have them on hand!
Ingredients
- Sunflower seeds: you want shelled sunflower seeds – they typically come raw or roasted. Be sure to get unsalted (or don’t add any salt to the recipe). I tend to buy them raw and roast them myself (see tips on that below).
- Pumpkin seeds: sometimes called pepitas. These are a great source of so many minerals and vitamins and are a colorful contrast to the sunflower seeds. I typically buy these raw (at Trader Joe’s or any health food store). You want the green seeds not the large white seeds right out of a carving pumpkin.
- Ground flax seeds: Whole flax seeds get caught in my teeth and in my opinion make the worst crackers. If you disagree and love whole flax seeds, you can use them but I hate digging flax seeds out of my teeth. To ensure the flax doesn’t go rancid, you can grind the flax yourself and store it in the freezer.
- Water: Water combines with the ground flax to make the crackers into a dough.
- Salt and garlic powder: I’m keeping the seasoning simple here. You can get as creative as you want to though!
How to make seed crackers
- To keep this recipe nut free, I first blend ½ of the sunflower seeds in a high speed blender to make them into a flour like consistency. It should look like clumpy sand after 20-25 seconds.
- Combine all the ingredients (including the sunflower seed flour you just made) in a bowl and stir well.
- Allow the dough to sit at least 5 minutes but up to 10 minutes. This is important to allow the flax to do it’s job and get all thick and glue-like.
- Place parchment paper on a large baking sheet. Spray with your favorite non-stick spray (avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil). Scoop out 1 tablespoon of the dough at a time onto the parchment paper, leaving space between the crackers as they will expand as you flatten the dough out.
- Once all the dough has been transferred to the baking sheet, cover the entire sheet in wax paper or another sheet of parchment paper sprayed with non-stick (you can skip this and just use wet hands if you are trying to avoid your waste).
- Press down on each cracker to flatten it out. The thinner the crackers, the faster they will cook, but they will be fragile. I like to keep them a bit thicker (the thickness of the pumpkin seeds). They will not rise. It’s important that each seed cracker is the same thickness so they will all bake evenly.
- Bake in a 350F oven for 20 minutes.
- Carefully take the crackers from the oven and flip them using a spatula. Be careful even with the non-stick they can stick a bit in the centers.
- Once all the crackers have been flipped, place them back in the oven. If they are on the thinner side, set the timer for 7 minutes. If they are thicker, you will want to bake 10 more minutes.
- Check the crackers, they should be looking brown on the edges and firm in the center. They are incredibly hot so don’t pick them up, just press on the center with the back of a spoon. If you notice they seem soft in the center, turn off the oven and let the crackers sit in the oven as it cools off.
- Allow the crackers to cool completely before adding to a jar for storage. Leave the lid off the jar for 24 hours or so to ensure all the moisture has evaporated.
Recommended kitchen tools
Top tips for making homemade seed crackers
- I like the texture from having some of the whole seeds in the crackers. If you want a more “cracker” like consistency, grind up all the seeds together in the blender instead of just 1/2 the sunflower seeds.
- Don’t let the sunflower seeds go too long in the blender or they will start to turn into sunbutter – if you have a high spend blender 20-30 seconds is plenty.
- It’s important that you give the flax a chance to thicken and create the “dough” – at least 5 minutes but 10 minutes is best.
- The thicker the crackers, the longer they will take to bake. I often will bake thicker crackers for 30 minutes then leave them in the oven after I turn the oven off to really make sure the centers are full crisp.
- If you would rather make square crackers, follow the directions on how to make square crackers in this flax almond hemp cracker post – there are so many great tips in that post!
- Don’t put a lid on your crackers immediately – although they appear to be dry, they will still release moisture for the first 24 hours or so. Keep a lid off the crackers for 12-24 hours for the best texture.
Other spices you could add to these pumpkin seed crackers
I tried to keep the seasoning to these crackers very simple. You could even omit the garlic powder and just have salt. If you want to amp up the flavor, try adding these to the salt and garlic powder combo:
- Italian seasoning -1-2 tsp. – this would be my go-to addition if I wanted them to be a bit more flavorful but still very neutral so I could add whatever toppings I love.
- Herbs de Provence – 1-2 tsp. this has lavender in it and will give your crackers a unique but very savory flavor.
- Za’atar – 1-2 tsp. this will add some sesame seeds too! Za’atar is a combo of sesame seeds and spices including thyme marjoram, coriander and oregano
- Ground cumin or smoked paprika – ½ tsp. this will make the crackers have a smoky flavor.
These homemade crackers are perfect for dipping, topping or eating one by one out of the jar. Here are some of my favorite dips or topping ideas:
Dips to serve with homemade crackers
- Baba Ganoush (Mediterranean Eggplant Dip)
- Roasted Cauliflower Hummus
- Everything Bagel Hummus
- Spinach Artichoke Dip (dairy free, vegan)
- Spicy Chipotle Carrot Hummus
- White Bean Pesto Dip
Toppings for homemade crackers
- Tomato Basil Salad with hummus or dairy free cream cheese
- Smoked salmon, dairy free cream cheese and sliced onion
- Tuna salad
- Black bean dip + roasted red pepper and chopped tomatoes
- Chicken salad
- Tomato Bean Salad
Other ways to use the crackers
A few additional ways to use crackers that are a bit more unique and ‘outside the normal are to:
- Crumble them up and use like croutons on salads or on top of roasted veggies
- Crush them up and use as a way to add crunch to chicken nuggets
Common questions
Typically I buy raw sunflower seeds and raw pumpkin seeds. This is because I don’t love the oils that are used when commercially roasting seeds. When making the crackers, I roast the sunflower seeds at home in a 350F oven for 7-9 minutes (don’t walk away, they burn easily). Allow the sunflower seeds to cool completely before blending up. I roast my sunflower seeds all at once from the package and store them in the freezer to always have them on hand.
These crackers were made with homemade roasted sunflower seeds and raw pumpkin seeds. You could also use store bought roasted sunflower seeds and roasted or raw pumpkin seeds.
NOTE: If you buy salted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds, do not add any salt to these crackers or they will be too salty. In fact you may want to wash off the salt if you are concerned the crackers will be too salty.
You can easily crush all the seeds (sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds) in the high speed blender together and add the flax, water and spices to the crushed seeds. The recipe will work great this way as well and no one will even know these are seed based crackers!
Yes! If you have ever made flax crackers (or anything with flax) and it tasted off (almost fishy) that is a sign that the ground flax has gone rancid and is therefore bad. You can grind the whole flax seeds immediately before use or grind whole flax seeds in large batches (using a high speed blender or coffee grinder) and storing the ground flax seeds in the freezer to keep them fresh.
I typically do buy ground flax seeds because I use them so often. I put the bag in the freezer as soon as I get home from the store and they are always fine this way (no fishy taste).
TIP: Golden flax seeds typically have a more neutral flavor, so if you don’t want to taste the ground flax at all, you may want to buy golden flaxseeds (which you may have to grind yourself).
No, you can make this entire recipe with just sunflower seeds or just pumpkin seeds. Together you will want ¾ cup of seeds + 3 tbsp. ground flax. Use whatever you have on hand.
The ground seeds help to create a “dough” along with the ground flax. You could use almond flour (1/4 cup) in place of the ground sunflower seeds if you are not nut-free.
How to store leftover seed crackers
Seed crackers last an incredibly long time on the counter – up to 3 weeks covered. However, the first day the crackers still have a ton of moisture in them, so you don’t want to cover the crackers immediately. Give them 12-24 hours to “air dry” then cover them. I typically use a wide mouth mason jar or glass pyrex with a tight fitting lid.
Freezer: You can also freeze these crackers once they have “air dried” 24 hours. Since these are mostly just seeds and flax, they freeze really well. You may want to put them in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes at 300F after freezing to ensure they are super crispy.
Substitutions
- Sunflower seeds: Sunflower seeds are a great source of potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, Vitamins A, B and E. You can use all pumpkin seeds instead of sunflower seeds or ½ cup of your favorite nut or seed in place of the sunflower seeds. If you don’t want to make sunflower seed flour, use almond flour in place it (the recipe will not be nut free if you use almond flour).
- Pumpkin seeds: Pepitas add iron, magnesium, and zinc to the crackers. However, if you cannot find them or do not have them on hand, use ¼ cup of your favorite nut or seed in place of the pumpkin seeds.
- Ground flax seeds: The flax helps to bind together the crackers and form a dough. You could try this recipe with ground chia seeds or psysillium husk powder but I have only tested it with ground flax seeds. You can grind your own flax using a coffee grinder or high speed blender.
- Salt: If you need low sodium crackers, omit the salt and use whatever your favorite no-added salt product is to replace it.
- Garlic powder: You can omit the garlic completely if you don’t love it or don’t have it on hand. That would make these crackers low-FODMAP friendly as well.
If you love homemade snacks, you should try
Homemade Seed Crackers
$1.04 Recipe/$0.17 ServingIngredients
- 1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds, divided - $0.32
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds - $0.47
- 3 tbsp. ground flax seeds - $0.21
- 1/2 cup water - $0.00
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder - $0.03
- 1/4 tsp sea salt - $0.01
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Blend 1/4 cup of the sunflower seeds in a high speed blender until they resemble sand (20-30 seconds).
- Add all the ingredients to a bowl (adding the water last) and stir quickly, making sure the flax doesn't clump. Let sit 5-10 minutes.
- Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet and spray with nonstick spray (coconut oil).
- Use a tablespoon to divide out the batter on the parchment paper. Leave room between each because the crackers will spread as you press them down.
- Add wax paper or another parchment paper (sprayed) and press down on the crackers one by one until they are all a uniform thickness. Try not to make them too thin or they will crumble when dipping. Think the thickness of a pumpkin seed. Carefully remove the wax paper or parchment paper before baking.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 350F.
- Take out of the oven and carefully flip over the crackers, they tend to stick in the centers.. Bake another 7 minutes for thinner crackers or 10 minutes for thicker crackers.
- Check the center of the crackers after 7-10 minutes. If they still seem soft, turn off the oven and let them sit in the oven as it cools off (check after 5 minutes to ensure they aren't burning).
- Once cooked, allow the crackers to cool before storing.
Notes
- Italian seasoning -1-2 tsp. – this would be my go-to addition if I wanted them to be a bit more flavorful but still very neutral so I could add whatever toppings I love.
- Herbs de Provence – 1-2 tsp. this has lavender in it and will give your crackers a unique but very savory flavor.
- Za’atar – 1-2 tsp. this will add some sesame seeds too! Za’atar is a combo of sesame seeds and spices including thyme marjoram, coriander and oregano
- Ground cumin or smoked paprika – ½ tsp. this will make the crackers have a smoky flavor.
I just made these yummy crackers! Will these crackers get crisper if left in oven longer or after they sit out for 12-24 hours? I also wanted to make sure when I bake them in the oven. Are they on the baking pan or on top of the parchment paper? Thanks!
Hey Karyn, those are great questions. If you find that the crackers aren’t crispy after 12-24 hours, you can put them in a low temperature oven (around 300F) and let them bake for 10-15 minutes. Then turn off the oven and let them rest in the oven to continue to crisp up (this way they won’t burn).
And yes, put the crackers on top of parchment paper when baking, that way you are guaranteed they won’t stick.
Enjoy your crackers and I hope you continue to make them going forward! Happy cooking
I was very excited to find your recipe for seed crackers. I am wondering what you think about using Flaxseed Meal in place of ground flaxseeds? Also I have a food dryer I am wondering if they would work well in the food dryer
You can certainly use flaxseed meal in place of ground flaxseeds. I don’t have a food dryer but I’m guessing these would turn out even crunchier – I just don’t have any experience to tell you what to set the temperature or time to. If you experiment and it works out – let me know!
Excellent explanation of everything
Thank you
I will definitely be making these crackers
This worked out so well, thank you! Never made my own crackers before but I will definitely keep doing this because it’s so easy. I ended up cooking it longer than the suggested times maybe because my crackers weren’t as thin? Also added some dried thyme and basil, yum!
Can I replace the hemp hearts with something else.
Yes you could try sesame seeds or just leave them out and add more pumpkin seeds.
Hi, I just made these. I noticed that in your description it says: The star of these crackers are the pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and the hemp hearts.
I don’t see sesame seeds in the recipe. Are there supposed to be sesame seeds?
Hi Crystal! No I wrote sesame seeds and it should have read sunflower seeds, I’ve updated the post – thanks for bringing this to my attention!
Oh I can just imagine that I would be wanting to tuck into these crackers way before they cool!!
Thanks for linking up to Marvelous Monday on Smart Party Planning.
Thank you for your awesome recipe! I am truly inspired as I am new to vegan / gluten free/ dairy free no high lectin foods, and paleo . I added cumin , fresh minced parsley and freshly grated garlic and turned the micture into falafels.
They are delicious! Thank you. Linda
I would love to make some seed crackers, such as your Hemp Almond Flax Crackers! :)
I would add it to my home-made nut bread – I think it would taste good in that!
I love homemade seed crackers but always forget to make them. Not sure why, they are so easy and so good!
I was loving doing the hemp hearts review as well. They are so good! What a creative way to use them. I am all over these seriously yum!
Oh thats so cool! I have never made crackers myself, but now I want to! Thanks for the recipe!