Crisp Nutty Crackers - a Spin-off of the beloved Almond Thins
 

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CRISP NUTTY CRACKERS
These crisp, robust, gluten-free crackers are suitable for butter and cheese, a medium for appetizers or useful for dips or spreads. Try them with Bacon Cheese Spread (super recipe), which I’ll post here shortly. These recipes are a spin-off of the beloved Almond Thins.

Coconutty Crackers (Neutral, nutty flavor and a light golden color – very robust and crunchy, and much nicer than commerical varieties, I think. I personally don’t notice a coconut flavor, but rather more of a nutty flavor.)

1 3/4 cups almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup finely grated cheese (I used Monterey Jack)
1 tbsp oat flour
1/2 tsp No Salt, or salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
3 egg whites (from large eggs), fork-beaten

Preheat oven to 325°F. In large bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, grated cheese, oat flour, No Salt (or salt) and white pepper. Stir to combine. Stir in fork-beaten egg whites really well until evenly distributed. Line cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper and spray liberally with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle cracker dough over entire cookie sheet. Using a small piece of plastic wrap placed over a portion of the dough, roll out evenly with a small rolling pin designed for rolling dough in pie pans or on pizza pans (or use a small heavy, cylindrical object such as an unopened food can); repeat. It will be clear where the dough is thicker and where it is thinner. If necessary, rob dough from the thicker portions and place on thinner portions, until the dough is more or less evenly distributed and nice and smooth. Score through to foil with dinner knife into 9 x 6 divisions.

Bake in center of oven 20 minutes. Remove very golden crackers from the outer edges by cutting along the cut lines. There might only be a few. Place inside crackers around the edges of the cookie sheet. Bake a further 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow crackers to cool completely. As soon as they are cool, store in a cookie tin with lid, such as those Danish cookie tins of old. Our crackers remain crisp even in our humid climate. If they do become soft (from leaving uncovered for hours in a humid climate, for instance), bake again in 325°F oven 5 to 10 minutes.

Helpful Hints: I have a gas oven (Whirlpool) these days, so baking times could possibly vary with electrical ovens. Other hard cheeses besides Monterey Jack may be used.

Nutritional Analysis: 54 crackers, 1 cracker per serving
20.9 calories; 1.0 g protein; 1.7 g fat; 0.4 g carbs


Variation:
Wholewheaty Crackers:
(These have a stronger flavor as the flax meal flavor comes through. They look like wholewheat crackers.)

1 3/4 cups almond flour
1/4 cup flax meal (dark or golden)
1/4 cup grated cheese (any kind – Monterey Jack is good)
1 tbsp oat flour
1 Splenda packet (to take the edge off the flax taste)
1/2 tsp No Salt, or salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
2 egg whites (from large eggs), fork beaten

Follow directions as for the Coconutty Crackers.

Helpful Hints: These crackers are slightly thinner and a little less hard than the Coconutty ones. My eggs are large, but they sometimes almost look X-large to me, so keep that in mind. The dough for both batches of crackers should be nice and moist, but not super wet (if it is, add a little extra almond or oat flour). It needs to roll out with ease under the plastic wrap.

Nutritional Analysis: 54 crackers, 1 cracker per serving
22.0 calories; 1.0 g protein; 1.8 g fat; 0.4 g carbs

You sold me with the beautiful picture! Can't wait to try it. Thanks!!

Oh wow Jen, those look sooooo tasty! I will try them next time I'm going to my Dad's for dinner because I wouldn't trust myself with a full batch without plenty of people to eat them, and he's always asking for us to bring "crackers that YOU PEOPLE (meaning us low-carb types) can eat!" LOL!

My youngest son, Jonathan (22), took the photo. He is quite good. I pay him $2 a pic and $5 for special pics for Diabetes Health Magazine, and at the rate I've been going, I'm getting poorer!

Thanks for saying that. I will share your comment with Jon. :)

Oh, Char, you'll love these! I lose weight eating them! They really replace something carby tasting for me when I'm doing strict low-carbing. I don't miss bread or desserts when I have these around.

Hi Jen
 

It's so nice to see you on LCF. Yummy looking crackers and
I am a cracker lover.

Will be making these soon. I just need the Jack cheese.

Nummy

You can use any hard cheese (cheddar, if you like), Barbo. To be honest, you can put anything you would normally put on crackers on these. They are nice and strong.

Those looks so wonderful, Jennifer! Have been looking for a cracker recipe. Will give this a shot when I have a cracker craving. Thank you for sharing it, and for the wonderful photo!

Note for Lauren
 

Lauren, thank you. :) I'm going to be working on a gluten-free bread for you. I saw your post. I do have an idea. It won't be exactly like bread completely, but close, I'm thinking. I have 5 lbs to lose and a bit more actually (unfortunately, unlike you, I'm short at 5' 3" and that kind of weight on me is not attractive, I think). Christmas holidays and nonstop company did me in! Losing weight is very difficult for me, so I have to be very strict. I will experiment when I feel strong to resist and I can quickly freeze my bread experiments. These crackers really tide me over when bread and desserts are a no-no.

I enjoy your wonderful creations too. The ones I have made have been super and the others I dream about making sometime (desserts are my weakness and I tend to almost never make the same thing twice (I prefer experimenting and trying new things), unless it is a real favorite)! The photos you take are very professional and very inviting. Keep up the good work! :cool:

Oh, I have to run - literally - I'm going for a hike a couple of times a week with a sweet friend (who has absolutely no weight to lose and is 15 years younger (I love younger people and they like me)!).

Oh my Jennifer!!:eek::eek::eek:

I am SO going to fix these this week when my back gets better..I just LOVE all you LC foods so far..:heart::heart::love::love:

HUGS:hugs::hugs:
Christina

These really do look fabulous! I'm making some today. I sure do miss the crunchy stuff. Thanks a bunch.

Thanks Jennifer! :high5: Im going to try the wholewheaty ones soon. I :heart: the almond thins but I cant make them often because I eat the whole batch in 2 days every time. :o I have some delicious salami and goat cheese at home that would be fabulous with a nice cracker. :up:

I hope you guys like them as much as I do. I think I would eat the almond thins that quickly too, Pocahontas, but these seem to last me a bit longer. They are very satisfying and as Maggieanne said, it is so nice to have something crunchy again. They are very crunchy, so anyone who may have a weak tooth, should be very careful. I like that they are fairly low calorie and very low-carb. Regular soda crackers are 20 calories each and 10 grams of carbohydrate. These low-carb nutty crackers are 20 calories each and 0.4gram carbs. I guess these crackers are cut smaller though. I love them!!

Thanks, Christina. :hugs: back to you my sweet friend. :)

I cannot wait to try these, Jennifer. I've been hoping to have something like this when my hubby and kiddos pull out the Wheat Thins or TLCs. I'm hoping to get to make them by Saturday. These would be great for parties too.

Thank you for so generously sharing your yummo recipes.

Grace and peace,
Jill

LOL You're welcome, Jill. I have this feeling that they will want to try your crackers. They might even prefer them! Especially the coconut ones, are probably crunchier than the wheat thins. They will totally satisfy your need for crackers. You'll see! :)

question:

I have some left over buckwheat flour from one of Lauren's recipes. Could I substitute it for the oat flour in the wheatty version? It has fewer carbs than oat flour.

TIA,
Jill

I think you could, Jill.

Thanks, Jennifer. I'll report back.

Can't WAIT to hear how all the experiments go with this one! We have such inventive and creative cooks on here! ;)

OH YUM! I can't wait to try these! Thanks Jennifer!

I miss crunchy. I will be trying these soon. Thanks for posting the recipe Jennifer!

I have a Adult Birthday party to go to on Saturday with drinks & snacks....I think I may make a 1/2 batch of each to take along. My sisters are on LC so they can help me eat them:) MY DH says the almond thins are the best snacky item I have made while doing LC, so maybe he'll eat these also!

Thanks for the recipe & the picture :)

Thanks Char, Angie and Dixie - hope you do get to try 'em. Don't forget to place the plastic wrap over the dough in order to roll it out, otherwise it is next to impossible.

Kathy, I think these should go over very well if he likes the Almond Thins. :)
My favorite of the two is definitely the one with the coconut flour (no flax taste (not a fan) and really crunchy - yum! People who have a weak tooth should be careful). As long as they are stored in a cookie tin with good-fitting lid, they should remain crispy for days and weeks probably (mine don't last that long! :o)

I should post the Bacon Cheese Spread recipe for you to take along to your party, Kathy. I'll check if I have a photo of it. I hope so. It is such a simple recipe. If you're going to the grocery store before I post and you're interested, pick up cream cheese, cheddar, green onions, garlic powder (or regular garlic is fine), dried parsley (optional) and bacon and mayonnaise. Your friends will beg you for the recipe and it is sooo simple and quick to assemble. It is served warm and melty (microwave is fine, but oven would be better) with the crackers. Awesome!

[COLOR="Blue"]Jennifer[/COLOR]~ I might end up making the flax ones with the almond meal that has the skins & only use like a T. of flax. I think they would still be wheaty but mainly from the almond meal & not taste too much like flax. I will make the coconut version with the Bob's Red mill almond flour so they look like yours.

I think I might also try Linda Sue's recipe for Ritzy crackers....they are round and would add some variety to the cracker assortment:)

Kathy, I would not veer too far from the recipe, in case it does not work out for you. Don't get me wrong, the flax crackers are lovely, but I have the dark flax meal and it has a slight bitter aftertaste that I'm not terribly fond of. If I could get my hands on golden flax meal, I wouldn't complain so much. :)

[COLOR="Green"]Jennifer[/COLOR]~ I have all the ingredients for your bacon dip already.....if you have time to post the recipe please do:) I have golden flaxseed, I pick it up at the health food store dirt cheap....I think it's 1.59/lb. Walmart has flaxmeal near the yeast & flour and it is golden and less than 2 bucks. I don't think I would care for the dark seeds....I remember that was the first kind I ever tried & pitched the box in the trash!

Hi Jennifer!

These look wonderful!

I have a question tho:
Oats are not considered gluten-free and many celiacs cannot use oats.

Is the oat flour essential to the recipe, or do you have a gluten-free, non-grain substitute? I don't want to experiment if I've never made the recipe.

I believe one can get certified gluten-free oats from Bob's Red Mill and then just grind it at home into flour (not everyone agrees with this though), however, use any gluten-free flour that you have on hand. I have not made the recipe without the oat flour, but I suspect it won't make a huge difference.

WooHoo, my Dad just invited us for dinner this weekend so guess what I'm gonna make!! ;)