Remember the chia seed crackers that we ate at Chocolatree Café just before hiking up 0.6 miles of rocky mountainside?
ƒHere they are in all their glory.
We kicked some major mountain booty that day and I’d like to think the chia seed crackers had something to do with it. After all, the Aztecs and Mayans used chia seeds (known as a “running food”) for hundreds of years to fuel their long journeys!
As soon as I got home, I knew I had to bust out a version of these in my own kitchen. I was “running” on 3 hours of sleep thanks to a 4am wake-up call and the chocolate I was inhaling wasn’t making me feel any better. The chia crackers came to my rescue!
Endurance Crackers
Yield
22 large crackers
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
These Endurance Crackers are extremely light, healthy, and crispy while providing long-lasting energy. I love serving them with hummus (obviously) or smashed avocado and sea salt. Feel free to change up the seasonings and spices as you wish. These crackers are inspired by the ChcolaTree Organic Oasis in Sedona.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chia seeds
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup pepita seeds (or pumpkin seeds)
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds
- 1 cup (250 mL) water
- 1 large garlic clove, finely grated on a Microplane
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF (150°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the chia seeds, sunflower seeds, pepita seeds, and sesame seeds.
- Add the water, garlic, and salt. Stir with a spatula until combined. Allow the mixture to sit for a couple of minutes until the chia seeds absorb the water. After the 2-minute rest, when you stir the mixture, you shouldn’t see a pool of water on the bottom of the bowl.
- With the spatula (and a hand, if necessary), spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet in two small rectangles, about 12x7 inches each and 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle additional salt on top.
- Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully flip each rectangle with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes more, until lightly golden around the edges. Watch closely near the end to make sure they don’t burn. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes on the pan and then break the rectangles into crackers and let cool completely on the pan. Store in an airtight container or jar on the counter for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze the crackers in freezer bags for up to 1 month.
Tip:
- * If the crackers soften while storing (this can happen in humid environments), toast them in the oven on a baking sheet at 300ºF (150°C) for 5 to 7 minutes. After cooling, this should return them to their former crispness!
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)As I reached for my garlic powder, I thought why not use fresh garlic instead? My mom recently shared a trick with me for mincing garlic: just use a fine grater instead of chopping it. I used my Microplane and it was the perfect consistency for these crackers. Just be careful you don’t saw off the end of your nail like I almost did.
10 seconds flat for fresh garlic!
After grating, I whisked the garlic in a glass with the water (note: I ended up using a full cup of water instead of the 1/2 cup shown here).
Pour the water mixture into the seed mixture and stir well. It will be thick and gel-like in consistency.
Now season as you wish.
I used a mixture of Herbamare, kelp granules, and kosher salt for maximum flavour, but you can really play around with the seasonings any way you like! Add some spices too if you wish. Taste and adjust if necessary.
This picture hates me, clearly.
Spread onto your baking sheet lined with parchment (or a non-stick mat, but you will have to bake them a bit longer). You want to spread the mixture as thin as possible.
After baking for 30 minutes at 300F, remove from the oven and slice crackers with a pizza slicer.
I did a large diamond shape. You can do any size and shape you want, depending on how much ninja power you are looking for!
With a spatula, carefully flip the crackers and bake for another 30 minutes until toasty and golden on the bottom. Mmm.
My new favourite cracker, easily.
Not only are they vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, soy-free, nut-free, and sugar free, but they can be made raw if you dehydrate them.
After cooling, they are crispy, chewy, and basically mind blowing ninja fuel perfect for dipping into hummus. Eric said they taste better than the ones at Chocolatree, but he may be biased. I couldn’t get over how light and crispy they are!
The question is: Whose butt do you want to kick this week?
Your boss, tough assignment, killer workout, or midterm exam?
Go make a list of things to butt kick.
Eat these crackers.
Kick some butt, ninja style.
It’s like bird food, but waaaaay better.
Do you ever see a tired bird?
I rest my case.
~~
Many of you ask where you can buy chia seeds. If you are looking for an online retailer in the US, try www.chiaseedsdirect.com. I’ve found both of these businesses to have very competitive prices. You can also purchase chia seeds from bulk food stores like Bulk Barn here in Canada or in natural food stores! Update: More readers also told me Costco sells them (in the supplement section) and even Winners and Homesense! Who knew?
Great recipe! These are so tasty – they have a hearty nutty taste – that everyone loves them. They’re a huge hit as an appetizer at dinner parties, especially when you can say you made them yourself! I put a spin on them and added craisins.
http://www.morethanjustwaffles.com/post/21178075005/recipe-endurance-crackers
Mmmm-those look like they’d go great with my zucchini hummus that I made for the first time yesterday (chick peas and I don’t get along!).
Love these crackers! They taste amazing and are so good for you. Even my daughter who picks the nuts out of cookies liked them! They are easy, super easy and quick to make. I was a little afraid I would break them when I cut and flipped over, but I slipped the parchment off the baking pan, cut and flipped and slipped parchment back on. Easy!
Thanks Kate! Glad to hear that :)
I love that you re-posted this recipe. I just made it this past weekend & LOVE them, but in case you were wondering weather or not you can use tin foil instead of parchment paper…you should not, unless maybe you spray some oil on it. I have to make batch #2 with my NEW parchment paper. I’m hoping this time I will actually be able to get crackers & not a mess out of it! Fantastic post! One change I did was putting all of the seeds in a food processor just to shred things down a bit. Love the recipes & I really enjoy how easy it is using your recipage!
aw, thanks for the tip about the tin foil!
ohhhh, those look super yummy (and being nut free can end up in the kids lunch box too:)).
Thank you Angela, printing this one :)
isa
Hi Angela, I just made these crackers and they came out pretty yummmy.Thank you for sharing! I used to buy them at the health store but they are sooooo expensive, so Im very happy I don´t have to give them up :) . One question though, If I want to make them with flax seed instead of chia, do you suggest any changes in the proportions? Chia seeds are difficult to find where I live and they are very expensive as well so I though flax seed could be a good replacement but I m not sure about it. Have a great day.
I just tried these crackers and LOVE them!! So fulfilling. Thank you!
Wow!!!! These crackers are by far the best I have had the pleasure to make since I started my gluten-free journey over 5 yrs ago! Thank you SO much for sharing. :-)
Im happy to hear that Karla!
Thanks for this recipe. Made them and they’re amazing! very popular with my fellow detoxers who are not eating grain for 2 weeks!! Beautiful.
Definitely making those VERY soon.
Do the seeds and nuts have to be raw? I know they have more nutrients but I was wondering if it was such a big difference, I am a working student and it is so expensive to buy them on a budget!
I can’t see why it wouldnt work with toasted nuts Barbara. Let me know if you try it out!
Can you make these in a dehydrator?
i can’t see why not!
This is my new favourite cracker!
My crackers stuck to the waxed paper and when I tried to pull them off (after 30 mins) to flip them, only the top part came off. Did anyone else have this problem; any suggestions?
Thanks!
I would suggest using parchment paper. I didnt have any issues with it. Goodluck!
I am looking forward to making these. Thank you for the recipe. I just wanted to note that in your nutritional info you said that each cracker is 77 kcal. I looked “kcal” up and it says that 1 kcal is worth 1000 calories. I am sure that each cracker is not 7700 calories. Can I assume that this was a typo?
Hey Anne, My understanding is that “kcal” – when in reference to baking – equals 1 calorie. See this post for more discussion: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/531907
Just pulled these out of the oven, and they smell great. Can’t wait for my afternoon snack. Will be trying a couple before my next workout ;)
I made a batch of these last week, and I’m now a believer. On Saturday I got up and ran two miles and did some weight training, and I had already agreed to go on a hike that afternoon. Half an hour before I was ready to leave I sat at my desk, slightly shaky and dreading what was about to happen. I ate endurance crackers and then I hiked like nobodies business. Thanks!
Wow what an endorsement! ;) Glad you enjoyed them!
These crackers are amazing! So amazing that the bf barely lets me eat any of them. I turn my back and they are gone every time I make them!
I’ve been playing around with some variations:
Using the original recipe I used some toasted sesame oil in place of some of the water and this batch was a lot less crumbly. Also added nooch which was my favorite!
Dried cranberries, honey and sea salt (minus garlic and onions) was pretty awesome as well. Love the sweet and savory.
One thing I’ve learned is to get a thin spread. When I leave them too thick they don’t cook through and can get soggy.
Love your tips and modifications!
Brilliant. Seriously brilliant. I whipped some up using hemp hearts, sunflower seeds, chia, millet and cranberries (next time I’ll add flax too!) and I used a tbsp of honey, chili powder, sea salt and white pepper. They’re freaking amazing! <3
Hey Alisha, Im so happy you enjoyed them! Thanks for letting me know. Great subs :)
I am making these crackers in the dehydrator at 95 degrees as we speak – do you happen to know how long they would take in a dehydrator Angela, or anyone? I’m very sorry if someone already addressed this in the comments and I didn’t see it.