These Homemade Gourmet Crackers are a revelation. A copycat of the gourmet fruit and nut crackers sold at the stores to serve with cheese that I love but are pricey! These are simple to make, keeps for weeks, cost 80% less than store bought and taste so much better, you’ll be amazed (I was!).
Spectacular with cheeses and spreads, and for gifting!
Stop press!!! Big news – DOZER HAS A BUTTON!!
↑↑↑ For all Dozer lovers out there who just want to skip straight to Dozer and see what cheeky antics he’s up to today, just click on the Dozer button and it will take you straight down to him, then you can come back and read the post!!!
Oh – there is a button to jump to the Recipe too, which I’ve had for a while now, and I also added a button to jump straight down to the Video.
A button for everyone – whatever you’re after! Dozer, recipe video or just the recipe!
OK, enough about the Dozer button. Onto today’s recipe – Homemade Gourmet Crackers!! I am super excited about this one because I’ve had some great feedback from my official taste testing team (aka my mother’s golf friends who descend upon the beach shack for a post-golf lunch and provide very constructive feedback on my recipes).
These crackers are so great, I really wish I had a fantastic story to go with them. But actually, I don’t. Quite simply, gourmet crackers are all the rage nowadays but I just can’t bring myself to pay the rather obscene prices for them. Fellow Aussies may have noticed a certain brand of gourmet crackers prominently placed near the cheese and spreads section of supermarkets like Woolworths and Coles. Crackers that look just like these homemade ones – except they are round – and they cost $6 for 15 pieces. $6!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have been known to drop a small fortune on designer shoes a handful of times in my life. However, I cannot bring myself to pay $6 for one packet of gourmet crackers, especially when 1 packet would never suffice for my gatherings, I’d have to get 3 or 4. Can you imagine paying $24 just for the crackers for a cheese board??
Oh wait, I just realised I totally lied. I did buy one packet – for taste testing purposes, to copy them. 😉 I’d been eyeing them off for months, wanting to do a huge cheese board with these gourmet crackers. Then finally the penny dropped – get a packet and copy them.
So that’s what I did.
These are very simple to make. It’s just like mixing up a muffin batter, except it’s baked in a loaf tin. Freeze (to make it super easy to slice thinly), slice, then bake again. It’s like making biscotti (ooooh, haven’t done that yet!!). It’s highly customisable, and brilliant for making ahead because the baked crackers stay crisp for at least 1 month OR you can keep the loaf in the freezer for weeks and weeks, then bake when you want them.
My taste testers agreed 100% that there is no contest when comparing these Homemade Gourmet Crackers to the store bought ones. With homemade, you can actually truly taste the ingredients – the spices, the cranberries, the sunflower seeds. The store bought one has far less flavour. When you taste them one after the other, which we all did, the difference is so “in your face”, it’s quite extraordinary.
If you’re planning a cheeseboard these upcoming holidays, I truly hope you consider these. Your family and friends will be blown away. They really are so simple, customisable, and make ahead – my taste testers were eating crackers I’d made 4 weeks earlier!
Oh – and they cost about 20% of the gourmet crackers that I copied. 🙂 I have a little gathering with friends this weekend, and I’m wondering how many times I will point to the crackers on the cheese board and proudly say “I made those”. I’ll ask my friends to keep count! – Nagi x
More cookie / cracker copycats
Other recipes I’ve created in the past for the same reason as these Byron Bay cookie copycat recipe (ie because I love ’em but they’re expensive!)
Byron Bay Cookies Copycat White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies – big, thick, buttery cookies loaded with white chocolate and macadamia nuts. Crisp with a tender melt-in-your-mouth texture, just like Byron Bay Cookies!
Muesli Cookies (Breakfast Cookies / Granola Cookies) – copycat of the thick, chunky, chewy muesli cookies sold in cafes across Australia. A healthy breakfast option because it’s like a bowl of oatmeal in cookie form – refined sugar free, low fat, gluten free, keeps you full for ages but it tastes like a sweet cookie!
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Homemade Gourmet Crackers
Ingredients
- 1 cup / 250 ml milk (any fat % cow’s milk)
- ¼ cup / 50g brown sugar , packed
- ¼ cup plain unsweetened yoghurt (I used Greek)
- ½ cup / 75g plain flour (all purpose)
- ½ cup / 75g whole wheat / wholemeal flour
- ½ cup dried cranberries (or other dried fruit of choice)
- 1 tsp baking soda / bi-carb (or 3 tsp baking powder)
- ½ cup rolled oats (or 1/3 cup more nuts of choice)
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds (or other seeds or nuts of choice)
Spices:
- ½ tsp ground turmeric (can omit)
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg (or All Spice or 1/8 tsp cloves)
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary (or ½ tsp more thyme)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F (all oven types). Grease and line a small loaf tin with baking paper (mine is 21 x 11 x 7 cm / 8.5 x 4.5 x 3”) (Note 1).
- Whisk the milk, sugar and yoghurt in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, add plain flour, wholemeal flour and cranberries. Stir – use fingers to break up cranberries if required.
- Add remaining ingredients, including Spices, plus the milk mixture. It should be a thick batter, like muffin batter (note: batter in video looks slightly thicker because it was standing for a couple of minutes, doesn’t affect outcome).
- Scrape/pour into tin. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Cool on rack, then wrap in cling wrap and freeze for at least 2 hours, up to 3 months. (Note 2)
- Unwrap loaf and allow to thaw partially so the outside is not rock hard frozen (around 20 minutes).
- Preheat oven to 120C/250F (all oven types). Place one shelf in the middle, and another shelf beneath it.
- Use a serrated bread knife to slice thinly – around 2 mm / 1/12” thick (see video). Place biscuits on 2 large baking trays, you can squeeze them in as they won’t expand or stick.
- Bake for 50 minutes or until they are a light brown, swapping trays halfway.
- Leave biscuits on tray to cool – they will harden so they snap when you break them. (Note 3)
- Store in an airtight container for 4 weeks (probably ok for longer, I’ve only done 4 weeks). Brilliant served with creamy cheeses like brie, camembert, but soft, creamy blue cheeses is the ultimate pairing!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
LIFE OF DOZER
Dozer smacking his lips over MY lunch today – a very spicy Asian Noodle Salad. No spicy salad for you Dozer! Too painful for you!
Amazing and they taste much better than the store bought ones
Fantastic! So glad you enjoyed this R.el! N x
Absolutely excellent! I’ve always loved the crackers at the deli counter but baulked at the price. My second batch of these is in the oven now, so impressed with the first yield and we will enjoy them as we entertain friends and family over this Easter weekend. Thank you Nagi, another winner!
Thank you sooo much for this!
You’re so welcome Linda! N xx
Do you think these could be made with gluten free flour?
Sorry Karen, I’m not sure I haven’t tried. I will try to remember to test it when I get a chance! N x
I made a slight error the first time I made this recipe and used ground cumin instead of cinnamon… it actually turned out quite savoury…. I went to remake the recipe and then realised I should have used cinnamon..oops …Both batches have been consumed by my friends who were happy to taste test…and it was divided which one tasted better. …. This will become my go to recipe for crackers and I look forward to the endless variations. Thank you so much for sharing….
Bugger!! 😂 I’m glad they were still enjoyed though! N x
Can you tell me other mixture rises during the first cook. I expect it does due to the bicarb? I want to use a nut loaf tin which is tubular but I don’t want it to rise so much that I end up with a big mess.
Yet another HIT Nagi. I have made 2 lots now-the first ones didn’t survive a day. I’ve discovered that one small tub of yoghurt conveniently makes 2 batches. Experimented with fruits,nuts and seeds-Cashews, Pepitas, Apricots, Dates, Walnuts
We found a use for our electric knife in slicing them up and could slice them from the loaf stage without freezing them-for the impatient. Turned out crispy and thin. #delicious. I very much doubt they will last 4 weeks in storage when they barely make it out of the kitchen.
Love your work-happy New Year. Keep ’em coming.
Hi Nagi, happy Christmas! Love the crackers – made them for a party on Saturday but finding it really hard to stop myself and hubby from scoffing them all :). Lucky they are so simple to make – may need to whip up another batch as I don’t think they will last three days…
By the way, my crackers, when baked, ended up with some blue-green flecks around the sunflower seeds. After googling it, turns out that it is a reaction between the sunflower seeds and soda bicarb during baking. The food nerd in me found it really interesting – just wondering if you’ve ever experienced it as well? Apparently you can prevent the seeds from turning bluey-green by reducing the soda bicarb? Not that it bothers me particularly – the crackers are absolutely delicious 🙂
Funny you mention that, I DID notice it in the last batch I made to give as gifts! I’m wondering if weather has something to do with it too because I never noticed it in any other batch. I will keep an eye on it and update the recipe if necessary! N xx
The crackers were a huge hit on Christmas Day. So easy to make. I added black seasme seeds to the mixture as I had them in the pantry. Thank you Nagi for your blog and recipes.
made these crackers to go with the cheese as part of our Christmas celebration. They have proved exceptionally popular with our immediate family and the extended family! Thank you Nagi.
You made me laugh with the Dozer button haha
I love these crackers. Anything that has grains and dried fruit, yummy!
I must try these and I will come back to report!😀
Merry Christmas! XO XO
Merry Christmas to you too Malika!! N xx
Made these for secret santa afternoon tea at work with a triple brie – many compliments – including where did you buy these? – I STATED I made these – then shared your blog thank you for another awesome recipe – merry christmas Nagi and Dozer
I LOVE HEARING THAT!!!!!!!! Merry Christmas to you too Kym! N xx
Been making these all week – macadamia and ginger, pistachio and cranberry and tried date and walnut also – trick is not to let them brown too much I have found. Mine did not take anywhere near the length of time to cook but then they taste great and I am thrilled that I now have a selection of gourmet crackers that i have proudly made myself (with your help Nagi!)
Merry Xmas to you and Dozer – loving the Dozer button!
Love hearing that Heather!! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know. And MERRY CHRISTMAS to you too! N x ❤️
Hi, Is the whole wheat flour plain or self raising? I am also confused as to bi carb soda or baking powder as they are totally different.
I want to make a huge amount so I don’t want to waste ingredients.
Thankyou
Hi Bev! Bi carb and baking soda are the same thing, then I also included baking POWDER quantities because you can use either! N x
I just made them exactly as on recipe and it took 35minutes. I can hardly wait for them to cool. I can’t believe I made crackers They smell so good I will tell youhow they come out when done Thank you for this recipe
They are so delicious and I will make them again for company. What a great recipe. The flavors mingle just right. Thank you for that recipe.
Terrific to hear Beth!! So glad you enjoyed this, thanks for letting me know! N x ❤️
Whoot!!! Hope you love them Beth! N xx
I made these today, they are delicious. I think next time I’ll cut back on the cinnamon because it does overpower the other spices. A pinch of cayenne would be good, too. As another commenter said, my batter was much wetter than what you show in the video, but it worked out just fine. I will also admit that I was too impatient to freeze these, and they cut just fine, although freezing would probably make cutting easier. But if you are short on time (or just too eager to eat them like I was) you can get away with omitting that step as long as you have a very sharp knife and some patience. I had to make some substitutions because I didn’t have cranberries or sunflower seeds or yogurt in the pantry. I used dried cherries, pumpkin seeds, and sour cream as substitutes. It all worked out beautifully.
These are easy to make, if a bit time consuming. But so worth it. And the best part, besides eating them, is the money you will save. Thanks for the recipe, it’s a keeper.
That’s so terrific to hear Beth! Yes, definitely adapt the flavour to your taste, I did my best to copy the flavour of the store bought ones 🙂 I started making multiple loafs at the same time and freezing them, so handy to cut them up and pop in the oven when required! N xx
Hi Nagi
I love your blog and recipes. I am just making these crackers now. they are currently in the oven.
My mixture looks a lot wetter than in your video? I am hoping that all is good. I checked my measurements, so I am hoping that it all turns out. Christmas party tomorrow and my “job” is a cheese plate. I am hoping to impress!
Do you have any ideas about a savory version? I’m not a big sweets person and I don’t like cinnamon haha.
Any ideas/tips are helpful!
I accidentally used ground cumin instead of cinnamon the first time I made this recipe. And it turned out quite savoury..
But still tasty?? 🙂 N x
Oh my Lordy – I have never had to give away a recipe so fast. These are amazing and have become my Christmas present for all those extra people that you often forget, but need to have something on hand in case! In fact I am making a double batch right now and bagging them up to take down to Tasmania for our holiday.
You basically said exactly what I’M DOING!!! 😂 I got 2 of those 6 hole mini loaf pans from Woolies to make smaller crackers (read: more pieces out of each batch!) so I’m making multiple batches in the oven at a time!!
That is so funny – my neighbour had an 8 hole mini loaf pan at her garage sale on the weekend and it was left over, so she gave it to me. It is what I have been using to make this recipe. The small crackers are perfect for a cheese board. 1 batch seems to make 5-6 mini loaves.
Wow, what flavour. We were so pleased when we took the crackers from the oven that they looked just like your photos so we must have made them properly. Couldn’t wait to try them so we used cream cheese spread first up and they were sensational. Then later tried them with triple cream Brie. We won’t have to worry about storing them longer than four weeks, there won’t be any left by that time.
WHOOT WHOOT WHOOT!!!!!!!!!!!! 🧀🧀🧀🧀