Gluten Free Crackers Recipe
Looking for a gluten-free snack that’s equal parts crunchy, fruity, and wholesome? These gluten-free cranberry seed crackers are a delicious (and addictive!) homemade version of those gourmet fruit and seed crisps you find at the shops – but without the gluten, the mystery preservatives, or the price tag.
They’re sweet, savoury, crunchy and surprisingly easy to make. Perfect for cheese boards, lunchboxes, or just to have on hand for a wholesome snack.
Why You’ll Love These Gluten-Free Fruit & Seed Crackers
- Gluten-free and wholesome – made with pantry staples and no preservatives.
- Crispy and flavour-packed – filled with dried cranberries, seeds, and subtle spices.
- Make-ahead friendly – bake, slice, freeze, and crisp whenever you like.
- Customisable – switch up the fruit or seeds based on what you have on-hand.
Ingredients To Make Gluten-Free Crackers
You can use any dried fruit, nuts, or seeds you have on hand – but for this version (and the photos I’ve provided here), I’ve used dried cranberries, pepitas, and sunflower seeds.
- gluten-free all-purpose/plain flour blend (with xanthan gum if not already included)
- rice flour
- baking soda
- salt
- ground cinnamon
- ground nutmeg
- chopped dried fruits, such as cranberries, apricots etc.
- mix of pumpkin seeds, pepitas, sunflower seeds etc.
- milk (dairy or non-dairy works just as well here)
- honey
How to Make Gluten-Free Cranberry Seed Crackers
Despite a few different steps, these gluten-free crackers are easy to make and don’t require any special equipment – just a bowl, spoon, loaf tin, and a sharp knife. Here’s how:
Step 1: Prepare the batter
In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, rice flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the cranberries and seeds and toss to coat. Pour in the milk and honey and stir until well combined.
Step 2: First bake
Pour the mixture into a lined 8” x 4” loaf pan. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 28–30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let it cool completely in the tin.
Step 3: Freeze
Wrap the cooled loaf and freeze for at least 3 hours or overnight. This makes it easier to slice very thinly without crumbling.
Step 4: Slice thinly
Remove the loaf from the freezer, and using a sharp serrated knife, slice the loaf into 1/8-inch thick slices. For smaller crackers, cut the slices in half again (better for dips, cheese boards etc).
Step 5: Second bake (to crisp)
Place the slices in a single layer on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 15 minutes, flip each piece, and bake for another 15 minutes.
Step 6: Cool completely
Let the crackers cool fully on the tray – they’ll crisp up as they cool.
Serving Ideas
- Cheese boards – perfect with soft cheese, goat cheese, or aged cheddar.
- Lunchboxes – add to snack boxes for a fruity, seedy crunch.
- Dips – delicious with cream cheese, hummus, or whipped feta.
Storage
Once fully cooled, store your crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If they start to soften, re-crisp them in a low oven (around 140°C / 285°F) for 5–8 minutes.
Tips & Variations
- Slice frozen for best results – this helps you get super thin, even slices.
- Play with flavours – swap cranberries for dried apricots, figs, or dates.
- Try different seeds/nuts – almonds, sesame seeds, or chopped pistachios also work.
- Make smaller crackers – cut each slice in half before baking for bite-sized nibbles.
Gluten-Free Gifting Idea 🎁
These crackers make a beautiful homemade gift – especially around the holidays or for teacher thank-you, housewarmings, or gluten-free friends.
For a lovely presentation:
- Slice the loaf into long crackers (don’t cut in half).
- Bake as usual, then allow to cool completely.
- Stack them neatly and place in a clear cellophane bag, then tie with twine or ribbon.
- Add a handwritten tag with the flavour (e.g., Cranberry & Seed Crisps) and serving suggestions (like delicious with cheese!).
They look just like fancy crackers from a gourmet store – but made with love and so much better!
FAQ: Gluten-Free Cranberry Seed Crackers
❓ What’s the ideal ratio of dried fruit, seeds, and nuts in this recipe?
This recipe uses ¾ cup of dried fruit and ¾ cup of seeds – so a total of 1½ cups of mix-ins. You can mix and match based on what you have on hand, as long as you keep the combined total around 1½ cups. For example:
- ¾ cup dried cranberries + ¾ cup seeds
- ½ cup dried apricots + ½ cup seeds + ½ cup chopped nuts
Just be sure everything is chopped into small pieces for easy slicing and even baking.
❓ Can I add nuts to these crackers?
Yes! You can substitute part of the seeds with chopped nuts like almonds, walnuts, pistachios, or pecans. Just make sure the total amount of dried fruit, seeds, and nuts stays around 1½ cups combined, and chop the nuts finely to help the loaf slice cleanly after freezing.
❓ Can I make these crackers dairy-free?
Absolutely. Just swap the milk for your favourite non-dairy alternative – almond, oat, soy milk all work well.
❓ How thin should I slice the crackers?
Aim for about 1/8 inch (3 mm) slices. Freezing the loaf first makes this much easier and helps you get crisp, even crackers. Use a sharp serrated knife for best results.
❓ Can I just cut and bake some of the loaf at a time?
Yes, definitely! I do this often myself. Once the loaf is frozen, you can slice and bake just a portion at a time. Wrap the remaining frozen loaf tightly and return it to the freezer until you’re ready for more. It’s a great way to make fresh batches as needed without committing to baking the whole loaf at once.
Gluten-Free Crackers
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (135 g) gluten-free all purpose flour/plain flour (make sure it contains xanthan gum, or add ¼ tsp if not)
- ½ cup (100 g) rice flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup dried apricots, dried cranberries etc, chopped
- ¾ cup pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pepitas etc
- 1 cup milk, (dairy or non-dairy)
- ¼ cup (95 g) honey
Instructions
Prepare the Batter:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a loaf pan ( 8” x 4”) with baking paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together the gluten-free flour, rice flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the cranberries and seeds and mix to coat them in the dry ingredients.
- Stir in the milk and honey until just combined. The mixture will be pourable but thick.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 28–30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow the loaf to cool completely.
Freeze:
- Wrap the cooled loaf tightly and freeze for at least 3 hours or overnight to make it easy to slice thinly.
Slice Thinly:
- Using a sharp knife, slice the frozen loaf as thinly as possible. You can leave the slices long for standard crackers, or cut them in half for bite-sized ones (I tend to do a tray of each).
Bake (Second Bake – To Crisp):
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Arrange slices on a parchment-lined tray in a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes, flip each slice, then bake for another 15 minutes.
- Allow the crackers to cool completely on the tray. They’ll continue to crisp up as they cool.
- Serve once cool or store in an airtight container.
Recipe Notes:
Tips & Variations:
- Slice frozen for best results – this helps you get super thin, even slices.
- Play with flavours – swap cranberries for dried apricots, figs, or dates.
- Try different seeds/nuts – sesame seeds, or chopped pistachios also work.
- Make smaller crackers – cut each slice in half before baking for bite-sized nibbles.
Storage:
Once fully cooled, store your crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If they start to soften, re-crisp them in a low oven (around 140°C / 285°F) for 5–8 minutes.Nutrition Information:
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