Cheddar Chives Crackers

Must Try Recipes

I sometimes get a hankering for some commercial snacks and sweets I used to eat when I was little. It’s rare but it does happen from time to time. But because I am perfectly happy with my whole foods diet, I am not about to compromise that by stuffing myself with processed fats and sugars. That’s when I make my own homemade version of what I remember from my childhood.

In this case, I made cheese crackers. Savory crackers like these are just what I need when I want to have a light snack before dinner. I also use them as a side menu when I pack school lunches for my kids. And I get additional satisfaction because I know they are healthy and made solely with true foods that bring me plenty of nourishment.

The grass-fed cheddar cheese gives the crackers its easily recognizable flavor and the chives balance it out. Slightly crunchy sunflower seeds and sesame seeds (soaked and dehydrated beforehand) provide a nice crispy texture. And just a little bit of fresh garlic makes the crackers aroma spread throughout the kitchen as you make these. I originally based my recipe on the one here. It was posted by my friend Cara on her blog and I modified it slightly to better suit my needs.

And if you haven’t read my post on soaking and dehydrating seeds yet, I recommend you do it now. Sure, you could make this recipe with raw seeds but the crackers will be easier to digest if you soak them because the enzyme inhibitors will become neutralized.

Necessary equipment:

  • a food processor
  • parchment paper
  • a rolling pin
  • a pizza cutter
  • a jelly roll pan
  • a spatula

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of sesame seeds (how to soak and dehydrate nuts, seeds, and beans)
  • 1 cup of sunflower seeds
  • 1 cup of shredded grass-fed white cheddar
  • 2 T. of chopped fresh chives
  • 1 t. of sea salt
  • 1 peeled garlic clove
  • filtered water

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Put the sunflower seeds, garlic clove, and sea salt in a food processor. Pulse for a few minutes until the mixture looks moist.
  3. Add in the sesame seeds and keep pulsing for about one more minute so that all ingredients combine well.
  4. Add in the shredded cheddar cheese and pulse again for a couple of minutes. The shreds should not be visible anymore.
  5. Add in the chives and pulse just once or twice. Be careful not to pulse too much or your dough will turn green. You want the chives to become little specks of green in your crackers.
  6. Add about 1/4 cup of filtered water and pulse until a nice looking dough forms. Add more water if necessary.
  7. Put the dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll it to your desired thickness. I usually do it until it’s about 1/8 of an inch thick.
  8. Pull off the top parchment piece and cut the dough into cracker-sized pieces with a pizza cutter.
  9. Bake the crackers for about 15 minutes until they turn slightly brown and crisp.
  10. Take crackers off the parchment sheet immediately so that they will stop cooking. Use a spatula to help you transfer them onto a cool tray.
  11. Leave to fully cool.
  12. Store at room temperature in an open zip bag. If they are stored in an airtight container, they will their crispness.

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