Seriously Basic Crackers (AIP/Paleo/Vegan)

Homemade crackers on a pretty plate by my dear friend Lux Eros with spreader by Beautifully Served and photo, as usual, by me, Jenna Peffley

Sometimes you just really want crackers. Basic crackers. Any crackers really. Especially if you’re on a strict Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) elimination diet. I spent a lot of time sourcing different recipes and after a few tweaks, I found these to work the best and give the best cracker texture. I don’t know why I never thought to make crackers before - they’re pretty easy to make and are the perfect snack on their own, with a side of herbed/salted coconut butter, or with a bowl of Chili-less Chili or THIS soup or THIS soup too!

*Note - I use a food processor to mix everything because I don’t own a mixer and I hate hand mixing. I’m sure you could do either with this, but I haven’t tried it. If you do, let me know how it goes!

INGREDIENTS (makes about 24 crackers, depending on how you cut them)

• 1 1/2 cups Cassava Flour

• 1/2 cup Tigernut Flour

• 1/2 cup cold coconut oil (I refrigerate for at least a half hour)

• 1/2 cup ice cold water (I’m sure there are scientific reasons behind this that I don’t understand but according to grandmas everywhere, cold water works best for making crackers)

• 1 tsp fancy salt of choice (pink, sea salt, maldon, etc)

• Optional seasonings - 1 tsp Herbs De Provence (make sure no fennel for AIP) and/or 1 tsp garlic powder (make sure it’s JUST garlic for AIP)

RECIPE

1. Pre-heat oven to 400°

2. Add dry ingredients and seasonings to food processor. Pulse to mix.

3. Add cold coconut oil to dry ingredients. Pulse to mix.

4. With food processor set to low speed, slowly pour in ice cold water until you get a ball of dough that can easily be rolled out. If you need a tiny bit more water because it’s too dry, then add it 1 tsp at a time.

5. Lay down a sheet of parchment paper and place dough on parchment.

6. Lay another piece of parchment over the dough and with a rolling pin (or some other thing that you can pretend is a rolling pin, in case you don’t have one) roll out dough until it’s fairly thin - I like to do a little thicker than an old school WheatThin cracker.

7. Remove top parchment paper and discard (or save for something else). Gently cut crackers to shape/size you want. A pizza cutter works great for this to score into squares, but any old knife will do. If you want to get fancy, you can use a cookie cutter. Poke fork holes in the tops of each cracker. Sprinkle with salt.

8. Transfer entire sheet of parchment with crackers on top to a cookie sheet, place in the oven center rack, and bake for approximately 20 minutes. Every oven is different, so check them after 10 minutes. Depending on the thickness of your cracker, they could go longer or shorter, but when they start to get a nice golden brown, they are done!

9. Resist temptation of eating right away and let them cool completely on the cookie sheet before breaking them, or they may crumble.

I save these in a glass container in the pantry and they typically last a week or so unless I eat them all.

Enjoy!